FRENCH TREASON TRIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3349, 22 May 1918, Page 40

FRENCH TREASON TRIAL.

LEADER SENTENCED TO DEATH

(By Cable.) The Bonnet Rouge trial has been thus far tame, but the court was suddenly crowded owing to a report that M. Caillaux was going to give evidence. He showed the highest spirits, imprisonment not having affected his health. He several times tried to make political speeches, justifying his pacifist views, but the President always interfered. Caillaux denied having given the Bonnet Rouge money since the war, though he gave 40,000 francs before the war, when he had to defend his own honour and his wife's against abominable press attacks. The prisoners became angry at some of Caillaux's remarks, and created a scene, shouting "Liar." In connection with the Bonnet Rouge case—in which money was received for conducting a pro-German propaganda, and there were charges of selling French secrets to German agents —Duval, the arch offender, was sentenced to death, sentences of five and 10 years' imprisonment being passed on the other accused persons. The sentences include Duval's accomplices:—Marion, 10 years' imprisonment; Goldsky, eight years; Jougla and Landau, five years; Veroasson, two years. Marion, Landau, and Goldsky were members of the Bonnet Rouge staff, • and were charged with complicity in Almereyda's and Duval's dealings with the enemy. Leymaire, who was head, of the Home Office and of the Political Police during M. Malvy's Home Secretaryship, was sentenced to two yeaxs' imprisonment and fined 1000 franca.