THE PARIS SENSATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19038, 7 December 1923, Page 5

THE PARIS SENSATION

PHILIPPE DAUDET’S DEATH.

LITTLE LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY

Press Association—By Tolegraph—Copyright LONDON, December 5. (Received December 6, at 10.15 p.m.l

As a result of a post-mortem examination on the body of Philippe Daudet, the doctors are of unanimous opinion that it was a case of suicide. The police investigations up to the present revealed no new facts, but mystery is attached to a waitress who gave evidence at the magistrate’s inquiry in camera. Considerable pains were taken by the police to preserve his anonymity on the ground that his life would otherwise be endangered. , The Morning Post’s Paris correspondent says that M. Daudet and his friends persist in the allegation that M. Daudet s son Philippe was done to death by their anarchist enemies. It is suggested that the only alternative to the hypnotic suicide theory is that Philippe was shot bv an assassin through the cab window. It is believed that yesterday’s mysterious witness was called in order to testify L one or other of these theories. When he entered and left the lav/ courts he was surrounded by a band of young Royalistswho screened his identity and preventer photographs .from being taken. The police yesterday, in examining the cab, discovered lying in a crack between the floor boards an empty cartridge case corresponding with the calibre of those used in tlfe revolver found near Philippe’s body. A story is now told of a stranger’s arrival at 'the garage, and his inspection of the cab. It is bugges.cu that he was an anarchist and that he placed the cartridge case in the cab. Tin mystery continues to absorb the Paris public. The Daily Express says that a number of missing documents throwing light or the case were found sewn in the dress of the sweetheart of Comrade Coiit-er, 'tf La Libertaire’s staff. Taking the documents with her, she dashed to Mnrsei’Jes and returned to Paris, where be police awaited her and took the papers. These include the manuscript of Philippe’s prose and poems, and one of the first folios contained the words, “Good-bye to mummy. None will discover the feqling that directs me.”—A. and N.Z. Cable.