PARIS SHOOTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22685, 24 March 1937, Page 13

PARIS SHOOTING

MUSSOLINI NAMED

STATEMENT BY WOMAN

MAGISTERIAL INQUIRY

ALLEGED AFFAIR IN ROME

By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright PARIS. March 22

"I saw Signor Mussolini regularly between April and July fi, last year, after which date I could not obtain a rendezvous."

This statement was made to-day during a magisterial examination of Madame de la Ferriere, who, completely self-possessed, faced a charge of shooting and injuring the former French Ambassador to llome, the Comtc dc Chambrun, at a Paris station.

Madame de la Ferriere added that she told the Comte de Chambrun in confidence about the romance on July 4. When subsequently she was not able 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 matter.

Then, through friends in the Italian police, Madame do la Ferriere 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 was II Duce's mistress.

Madame de la Ferriere is rewriting her confiscated diary from memory and demands the right to introduce it at her trial as evidence.

Italy is seeking the elimination of Signor Mussolini's name from the proceedings.

The Comte dc Chambrun has declined to associate himself with the trial except as a witness.

IL DUCE'S RETURN

NO POLITICAL MOTIVE NAVAL SQUADRON REVIEWED (Received March 23, 5.5 p.m.) ROME. March 2'i Signor Mussolini arrived at Gaeta this evening from Tripoli and is returning to Rome by motor-car. An earlier radio message from tho cruiser Pola described how he reviewed the second naval squadron, after which, in spite of rough weather, tho Pola, escorted by four cruisers, raced at full speed for Gaeta. An oflicial spokesman stated that II Duee's return w as not hastened by any political motive. When informed of press comments on the subject, he was annoyed at their "tendentious nature."