ALLEGED ROMANCE WITH MUSSOLINI

Northern Advocate, 23 March 1937, Page 5

ALLEGED ROMANCE WITH MUSSOLINI

Frenchwoman on Trial for Shooting t United Press Association.— -By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright .3 (Received 2.30 p.m.) PARIS, March 22. “I saw Signor Mussolini. regularly between April 12 and July 6 last year, after which date I was unable to obtain a rendezvous.” This statement was made during a magisterial examination of Mme. de la frerriere, who, completely selfpossessed, faced a charge of shooting and injuring the former French Ambassador to Rome, the Comte de Chambrun, at a Paris station. Mme de la Ferriere added that she iold the Comte de Chambrun, In confidence, about the romance bn July 4. When, subsequently, she was unable to see Signor Mussolini, she asked Signor ' Alfieri, Minister of Propaganda, if anyone had been saying things about her. He hinted that the French Embassy had something to do with the mat- » ter. Then, through friends in the Italian police, Mme de la Ferrjere was able to inspect her record, where she found that an attache at the French Embassy had told Signor Mussolini that she was a French secret service agent, and also had told everyone that she was II Duce’s mistress. Mme de la Ferriere is rewriting her confiscated' diary from memory and demands the right tp introduce it at her trial as evidence. Italy is seeking .elimination of Signor Mussolini’s name from the proceedings. The Comte de-Chambrun has declined to associate himself with , the trial, except as a witness.