Dr. Fischer's Experiences in Court: Right of Counsel to Cross-examine Accused Hearing was continued last Friday in the Mixed Court before Messrs. Whitamore and Zau in the case in which seven Russians are charged with conspiring to commit an act of piracy on March 18 and one Babitsky, an alleged Soviet Consular oficial, is charged with instigating the crime. The White Russian str.
Okhotsk, now lying at Woosung, is the ship against which the alleged conspiracy is said to have been directed.
Mr, E, T. Maitland appeared for! the prosecution, Dr. 0. Fischer for Babitsky and Mr. N, I. Ivanow for: Gen, Gleboff, who claims: ownership of the vessel.. The seven other ian accused are not represented ion of the accused conterday, the fourth accused, P.M, Onjenko, being the first to be called, He told the Court that be wished to make a tatement, This took the greater part of the session, He related how he had a conversa. tion with another tenant at his boarding house on March 9 when he learned of the plot. The follow. ing day he was taking tiffin at kitchen' in' the Frere Concession and, seeing @ police officer, decided to ich him about the conspiracy. The officer said that he was with the harbour authorities and directed the to DetSgt, Amelianof of och police. On his way. hom witnessd met the tenant he had firs: talked to and learned the nomics of the participants, Theve he gave a3 Doing the first, second, third and sixth accused. Arriving back home witness met the first and cused, Goluboft and They wore drunk and toid him that had arranged for two Tartars aboard the Okbothk to put a drug {in the crew's soup. Witres" told the scheme was impossible as hip was watched bya Chinese oat and, should they. ge: the there was not enough fuel Aboard to take her to Vladivostok The following day, witness said, the went and reported the matter DetSgt. Amelianofl. Later, he met Avevianoff and, together, they wen* to a restaurant opposite 15 Dent Road where the matter was talked over with several persons anda meeting arranged for the following day. "At the next meeting witness asked the man who was at the head of the conspiracy and they told him that Minsky was. (The latter in also an alleged "Soviet Consular official). During this meeting witness was asked whether or not he could navigate a ship, and he replied th could Again the following day witness wert to the restaurant on Dent Road where ho met. the sixth used, Glebin, and the first accused, Goluboft. The latter told. witness they would get $15,000 and some arms if they could capture the vessel. After going home witness was arrested.
The fifth accused, B. J. Honjimsky, said that he had agreed to take part in the conspiracy before he knew that it would be so serious.
When he found this out he went to detective Boulanin and told him all the plans. He told the detective at he did not like to proceed with his part in the matter, but, should hae do so, he would report everything to the police. Boulanin asked him to go on with the conspiracy.
After the examination, Dr. Fischer said that he would like to cross-examine witness.
Asseksor:—That is not necessary. Dr. Fischer:—T submit that T am entitled to examine the witness.
Assessor:—You are only appear-ting in this ease for one cheat Dr. Fiseher:—I would like to tell you why I would like to examine the witness. This is the first time T was ever Stopped from eross-ex amination in this Court Assessor:—I will tell you why, Dr. Fischer. Tt is essential that wwe have as little protraction of this ease as possible, Ah the accused but your client are being held with. out bail.
Dr. Fischer:—-This could have been set down by the Registrar for hearing before it was... There ar. far less important cases that have been heard in preference to this one. In any other Court in Shanghai an
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.