FRENCH POLICE METHODS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18541, 11 April 1930, Page 8

FRENCH POLICE METHODS.

STRONGLY CONDEMNED BY PUBLIC. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) Received April 10, 10.30 p.m. PARIS, April 10. Almazian, an Armenian tailor, who was accused of murdering his friend, Francois Rigaudin, whose body was found in a wicker trunk at the Lille railway station, has been released after six months in prison, despite that it has long been plain that there was no evidence of his guilt. Meanwhile the clamour in the French press is increasing against the third degree methods of the police. A Committee of the French Chamber to-day adopted a Bill, limiting the power of police over individual liberty, including prevefitive detention, domiciliary searches, etc, etc. The Committee also called on the Government to introduce another Bill to deal with arbitrary arrests and the investigation of crime by so-called scientific methods. Meanwhile the police have no clue to the murderer of Rigaudin. (In October last the Paris correspondent of the “Daily Mail” said that allegations of unheard-of brutality in inflicting the third degree were being made in the Paris press against certain police inspectors. What is known as the “Wicker Trunk Mystery,” which excited Parisians for several weeks, culminated in a relentless third degree examination for 8 hours of an Armenian tailor, Almazian. The body of a man, Francois Rigaudin, an accountant, wa.s found in a wicker trunk at the Nord railway station at Lille, on September 13. It was known that Rigaudin was the lover of Madame Almazian, a young Parisienne. The police were slowly convinced that a love affair was the real explanation of the murder, which was complicated by the fact that Rigaudin’s mother had been strangled mysteriously in her rooms in April. Almazian, who had been without sleep for two days, and slowly breaking down under the relentless inquisition, cried continually: “I am innocent.” Policemen took turns in questioning the suspect. They utilised bits of evidence found in the tailor’s shop, such as recent human bloodstains on the floor and wall, a piece of wire of the same size as that used to tie up the trunk, and fragments of cotton wool similar to that wrapped round the dead man’s head. The police also read aloud the wife’s love letters to the dead man. Rigaudin had been engaged in tax collection frauds for some time. The police first believed that he tried to blackmail some of his clients, and that consequently he was murdered.

“L’Oeuvre” and other French newspapers have repeatedly pointed out that a statement made by Dr. Paul confirms the brutality. “L’Oeuvre” says other scandalous methods used—though they did not leave their mark — included stripping naked the witness, who was presumed to be guilty, at police headquarters. The paper said the witness was even given highly salted food and then was refused a drink. Also the classical trick of preventing the questioned man ffom sleeping was employed. “L’Oeuvre” demanded the severest examination of the facts.!