Rombach, entering the witness box, in reply to the judge's question stated that he had started work for the CER. on October 20 la: year and that previously he had been editor of the Soviet paper "Tribune" published in Hart that though at the pre! amination he had been sent by the Railway as their representative he wished now to be considered as an ordinary witness, as most of his evidence was based upon material he had gathered whilst editor of the "Tribune." This was allowed by the judge, the summons sent to' Rombach having been sent to him at his private address and not through the railway. The ca: then adjourned till the 7th instant.
Aug. 9.
The prison, van bringing Ostroumoff to the Court House arriving over half an hour late on Friday last it was close on 10 o'clock before the 15th session of the trial began. The Court was packed and the presiding judge was again alone fon the bench, associate judges and the public prosecutor being again absent. Comrade Rombach was again in the witness box and the judge requested him to relate all that was known to him about the purchase of rails for the GER. from the Russian Industrial " and Commercial Company. atourly adhered that thes bought through the initiative Ostroumoff and that the statement of the latter saying that the purchase was made by the Council of the Railway Management with the approval of the Interallied Technical Board did not correspond with facts. stok Government. was about to fall Jat the time and that the CER. jeould have purchased the rails fivect from this" Government at practically their own terms if) Ostroumoft had chosen to, the lat ter had nevertheless closed a deal with the Russian Industrial Ca. at] the head of which was Gavriloff, this Company actually buying from the Government the rails at 1.02) roubles a pond which they resold to. the CER, at 132 roubles thus) making a profit of 30 kopecks pond. Rombach further stated that the Vladivostok Government actually' only received 100,000 roubles from [Gavrilof, this amount being an advance made on the purchase by the CER. who in their turn had rejotived the money from the Japanese Military authorities for the transport of troops on the railway, the reason for this being that' the Vladivostok Government fell just Jatter the delivery of the rail Rombach went on to say that the [Control of Audit Dept. of the C.E.R. in 1923 interested itself in this purchase of rails and that Ostroumoff had stated that the rails obtained seeing they were cheaper by six kopecks a pond than an offer made by another firm. Rombach maintained that these statements Jstroumoff were false, causing counsel for defence to rise and point jour to the judge that Rombach was only a witness and could state facts jonly and not conclusions as he was doing, which must be left to the prosecutor, the defence and the Judge, Counsel went on to say that the thought that the Judge himself would have called Rombach's attention to this matter but as he had not counsel was obliged to do The Judge in reply stated that) witness was asked to relate all that was known to him. If there was nothing false oF for the defendants i he would be responsible for it.
Rombach, continuing his evidence said that the purchase of rails had not been made with the consent of the Inter-Allied Technical Board, saying he had a written statement to this effect from a former Inter-prefer of the Board.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.