CATALANS’ PLOT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 101, 24 January 1927, Page 11

CATALANS’ PLOT

DRAMATIC SCENES AT TRIAL INDICTMENT OF GARIBALDI IMPRISONMENT AND FINES IMPOSED There were dramatic scenes at the trial of those alleged to be concerned in the conspiracy against the Government of Spain. The Court sentenced Garibaldi and Marcia to two months imprisonment, and fined them 100 francs, and their accomplices to a month’s imprisonment, with fines of 50 francs, BY 'TELEGBATn. — PRESS ASSOCIATION. COPYRIGHT. (Rec. January 23, 5.5 p.m.) Paris, January 21. Giving evidence at the Garibaldi trial, Detective Leluc declared that Scivoli, who was suspected of plotting to assassinate Signor Mussolini, first aroused doubts concerning Garibaldi. Detective Leluc journeyed to Nice, and there interrogated Garibaldi, who admitted his relations with the Italian agents Sall and Lapolla, from whom he received money. Garibaldi’s counsel declared that his client was not aware, till it was too late, that Salla was a Fascist agent. Scivoli gave evidence that Garibaldi requested him to go to Italy o He obtained a passport, but when he learned thato the police were expecting him he suspected a betrayal. He was convinced of this when his passport photos were discovered among the papers of an Italian agent. The trial continues to be an indictment of Garibaldi by M. Torres, upon charges of selling the Catalan plans to the police. Garibaldi proves to be the most pugnacious. There have been many scenes of violent tumult, in which the Judge, M. Torres, Garibaldi, and his counsel were all shouting at the same time, but M. Torres’ tremendous bass dominated the _ hubbub. Garibaldi accused the police of extracting his.confessions by torture, but the police denied this. There was a dramatic scene when the Italian Seskeharino entered the wit-ness-box to support the allegation that Rizzoli, one of Macia’s followers, betrayed the plot. Rizzoli shouted: “Coward! Police spy! I will track you down. Only my respect for justice prevents me strangling yon now.” The public laughed and cheered when Garibaldi’s counsel withdrew the witness without testifying.

Paris, January 22. Garibaldi and Macia were sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and fined 100 francs. Their accomplices were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment and fined 50 francs. A packed court awaited the denouement. The usual curtain-raiser was the triumphal entry of .Macias’. jolly conquistadors, accompanied by lively greetings from friends, as though the parties were playing amateur theatricals. One mother raised her baby aloft and waved it before the eves of the paternal plotter. Finally Garibaldi entered alone and took an isolated seat, looking haughty and self-composed. Garibaldi’s counsel argued that the police exceeded their dutv when they searched his house and detained him without warrant. The Court replied that it wouid reserve its decision in that connection. Counsel for the prosecution admitted that Maria was an idealist Francophile, but alleged that he possessed arms and hatched a mad plot on rrench soil at the risk of embroiling France with a neighbouring country, forgetting he was a guest of France. Garibaldi also possessed arms. He admitted. it was not proved that Garibaldi was mixed up with the Catalans’ plot, and it was doubtful whether Garibaldi intended to help or betray Macia. Garibaldi confessed to the police that he had co’d his friends, but exnlamed that lie was forced to make that statement. Counsel flung his finger in the direction of Garibaldi, saving: “A man of his lineage should have preferred to die before confessing infamy.” Garibaldi showed no emotion beyond the twitching of a lip at this stinging taunt.