MILD SENTENCES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 24 January 1927, Page 5

MILD SENTENCES

CATALAN TRIAL OVER. SOME EXCITING SCENES. COUNSEL TAUNTS GARIBALDI. 9Y CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRJUILI PARIS, Jan. 22. Garibaldi and iMacia were sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and fined 100 mines. Tneir accomplices weie sentenced to a month’s imprisonment and were fined 50 francs. A packed court awaited the denouement. An unusual curtain-raiser was the triumphal entry of Macia’s jolly conquistadors, accompanied by lively greetings from friends, as though the parties were playing at amateur theatricals. One mother raised her baby aloft and waved it before the byes of the paternal plotter. Finally Garialdi entered aione and took an isolated seat, looking haughty and self-composed. • Garibaldi’s counsel argued that the police exceeded their duty when they searched his house and detained him without a warrant. The Court replied that it would reserve its decision m that connection. . . Counsel for the prosecution admitted that Macia was an' idealist Francophile, that he allegedly possessed arms and had hatched a mad plot on French soil at the risk of embroiling France with a neighbouring country, forgetting he was the guest of France. Garibaldi also possessed arms. He admitted it was not proved that that Garibaldi was mixed up with the Catalans’ plot and it was doubtful whether Garibaldi intended to help or to betray Macia. Garibaldi had confessed to the police that he had sold his friends, but had explained that he was forced to make that statement. Counsel flung his finger in the direction of Garibaldi saying: “A man of his lineage should have preferred to die before confessing to infamy.” Garibaldi showed no emotion beyond the twitching of his lips at this stinging taunt. It was alleged that Colonel Ricciotti Garibaldi, a grandson of the great Garibaldi, was connected with certain Italian 'police activities as well as with the abortive attempt to start a revolt in Spain. . Detective Leluc declared that Scivoli, who was suspected of plotting to assassinate Mussolini, first aroused doubts concerning Garibaldi. Detective Leluc journeyed to Nice and there interrogated Garibaldi, who admitted relations with the Italian agents Salla and Zapolla, from whom he received Garibaldi’s counsel declared 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. He obtained a passport, but when he learned the police were expecting him he suspected betrayal. He was convinced of this when the passport photographs were discovered among the papers of an Italian agent. .... The trial continued to be an mdict'ment of Garibaldi by M. Torres upon charges of selling Catalan plans to the police. Garibalda proved to be most pugnacious. There were many scenes of violent tumult in which the Judge, M. Torres, Garibaldi and his counsel were all shouting at the 6ame time, but' M. Torres’ tremendous bass dominated the hubbub. Garibaldi accused the police of extracting confessions by torture, but the police denied this. There was a dramatic scene when an < Italian named Seskeharino entered the witness box to support an allegation that Rizzoli, one of followers, betrayed the P 'Rizzoli shouted: “Coward! Police spy! I will track you down. Only my respect for justice prevents me from strangling you now!” The public laughed and cheered when Garibaldi’s counsel withdrew the witness without testfying. Torres, defending Macia, shook the courtroom when he dramatical ly turned on Garibaldi thundering: “Don’t evoke the memory of your comrades who are gone, lest the dead rise from their shrouds, and murmur from the tomb their disgust and horror of you.” He concluded: “Go Garibaldi! Resume your place alongside the assassins of Mattcotti.” .... n ■ AVhen the applause died down, Danbaldi’s counsel cuttingly referred to Torres’ useless cruelty. He especially recounted the history of Garibaldi s family causing Ricciotti to hide his face and quietly sob. Applause greeted the judgement, accompanied. by shouts of: “Long life the colonel, m various languages.