Evening star., 1936-08-21
BOOK USED AS CODE
IN PLOT ON STAIN
Trotzky Linked in "Fascist"
Conspiracy to Overthrow
Soviet Rule.
BACKGROUND

ers, who Dere expelled from the
party tn 1927 and imprisoned for
an alleged plot against the gopern-
naent in 1884, are charged by Rus
sian secret police with consptrin0
Dith Leon Trotzky. noted Grille, to
organize a reign OF terror" that
tuould result in assassination OF
Dictator Stain and ouerthro,D OF
Soviet government.
(copyright. 1885. py the Associated Press.l
MOSCOW, August 21.-The story
Of how a copy Of THE Arabian Nights"
was used as a secret. code between
Russia's amazing anti-Stalin conspira-
tors gave a fantastic touch today to
the trial of Is confessed plotters.
A bewildered. discomforted prisoner,
Edward Solomonovich Holzmann,
solemnly recounted how he acted as
liaison man between T. Smirnoff, head
Of the Moscow Trotzkyites, and Syedoff,
Leon Trotzky,s son in Berlin. with q
copy of the book the most important
piece Of his baggage.
"Smirno1 gave me copy Of The
Arabian Nights" the witness related,
which, in some way which I do not
remember. served as a secret code.
upon meeting Syedoff in Berlin I
handed him Smirnoff's report on eco
nomic and political affairs of the U. s.
s. r. and the Arabian Nights CODE"
Plots Laid to Trotzky.
Leon Trotsky, the celebrated exile,
has been accused by both the govern
ment and the defendants as the master
of the plot, embracing not one but
many attempts upon the life Of Die
tator Joseph Stain.
Previous evidence had brought out
that the counter er-revolutionaries used
secret compartments Of trunks. in
visible ink and other subterfuges In
order to exchange information.
Holzmann, q reluctant witness. told
of q meeting with Trotzky in Copen-
hagen at which he quoted the exile a.
saying:
THE only way to remove Stain is
through terror"
For a time during the examination
of Holznann. 81 years old, bald and
perspiring. the court room took on the
appearance Of Q big happy family.
Contradictions Draw Laughs.
The Trotzky undercover man, with
contradictory answers to the prose-
cutor's questions, drew frequent
smiles and laughter from the spec
tators. the prosecutor. the judges and
even Holzmann himself.
Audrey vishinsky, the prosecutor,
gently shook an admonishing finger
as the questioning produced further
contradictions.
At one point HolZmann said:
"Trotzky told me If Stain was de-
stroyed We would return to power"
DIR. Nathan Lazarevich Lourier,
another prisoner, linked the Soviet
terrorism with a Nad agent. declar-
ing he had made contact with the
German engineer, Franz Veiz, in
Moscow in 1882.
veiz instructed Lourier and the
others to begin the terror, the wit
ness said.
Mani Police Chief Named.
1t was later discovered, he testified,
that Veiz was sent to the Soviet Un-
ion by Heinrich Himmler, chief of the
Nazi secret police.
"I was shocked at first by that in
formation. but upon reflection I decid-
ed that since Trotzkys purpose was
terror, it was fair to use whatever al
lies were available"
Lourier calmly related how his
group was to kill both Stain and
Klementi Voroshiloff, the war COM
missar.
He later decided voluntarily to add
the names Of Lazarus M. Kaganovich,
commissar of transport, and G. K.
Ordzhonikidze, commissar of heavy
industry.
Lourier said he was instructed by
Moses Lourier to kill Andre A.
Zhbanoff, successor to the assassinated
Sergei M. Kirof as secretary of the
Leningrad Communist Party Com
mittee.
Staying Set for May Day.
This was to have taken place in
Leningrad on May day, the witness
added. but he was unable to get
close enough to shoot.
He told how he and three others
lurked for months near the commits
sariat Of defense, hoping to shoot