THE ITALIAN MURDER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19205, 23 June 1924, Page 7

THE ITALIAN MURDER

GREAT BRUTALITY SHOWN. FASCISM ON ITS TRIAL. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, June 20. It Ik stated in Italian circles in London that Deputy Matteotti's body was so mutilated that the authorities interred it secretly, fearing the results if the facts were known publicly. The Italian Socialist leader. Signor Caporelli, stated at a Socialist meeting in Paris that the body was pierced by 19 bullets and live knife thrusts, and was literally crushed by bludgeons. The Daily Express’s Rome correspondent says: “ Marinelli’s arrest is the sequel to tho arrest of a notorious character whom the police call Otto Chirszel, although he has live aliases and as many nationalities. It is alleged that Marinelli sent money to Chirszel who came from Naples to join Dumini’s murder gang and took part in the kidnapping.” The Daily Herald says that Chirszel declares that the aim of the kidnappers was the possession of documents, and that Matteotti was being kept a prisoner in a villa until the parliamentary session met. Ho owed bis death to his strenuous resistance. The Herald comments that Signor Mussolini is cynically overthrowing his closest friends. lie may save himself, but the day of Fascism is over.— A. and N.Z. Cable. AN ALLEGED CONFESSION. LURID LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY. ROME, June 21. (Received Juno 22, at 5.5 p.m.) II Messagero states that one of the principal persons arrested in connection with tho Matteotti crime admitted his complicity and accused three, other prominent Fascists, two of whom were arrested as instigators. The informant alleged that Matteotti was dragged into the motor-car, murdered, and the car driven to a wood, where the bodv was thrown under a hedge. Tho murderers then returned to Rome and com ferred with others in regard to the disposal of live body, with the result that one of the assassins drove to the wood at night and disposed of the body, which tho prisoner believed was burned.—Reuter. .