ARREST OF BEVAN

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 3

ARREST OF BEVAN

A DESPERATE EIGHT. DETECTIVES KNOCKED DOWN REPEATEDLY. VIENNA, June 19. It was tho undoing of George L. Sevan, tho missing chairman of directors of the City Equitable Fire Insurance Company, of London, for whoso arrest a warrant was issued some months ago, that he failed to register oa his arrival here. Inspector Weybora, of the Vienna police headquarters, is responsible for Sevan’s discovery and arrest, but the British authorities In Vienna have been on his track for some time. On May 16 they notified Weybora that Sevan was believed to he in Austria. . Tho Vienna and provincial police then set to work to trace him. On June 6 ho was reported stopping at Innsbruck, in tho Tyrol, under the name of “Loon Vernier.” Prom there he moved to Vienna, where he stopped at an hofel with a Frenchwoman, whose name was said to be Madeleine Vernier. “Vernier” himself also passed as French, and is said to havo spoken the language “ like a Frenchman.” His German was broken. Tho Frenchwoman, left for Paris soon after her arrival in Vienna. Bcvan then, went to Seramering, a well-known mountain resort, for a few days. ,0n returning to Vienna he took private apartments in an hotel. The police, apparently, had at this point lost the track. His failing to notify gave them tho scent again, and late in the evening of June 15 ho was arrested.

Two policemen, entered his room and inquired why he had not notified. Levan said ho was unaware that it was necessary. The police insisted that he must come with them to the police station. Bevan refused indignantly, and strongly resisted. A third policeman had to be summoned from the street before ho could bo brought to tho station.

When leaving the bouse Bevan was seen to put his hand to his mouth and swallow something. At the police station, accordingly, the doctor used a stomach pump, but, no trace of poison could bo found. After this-treatment, for which it is impossible to blamo the police, Bevan fainted, and! was taken to the police infirmary. In a statement to Inspector Weybora he said:

“I am Bevan, the man you are looking for, but the charge that I misappropriated money passing through my hands or i-eaped personal advantage therefrom is false.” Bevan had grown a more than Assyrian beard. The beard and hair - were, moreover, dyed jet black, and considerable quantities of hair dye were found in ids luggage. There were 6,000 French francs and a French.passport in the name of “Vernier” found on him.

Bovan was taken only after a desperate struggle with-two powerful detectives lasting fully half an hour. When the detectives attempted to use force Bevan, a tall,' powerful man, offered the most violent resistance, and knocked them down repeatedly. The Vienna police are accustomed to wrestling, but they are no boxers, and they were quite unable to cope with Bevap-’s style of lighting. When finally secured Bevan suddenly took a small bottle out of his pocket and swallowed the contents, which ho declared to be only -a sedative. It was because ho suspected poison that the police doctor used the stomach pump. Bevan next simulated insanity, and was kept in hospital for two days. ,On Friday he had become quieter, and was removed to the Criminal Court Building. It was then that he confessed to his identity.