The “arms trial” in which two British soldiers were sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment each for illegal sale of arms to an unnamed Jewish organization, entered its second week today with a Dutch-born woman, Heintje Hendrika Rita Marx, testifying for the prosecution.
Mrs. Marx, who at today’s hearing repudiated her statement to the police that she is Jewish, was sworn in as witness on an English Bible. She testified that one of the Jewish defendants, Abraham Rachlin, visited the two convicted British soldiers at her house and discussed with them plans of bringing in arms from Cairo.
The witness, who is a friend of the two British soldiers, stated that she came to Palestine four years ago with a man to whom she was later married by a rabbi. Two years later they were divorced. She was held under what the prosecutor described as “protective detention.”
It was learned here today that Jewish leaders in London have lodged with the government departments concerned a complaint against the anti-Jewish allegations made during the “arms trial” by Major R. B. Verdin, military counsel. It is understood that certain proposals were submitted by the Jewish leaders in connection with the filing of the complaint.
(The Committee for a Jewish Army today cabled from New York to David Ben-Gurion in Jerusalem a message of “support and encouragement” for his protesting and challenging the attack made against the Jewish Agency by Major Verdin during the trial in the Palestine Military Court. “You may count on our full support,” the cable said.)
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
