CONVICT DRAMATIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15504, 10 January 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

CONVICT DRAMATIST.

RUSE TO SEE PRODUCER

Matoice Ronsren if a promising young author whose literature is only interfered with by his obligation to live behind prison walls. He wrote a play which the manager of one of the leading theatres in Paris considered perfect, and intends to produce before long. The play is entitled. " The Heart of Jenny." and is said to be witty, romantic, and very cleverly written. But the young author, for pastime apparently, indulged in several burglaries and thefts, was captured by the police, tried, and sentenced to four years of prison, and five years of exclusion from Paris. He was sent, to the prison of Loos. The Paris manager asked to see him to arrange for the performance of the play. Maurice Rohmer. in accordance with the prison rules, was refused permission to see the manager, who had given him a rendezvous in Paris. The young convict authov was not at the end of" his resource?. He promptly accused himself of having committed several other thefts in Paris, ar.d mentioned the name of another convict in the same prison as an accomplice. The procurator of the Republic took notice of the fact and ordered him and his alleged accomplice to be brought to Paris and to be examined by a magistrate. Before answering any of the questions of the magistrate, the prisoner insisted on being allowed to see the theatrical manager who had his play. That is the only reason for which I came to Paris," he said. " I have not committed any of the thefts of which I accused myself." In spit* of this open confession the magistrate refused to allow him to see the manager, and the probabilities now are that "The Heart of Jenny" will not see the footlights within the next | four years. Its author, moreover, is to ' be prosecuted for contempt of court.