THE MURDER OF PETLURA

Taranaki Daily News, 20 October 1927, Page 7

THE MURDER OF PETLURA

TRIAL OPENED AT PARIS

ACCUSED EXULTS IN DEED JEW MASSACRES AVENGED By Telegraph—Frees Assn.—-Copyright. Paris, Oct. 18. The trial of Sehwarzbard on a charge of murdering General Petlura on May 25, 1926, has opened. There are 149 witnesses cited, including Processor Einstein and Maxim Gorky. Russian, German, Polish, Ukranian and Yiddish interpreters are present to deal with the polyglot evidence. It was mentioned that Sehwarzbard. won the Croix de. Guerre when fighting in the French Foreign Legion during the World War. His conduct in Paris afterwards was beyond.. reproach. Replying to the judge's questions, the prisoner said Petlura was rightly killed as he ordered Jewish pogrom massacres. Received Oct. 19, 7.2-5 p.m. London, Oct. IS. The Paris correspondent of The Times says that Sehwarzbard stated: "I killed Petlura absolutely alone.” Then exultantly, he described the crime and threw his arms round a court official's neck in illustration of the joyful embrace lie gave when a policeman informed him that Petlura’s wounds were fatal. lie gave evidence of hearing two of Petlura’s officers boa-sting of haying killed 15 Jews and outraged 37 women in one day. This filled him with fury, and he determined to avenge the half-million murdered jews.

Hhe shadowed Petlura daily and finally fired five- good shots. He telegraphed the news of his feat to his wife, and then gave himself up to the police,