CRIME EXPIATED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21868, 2 August 1934, Page 9

CRIME EXPIATED

DEATH OF BR. DOLLFUSS A DOUBLE EXECUTION DEMEANOUR OF ACCUSED COURT REFUSES CLEMENCY > By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright VIENNA, July 31 The special military Court to-day found Otto Planetta, aged 35, a former soldier and chauffeur, guilty of the murder of the late Chancellor, Dr. Dollfuss, and of high treason, and Franz 30, also a former soldier and electrician, guilty of high treason. Holzweber was considered • to have been the ringleader of the gang, whose only object in bursting into the.Chancellery must have been to arouse feelings which would lead to civil war. Planetta and Holzweber were sentenced to death, their petitions for clemency being rejected. They were hanged later in the day. The two accused, unshaven and :standing grimly to attention, heard the death sentence without a quiver. The Judge gabbled the sentence inaudibly, as if he were reading a, routine message, and the accused marched out erect and apparently unmoved. They were guarded by steel-hel meted infantrymen armed with fixed bayonets and Lewis guns. Gruesome Scene on Scafold Holzweber was hanged first. He bade farewell to his wife in an affectionate manner, saying that a great cause was at stake. "Germany must either become great or perish," he said. Both the condemned men went to the scaffold in the gallows court, a tiny quadrangle in the corner of the Landesgericht. They were not pinioned a.nd not A chaplain murmured spiritual consolation as the noose was placed around the neck of Hokweber, who shouted several times, loudly' enough to be heard throughout the prison, "Heil Hitler." The hangman's assistants flung themselves on his shoulders. Holzweber was ten. minutes dying, as the gallows only consisted of a noose attached to a plank and did not provide for a drop long enough to break his neck. Planetta also died crying, "Heil Hitler." * The guards outside the prison were doubled during the execution. Planetta's Address to Court

The Court found that murder had been clearly proved in the case of Planetta. Experts to whom was referred his contention that he had accidentally fired the second shot, said it was impossible. He had used 8, deadly weapon at short range. The Court found the absence of previous convictions a point in favour of the accused. A transcript of the evidence shows that Planetta had admitted there was no question of self-defence. He said he did not intend to shoot but that someone jogged his arm and his gun went off. Then Dr. Dollfuss fell, Planetta said he had tried in vain to get a doctor, and had helped to dress the Chancellor's wounds. Asked to make a final statement before the verdict was passed, Planetta said :""What I have done has been for the country. I was not a cowardly murderer. I did not want to kill. Aa an individual I am sorry for Dr. Dollfuss and beg pardon of Frau Dollfuss." Nazi Slogan Pleaded

Holzweber declared that he participated in the action only because be was told-Dr. Rintelen would be at the Chancellery and that a new Government had already been formed. He was also told blood would not be shed,, "I take responsibility for all I Have done and am willing to accept the consequences," he said.

Counsel for the defence, Dr. Fuehrer, in addition to protesting against the Court's rejection of all his applications, appealed on behalf of Naziism, saying: "I do not accept the new law of treason formulated under the new Constitution. Accused's ideal can be expressed in one sentence, namely, 'One" People, One Empire,' which is the Nazi silogan." CARINTHIA REBELS EXODUS TO YUGOSLAVIA TWO THOUSAND REFUGEES VIENNA, July 81 The Austrian Nazis who were entrenched in Carinthia withdrew during the night into Yugoslavian territory, where they were disarmed. They will be transported to Macedonia. There are no longer any armed Nazis in Carinthia. The number of refugees in Yugoslavia is estimated at 2000.