A TRAITOR TRAPPED.

NZ Truth, Issue 183, 19 December 1908, Page 8

A TRAITOR TRAPPED.

BERTHON'S BEAUTIFUL BLOOMER.

Sells State Secrets for Silver.

COUNTRYMAN HEARS HIM PLOTTING WITH GERMANS.

Transported to New Caledonia for Life.

Confined m a specially-constructed cell, find guarded both day and night by special warders, a young military officer is' at present on board the French mail jsteamer Australien, lying at Miller's Point, condemned for selling his country's secrets to another Power, and will pass the remainder of his days as a convict, ia New Caledonia (says Ore Sydney * 'Morning Herald* Tof N oyember 1) . Louis Berthon, up to the time of his conviction, was a lieutenant of artillery m the "French Reserves, and was stationed at Bourge. Popular with his comrades and trusted by his superior officers, he appeared to have a brilliant career before him. He was admitted into exclusive circles m Paris, and his position as military officer gave him access to many sources of information. He was tree to speak to whomsoever he chose, and became the repository of much confidential knowledge. In this way he became possessed of some of the military secrets of fc'rance, and, thirsting for' money, he committed the worst of all crimes — he became a traitor to his country. While m Paris he sngaged himself as a spy on behalf of G-ermany, and consented for" a monetary consideration to divulge valuable and private information. The Germans \with whojn he was m treaty feared that the French aut&orities would discover the treachery of one' of their officers, and m order that the conspiracy might be developed with ■ greater security, an appointment was made with Berthon m Brussels, m Belgium. t , POW THE PLOT WAS. DISCOVERED. By one of those most extraordinary coincidences that only seem to happen.; m tragic events, a French lawyer happened to occupy the adjoining room to: ..Berthon m- Brussels where he temporarily stayed. The German confederates of Berthon visited him at his quarters soon air ter his arrival, and the conversation was »verheard by the French lawyer. The p|ot was ■ soon ■ discovered. The French" lawyer gathered from the conversation between the tsaitor and his Uer* man visitors that Berthon had' sold the specifications of cartridges and torpedoes to the Germans. What other military uecrets he had parted with could not be definitely ascertained from tie conversation, but both Berthon and Ms confederates were q.fl their guard, and said: more | m public than they would, have done- m Paris. . - THE ARREST PLANNED. The lawyer immediately telegraphed to . the Prefect . of Police m. Paris (Mons. Lepine), informing him "that on a certain train that would arrive at -the North fetation (Gare . du-Nord) was an anat- \ chist, who attempted to make an attempt on the life of the President of theKepublic. The. sender of the message added that he would closely follow the anarchist, and would, on arrival, indicate him , t ;fco the officers of podice. - . Mons. Bertoon did : not suspect that he was being followed or that ais crims had been discovered. He alighted on' the station with a firm step, but the French lawyer, faithful to his pledge, was close at his heels,' and immediately on theapipearance of the detectives shouted, "Arrest him," pointing m the direction of Berthon. The prisoner, who even then did. not realise what had- happened, submitted quietly, and was conducted to the cells to await his trial. : v In the meantime special officers: had keen deputed, to search the residence of Ber r thon,' and there found a number of.documents of a compromising character. Inquiries were made, and a woman who resided at the. same address was also placed under arrest. ■;■■■-. TIUED WITH CLOSED DOORS, Berthon, and the woman, who is believed to be. his wife, were .arraigned before the Criminal Court <Cour d'Assise) on Jt.lv Ti. The solicitor for Berthon reqiiested that the case should be heard ,with closed doors, • and m compliance with his expressed desire the public, as well ias the representatives of the press, were .excluded fiom the court., The court, however, delivered judgment ,m public. It transpired that Berthon, when asked what he had to say m reply to the charge /brought against him, acknowledged his guilt. He made an appeal • to the court to transport him to a healthy colony where he might be accompanied by his wife> The court was merciful, and, notwithstanding the gravity of the offence, acceded 'to his wishes. The sentence prohojunced by the court, therefore, was that Berthon should be transported] to New Caledonia for life. ? ■ TRANSPORTATION ARRANGE--1 .'MENTS,. .■.-■■ It is regardsd'as somewhat remarkable that the officials of France observed tfte most profound secrecy m connection with the arrangeufents for the transportation of Berthon to v New Caledonia. The prisorier first of all was placed on board the French 'mail steamer Neja";' but a hitch occurred m the. arrangements, and it<was found top late that provision had not been made for a sufficient number of warders to accompany him. Berthon was again taken ashore, and temained m gaol until the Australien was ready to sail from Marseilles.- It is stated that the woman will follow m tbe next steamer of the line. In view of the fact that it was officially announced long ago that transportation to New Caledonia had permanently ceased, some astonishment has been expressed at the action of tbe authorities m sending Berthoii to the French colony. Tire transportation of Berthon has cost France upwards of £1000, and some uneasiness has been created by the fact that there is 'a principal warder m the first saloon of the AuVtralien; travelling with his wife, and six children m the second class, while' m the third class there are four warders travelling, accompanied by their wives and 10 children m all: The question hag naturally been asked by those interested m New Caledonia why, if transportation has ceased, are these warders being sent to Noumea ? WHAT THE PRISONER IS LIKE. Louis Berthon occupies a cell built specially for him on the forward 'tween decks of the Austraflien, and he is constantly watched day and. night by relays: of warders. There is a porthole m the cell, but not sufficiently large for him to pass through, white the front of the cell is protected by ! great iron bars, through which the w/axders are able to watch the movement^ of their prisoner. The prisoner, who. is a native of the department of Eure, was born 38 years ago. Mons. Puget,. a y French journalist, who was a passenger by the Australien, describes Berthan as a man who looks much qlder than- he really is. One would take him for a man of 45 years N of age, he says. Bertl.ion is of moderate stature,' possesses a bulldog head, a snub nose,, 'and a big mouth. A VISIT TO THE. AUSTRALIEN. A represerrtative o£ the "Herald" endeavored to- see ' the prisoner on board the lAustra&en. but the chief officer of the Vessel, w&ih a look of astonishment, expressed "the utmost surprise that the Tact that Berthon was ,on board had become jjublie. He expressed that all the officers w/e&e pledged to secrecy, and said that Ift was utterly impossible to give,' authoiaty to anyone t*b visit the convictr. Indeed! the officers of the' ship were not permitted to see 'the prisoner, he sa/d, nor wjece the passengers* The.*special service officer m cnarg* of BeEtMgn also explained the strict rajunction'That had oeen issued by the /autbotities'ln France that no c&mmuifcication

I was to be permitted With the prisoner. Bertihon, 'he said, was not m irons. "No," said the officer, ''France has forbidden, us to permit anyone to see him, ana, furthermore, you do not want to besmirch.(salir) yourself by the sight of such a creature." "Do you allow him out sometimes on deck 7" < "Yes, but not here. And he is always strictly guarded."' "Not afraid that HE WILL COMMIT SUICIDE?" "Oh, no," the officer laughingly replied, "he is too cowardly and too base lor tha-fc." ' "How does he feel his sentence of transportation for life ?" "Oh, he is joyous, and evidently " contented. Eats well, drinks; well, and sleeps well. But even this creature has some little sent menfc. He does not like to be gazed at, and to appear as a caged wild beast. It excites him and makes him realise the depths of his degradationtreachery is the worst of all crimes. I No crime m France now entails the death penalty-. The guillotine has been abolish' ed— practically— because prisoners sentenced to death are invariably reprieved. Otherwise treachery would undoubtedly be visited with the terrible sentence." - "No" the officer persisted, "I could not disobey the instructions by allowing you to see the prisoner. Despite his appetite and his reconciled appearance, he must suffer by. the fact that he is exiled from Prance. You know that it is a terrible punishment for a Frenchman, and it is not permitted to me to make his punishment greater than the court has ad.--judged." '.."'.