THE DAUDET CASE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19107, 28 February 1924, Page 7

THE DAUDET CASE

ACCUSATIONS BY FATHER. POLICE CHARGED WITH MURDER. Piwi Association—By Telegraph—Copyriyi; PARIS, Fobnra,ry 27. (Received Feb. 27, at 7.10 p.m.) The Daudet sensation, which has remained an inexplicable mystery, has been revived by an article in L’Action Francaise, in which M. Leon Daudet declares: “ I accuse M. Marker, Director of the Political Police, and his assistants M. M. Latinos and Delanges, formally of having l knowingly had my son Phillippe killed by representing him as a dangerous Anarchist, determined to commit a crime.” M. Daudet alleges that Marlier told ten subordinates that they had to iind an armed Anarchist, aged 20, who intended to attempt the life of M. -Millerand or M. Poincare, and if he made any sign of resistance, they must shoot him. The father affirms that Marlior was aware of the boy’s identity before sending the detachment to the shop of M. Fiaoutter, a book seller. Phillippe called at the shop, and was murdered, tho body afterwards being placed in a taxi cab, the driver of which was told to say that it was a case of suicide. In the meantime it has been disclosed that Marhcr handed a document to the examining magistrate dealing with the moral characteristics of Phillippe, and the father, who is a deputy, has given notice of an interpellation asking what measures tho Government intends to take to prevent the police from launching odious accusations against a citizen on the pretext of defending themselves.—A. and N.Z. Cable. On Ootobe 25 Phillippe Daudet, the fif-teen-yejar-old son of Leon Daudet, the Royalist leader, and a director of the newspaper L’Action Franraise, was found dead in a taxi cab with a revolver bullet in his head. It was generally assumed that he committed suicide, but following- upon the receipt of fresh information, notably a statement by tho Anarchist iournal La Liber-t-aire, that Phillippe, before taking his life, had enrolled as a member of the Anarchists’ organisation, his father came to the conclusion that his son was assassinated, and he requested the public prosecutor to take steps in order that justice might be executed.