Evening star., 1949-09-25
Three Ex-Red Officials
Sentenced 10 Death in
Hungarian Spy Trial
BY the Associated Press


BUDAPEST, Hungary. Sept. "a.
|-Ex-Foreign Minister Laszlo Rajk
and two former Communist Party
officials were sentenced today to
death on the gallows for pur-
ported plot to overthrow Hun
gary's Communist government.
They themselves had testified
that they worked with Americans
and Yugoslavs to toss Hungary
under the influence of Yugoslav
Premier Marshal Tito.
Two other men were sentenced
to life imprisonment and one to
nine years in this second big Hun
garian treason trial of 1949. Ap-
peals were entered for all, though
Rajk protested that Il consider
the verdict justified
Decision on Two Delayed.
A technicality delayed a deci-
sion in the case of the other de-
PENDANTS, 1t. Gen. Gyorgy Palffy
and Col. Bella Korondy. The five
judge Peoples Court ruled it was
not competent to deal with them
and ordered them held for court
martial, though they had ad-
mitted government charges as
freely as the rest in the six-day
hearing.
Gen. Palffy formerly headed the
Hungarian army as its chief in
spector. Col. Korondy command.
ed Budapest police. AS military
personnel, they might be SEN
fenced to death before a firing
squad. Hanging is the penalty fol
condemned civilians.
The case attracted the Widest
international attention to Hungary
since the treason trial of JOSE
Cardinal Mindszenty last Febru.
ary. The Roman Catholic primatt
is now serving a life term.
Courtroom Crowded.
The sentences. delivered by Pre-.
siding Judge Peter Janko before
a hushed and crowded courtroom
Death-for Rajk, a poker-faceo
man of 40 who headed Hungary's
police as interior minister before
his shift to the Foreign Ministry
DR.. Thor Szoenyi, 46. former
member of Parliament who direct.
ed the Hungarian Communist
Party's cadre system supervising
rank and file members, and Andras
Szalai, 80. deputy to Szoenyi.
Life-For Lazar Brankov. 81
year-old Yugoslav who was coun-
sellor in the Yugoslav legation in
Budapest, and Pal Justus, "A. for
mer member of Parliament and
vice president of the Hungarian
radio.
Nine years-For Milan Ognye-
vich, a Hungarian subject of Ser
bian origin accused Of being a
Yugoslav spy.
Prosecutor Protests.
Chief Prosecutor Gyula Alapi
who demanded death sentences
in his summation, insisted Bran
kov and Justus also should be
hanged. He accepted the courts S
decision regarding the others.
Security policemen were sta
toned beside each defendant and
an extra row of police stood be-
hind them. The prisoners ap-
peared for sentencing in the same
dark business suits they had worn
throughout the trial. None ap-
peared to show any emotion.
Judge Janko denounced as out
rageous the actions Of four Of the
group who were formerly high
Communists-Rajk. Szoenyi. Sza-
lai and Justus.
They penetrated the workers
(Communist) movement" he said.
"They delivered State secrets to
American, Yugoslav and French
agents who pretended to be diplo-
mats. They were allies of the
Fascist Tito clique. which is the
vanguard of Imperialism
Referring to testimony that the
plotters planned to assassinate
Deputy Premier Matyas Rakosi
and other key Communists, he
said they ".aimed to murder the
most able leaders of this country
Alleviating Circumstances.
The judge said there were allevi-
ating circumstances in Brankov's
case in that "he followed orders
of his (Yugoslav) superiors."
With the exception of Rajk. all
the five men sentenced said they
wished to appeal for a reduction
of their sentences. The appeals
are made to the National Council
Of Peoples Courts, which has the
power to reduce or increase SEN
tences or let them stand. Rajk's
was entered for him anyway by his
lawyer.
Rajk said in his final statement
Thursday he approved the judge
verdict in advance. He said: ut is
undeniable that became a too
of Tito. who is the heir of Hitle,
and follows Hitler's policy in the
Balkans. But his masters are the
Americans"
It was charged in court that
Selden Chaplin, former American
minister to Hungary who was
named this week as ambassador to
the Netherlands, Allen w. Dulles
wartime head of the Office OF
Strategic Services in Europe. ano
1t. Col. George Kovach. former
member of the American military
mission in Hungary, were among