UPROAR AT TRIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 303, 20 November 1935, Page 2

UPROAR AT TRIAL

3.45 P.M. EDITION

STIR IN FRENCH CASE. counselTremoved. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received November 20, 2.10 p.m. AIX-EN-PROVENCE, Nov. 19. At the trial of the throe Croats who are alleged to have been accomplices of Petrus Kelemen, the assassin of King Alexander of Yugoslavia and M. Barthou, in October, 1934, there was a series of scenes culminating in the expulsion of Maitre Desbons amid an uproar. The scenes began when an usher hatided the foreman of the jury a large sealed envelope. Maitre Desbons demanded to know the contents and the hearing was suspended. When it resumed the foreman made a statement that tlie documents had been destroyed. Meantime, the Press discovered that the envelope contained an anonymous letter and an article from a Socialist newspaper in which it was alleged that the Italian Government financed protected terrorists. Maitre Desbons protested that the incident was a manoeuvre to cripple the defence. Maitre Roll, the prosecuting counsel, retorted _ that, while not saying the letter originated from Maitre Desbons, he thought the defence counsel was at the back of it. Maitre Desbons, replying to the accusation. evasively attacked the methods of the prosecution, upon which Maitre Roll demanded that Maitre Desbons be struck off the rolls. A Judge, to Maitre Desbons: What have you to say for yourself? Maitre Desbons replied: You are trying to hinder me in the execution of my duty; trying to take my bread away. Had I entered politics instead of the law J would have won your respect instead of being trampled upon bv you. The Judges retired and when they returned they ruled that Maitre Desbons was disbarred on the ground of his violent and abusive language to the Magistrate. Maitre Desbons declared that he would only leave the Court under an armed escort. He then shook hands with the three prisoners and left the Court escorted by soldiers. Weeping and gesticulating wildly, he disrobed. The President of the Court invited Maitre Dead to lead 'the defence and he accepted. He suggested an adjournment until to-morrow, but the'prisoners heatedly protested, threatening a hunger strike until Maitre Desbons returned to the Court, but the Judges adjourned the Court. The precautions against the terrorists’ violence have been redoubled and there are at least two thousand soldiers in the town. Several arrests have been made of persons suspected of being agents of the dreaded Balkan terrorist organisation, the Oustacha. Alaitre Desbons, during the altercation with the Judges, shouted: “Whatever you do to me you and your executioner will not have the heads of these three men.”