MILITIAMAN SHOT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 9

MILITIAMAN SHOT

IL DUCE'S BODYGUARD

DEMENTED MAN'S ACT FALSE REPORT SPREADS MUSSOLINI NOT ATTACKED By Telesrraph—Press Association—Copyright * LONDON. Feb. 17 "An official announcement published in Rome says: "A report of an attempt recently made on the life of the head of the Government, Signor Mussolini, is false. The rumour arose from an incident caused by a demented man firing shots in the Via Nomentana."

The thoroughfare named is near II Duce's residence. A further communique says: "At 2 p.m. on Tuesday in the Via Nomentana a plain-clothed militiaman noticed an individual, evidently mentally unbalanced. He approached with the intention of calming him. The individual fired, wounding the militiaman in the abdomen.

"The man was arrested and identified as a mechanic, Bruno Simone, aged 38, who had twice been detained in a mental hospital, from which ho was released last year." The report which resulted in the official denial was telegraphed by the Rome correspondent of. the British United Press. It was to the effect that Signor Mussolini escaped assassination when his attacker shot a member of his bodyguard in front of II Duce's residence, the Villa Torlonia, 'as Signor Mussolini was leaving for the Palazzo Venezia.

It was reported that the guard challenged a loiterer at the main gateway, whereupon the stranger fired a revolver through his coat, wounding the guard. Signor Mussolini was said to have rushed, up as detectives and members of the household staff were arresting the assailant. The police were reported to have ascertained that the man who fired the shot was still carrying papers certifying to his mental condition.