CATALAN CONSPIRATORS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20005, 24 January 1927, Page 7

CATALAN CONSPIRATORS

SENTENCES IMPOSED. IMPRISONMENT AND FINES. (Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright) PARIS, January 22. (Received Jan. 23, at 5.5 p.m.) Garibaldi and Colonel Macia were each sentenced to two months’ imprisonment and fined 100 francs. Their accomplices were sentenced to a month’s imprisonment and fined 50 francs. A packed court waited the denouement. The usual curtain-raiser was the triumphal entry of Colonel Macia’s jolly conquist-adors, accompanied by lively greetings from friends, as though the parties were playing amateur theatricals. One mother raised her baby aloft and waved it before the eyes of the paternal plotter. Finally Garibaldi entered alone, and took an isolated seat; he looked haughty and self-composed. Garibaldi’s counsel argued that the police had exceeded their duty when they searched his house and detained him without a warrant. The Court replied that it would reserve its decision in that connection. Counsel for the prosecution admitted that Qoloncl Macia was an idealist Francophile, but allegedly possessed arms and hatched a mad plot on French soil at the risk of embroiling France with a neighbouring country, forgetting that ho was the guest of France. Garibaldi also possessed arms. He admitted that it was not proved that Garibaldi was mixed up with the Catalan plot, and it was doubtful whether Garibaldi intended to help or betray Colonel Macia. Gariba 1- *i confessed to the police that he had sold his friends, but explained that he was forced to make that statement. Counsel flung his finger in the direction of Garibaldi, saying: “A man of his lineage should have preferred to die before confessing infamy.” ■ Garibaldi showed no emotion beyond a twitching of the lip at this stinging taunt. —A. and N.Z. Cable. SCENES OF VIOLENT TUMULT. JUDGE’S TREMENDOUS BASS VOICE. BETRAYAL OF THE PLOT. PARIS, January 21. (Received Jan. 23, at 5.5 p.m) Giving evidence at the Garibaldi trial. Detective Leluc declared that Scivoli, who was suspected of plotting to assassinate Mussolini first aroused doubts concerning Garibaldi. Detective Leluc journeyed to Nice, and there interrogated Garibaldi, who admitted relations with Italian agents named Salla and Lapola, from whom he received money. Garibaldi’s counsel declared that his client was not aware, till it was too late, that Salla was a Fascist agent, Scivoli gave evidence that Garibaldi requested him to go to Italy. He 'obtained a passport, but when he learned that the police were, expecting him he suspected betrayal. He was, convinced of this when passport photos were discovered among the papers of an Italian agent. The trial continues to be an indictment of Garibaldi by Judge Torres upon charges of selling Catalan plans to the police. Garibaldi proves that he is most pugnacious. There were many scenes of violent tumult, in which Judge Torres, Garibaldi, and bis counsel were all shouting at the same time, but judge Torres, in a tremendous bass voice, dominated the hubbub. Garibaldi accused the police of extracting confessions by torture, but the police denied this. There was a dramatic scene when an Italian named Seskeharino entered the witness-box to support the allegation that Rizzoli, one of Colonel Macia’s followers, the plot. Rizzoli shouted “Coward, police spy, I will track you down. Only my respect for justice prevents me strangling you now.” The public laughed and cheered when Garibaldi’s counsel withdrew witness without testifying. The hearing has been adjourned.—A. and N.Z. Cable