THE BONNET ROUGE TRIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16851, 16 May 1918, Page 5

THE BONNET ROUGE TRIAL.

EVIDENCE OF M. CAILLAUX.

ANGRY SCENE IN COURT.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 11.85 p.m.) * PARIS, May 14.

The Bonnet Rouge, trial has been uneventful so far. The Court was suddenly crowded owing to a report that M. Caillaux was going to give evidence. He showed the highest spirits, his imprisonment not having affected his health. He several times tried to make political speeches, justifying his pacificist views, but the president of the Court always interfered.

M. Caillaux denied having given the Bonnet Rouge money since the war, though he gave it £1500 before the war when he had to defend his own honour and his wife's against abominable press attacks. The prisoners became angry at some of M. Caillaux's remarks, and created a scene by shouting "Liar." It is expected that judgment will be given to-night, and that Duval and another prisoner will probably be condemned to death.

The "Bonnet Rouge'' was an anarchistpacificist newspaper, edited by Almereyda who was the first person arrested and incarcerated in the Fresnes prison infirmary, because he was in ill-health. Almereyda died mysteriously, some saying that he committed suicide, while others say he was put to death, still others asserting that he hanged himself in his cell by his boot laces. The whole affair was discovered when Duval, one of Almereyda's co-workers, was arrested on ' returning from Switzerland. When searched a cheque for £400, said to be of German origin, was found on him. Others accused are Marion Goldsky and Landau, of the Bonnet Rouge staff, all three under charges of holding commerce with the enemy and of complicity; Jougla, for espionage and conveying intelligence to the enemy; Leymairie, exMimster of the Interior, Malvy's Chief of Cabinet, complicity in commerce with the enemy. Malvy himself is accused of treason by the press, as he was by M. Clemenceau in his famous speech in the Senate. Marion also will appear as a prisoner accused of disclosing important documents concerning the French national defence.