ASTOUNDING HOAX

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16377, 27 June 1927, Page 7

ASTOUNDING HOAX

DAUDET SET FREE BY RUSI ALL PARIS LAUGHING GAOLER EASILY TRICKED. (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. PARIS. .Tune 23.. A Royalist practical joker, imitat ing (lie voice of M. Sarraut, Minister for the Interior, telephoned the prison authorities and ordered the release of Daudet. Tho authorities complied with the order and Daudet has departed from Paris. All Paris is laughing at tho hoax, which is declared to be the century’s masterpiece of practical joking. It is also most popular, owing to the widespread resentment against Daudet’s imprisonment. The inclusion of ,Soman, who was also released, is regarded as the refinement of subtlety, doubling tho embarrassment of the Government, which has not yet issued a statement. Indeed, official quarters have difficulty in maintaining dignity. The newspaper I’Action Francaisc reveals that 1.1 members of the Camclots du Roi arranged the hoax. One went to the Ministry of the Interior and others to adjacent cafes and all telephoned to.Saute prison, engaging all the lines, but the' conspirator in the Ministry alone spoke, asking for M. Catry, director of the gaol, to whom he said Cabinet decided upon the immediate release of Daudet and his associates Driest and Semart. He added that they must be let out immediately before the news of the decision got. about, so as to prevent demonstrations. CHAMPAGNE CELEBRATIONS. M. Catry was suspicious and rang off, but rang up the Ministry again. As the conspirators were holding all tho lines, he was merely put through to the Camelot who was posing as M. Sarraut’s deputy, the Chief du Cabinet. The latter replied: “I just telephoned you. Hurry up and carry out your orders or I shall get into hot water,” and M. Catry, being now satisfied, hurried to Daudet’s cell and announced the news and tearfully embraced the prisoner, whose effects were made hurriedly into a parcel and a taxi hailed, in which Daudet and Delest were driven off to an unknown destination by a Camelot, acting as chauffeur. M. Semart, secretary of the Communist party, says: “M. Catry came to my cell and told me I was free and must leave within half an hour.” M. Poincare was unveiling a war memorial in the noTth-east of Paris while the farce was being carried out. He summoned a meeting of Cabinet for the evening. Meanwhile the Ministry of Justice held a council of war and ordered M. Catry to give an account of his stewardship. When Cabinet met it suspended M. Catry, pending trial by a Disciplinary Court. Cabinet has ordered an inquiry and, if tho Royalists are identified,, they will be prosecuted for usurpation of the functions of the State.

When M. Daudet was apprised of his release, he was finishing his lunch drinking a glass of champagne. He was overjoyed and tipped the gaolers, and distributed bottles of champagne and various articles of food which he possessed. The staff of I’Action Francaisc celebrated the release in champagne. AT. Semart says he is willing to surrender if the court upholds the conviction. DAUDET UNAWARE OF HOAX. WANTED TO RETURN (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, June 26. The Sunday Express’ Paris correspondent says that Daudet was unaware of the hoax till his Camelot chauffeur joked about the plot. Daudet, fearing that the gaoler Catry would suffer, wished to return, but was persuaded to go to a secret rendezvous and continue, the fight against the Government.

M, Daudet is tho proprietor of tho Loyalist newspaper, I’Action Fran-c-aise. He was sentenced to imprisonment for libelling a taxi driver, and caused a sensation by refusing to give himself up to the police and constructing a barricade in the street around the office of the newspaper. Finally lie gave himself up when it was pointed out that, further bloodshed would not compensate him for the death of his son, in connection with which tho libel was published.