“RED VIRGIN’S” LOVE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 7 January 1925, Page 3

“RED VIRGIN’S” LOVE

HER ROY ANARCHIST. Germain Berton, the girl anarchist, notorious as “the Red Virgin,” has startled all Paris and revived interest in the year-old tragedy of Phillippe Baudot, by attempting to kill herself in a Paris church for love of the dead boy anarchist. Philippe Daudet, grandson of the famous novelist and son of the editor of the Royalis,t< newspaper Action Francaise, was found dying in a. cab in the streets of Paris last November. There was a bullet wound in his head and a revolver lay oil the seat beside h i m.

A terrific political storm raged about the real cause of the boy’s death. The police said it was a clear case of suicide. But the boy’s father, AL Leon Daudet, e wore that it was a p.lot, of the Paris Secret Police to kill the boy for political reasons. Boy of Wenk Intellect.

Young Daudet was a boy of weak intellect and neurotic temperament. He had gone from the reactionary Royaiist extreme of his l’Ather in the other direction, and was an avowed Anarchist.

The dramatic attempted suicide of the Bed Virgin was followed by the receipt of a fantastic letter fidm the girl by Atme. Daudet, the boy’s mother. In this letter the extraordinary statement is made that young Daudet committed suicide for love of the Red Virgin. “I am going io die. madam,” she wrote, “as-Philippe died. Of his age and name I was first ignorant. I do not feel guilty. I hope you will pardon me. Philippe died for me ; it is but fitting that ! should die for him. ’

The lied Virgin goes on to state that Philippe Daudet was her lover at the age of 13, and she was committing suicide because life Without him was not worth living Germaine Bertoh became notorious two years ago, when she walked one day into the office of the Action Francaise and asked for an interview with Al. Marins Plateau, a member of the editorial stall'. An Amazing AKpiittal. She was admitted, and a few moments later sounds of violent altercation were heard in the outer office. As members of the stall’ rushed towards the door five shots rang out. When the door was flung open Al. Plateau lay dead, and Germaine Berton ,stood there with a smoking revolver in her hand. She had kept the last shot for herself, and forthwith filed it. But her aim was bad, and she merely 'inflicted a, slight flesh wound. She was tried for the murder, and throughout the trial she flaunted her guilt. Yet. despite an absolutely clear case, the jury found her not guilty, and she was discharged. Although he scouts the idea that his soil was this girl’s lover, AL Leon Daudet has expressed the belief that the attempted suicide of the Rted Virgin will throw fresh light on the mystery of his son’s death. Secret Police Accused., Al. Barnaud, the magistrate who has been probing the Daudet mystery, was sen for by Germain Berton one day recently, and she miade a. communication to. 1 him. She later wrote the magistrate two letters from the hospital. The purport of these letters has been kept secret. But M. Barnaud also took statements from Al. Lannes, M. Poincare’s brother-in-law, and from one of the chiefs of the Paris detective service. The startling reason for this proceeding was made known to the public by AL Leon Daudet himself.. He>publicly stated his belief that Al. Landes and the chief of the secret police wore directly responsible for the murder of his son.