REMARKABLE COURT MARTIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7807, 11 September 1903, Page 2

REMARKABLE COURT MARTIAL.

EXTRAORDINARY INCIDENTS. Very peculiar is the case which has just been brought before a court-martial, at Chalons-sur-Marne, in France,, and even more extraordinary are the incidents which occurred during the trial, ' The accused was Major Perrot, of ths 31st Dragoons, and ho was charged with having addressed • a threatening letter to General Peroin, Qhef dv Cabinet of General Andre, .Minister for War. In this missive; which 'was unsigned, but dated Epernay, March 7, the writer told General Percin that he had mined his career, as for three years he- had denied ,him> promotion, in spite of the* recommendation' of all his superiors. " For three years you have systematically prevented justice being don^. to . me, , I shall avenge myself on the day that I shall choose I shall kill you. I • employ against you the hardly noble'weapon of the anonymous. But it is you who have introduced into the army cowardice, treason and denunciation. The arms forged by you are being turned against yourself." On the receipt of this remarkable letter General Perdu referred it to the War Council, and search was made among, the missives of different officers with a view of identifying the handwriting. A letter from Major Perrot, which had been^pre* served at the War Office, seemed to tally in this respect with the mysterious document, and this view was fully confirmed by the experts, MM. Farges and Varinard, to whom the U?& manuscripts were submitted. The major was then charged' with threatening a superior with death ; but all this affair was carefully kept quiet until the trial came off. General Feldmann presided, and the other officers who sat on the courtmartial belonged to the engineers, infantry and gendarmerie. All along Majov Perrot had denied the authorship of the letter, but when he was afc last asked what he had to 6ay in his defence he electrified everybody by making a full confession. , He begged the Court and the witnesses to forgive him. Yes, he continued, he had erred in a moment of irresistible exasperation. He had penned a stupid letter, to which he had not attached much importance. He had been stung by the fact that he had been passed over for promotion. Would General Percin, oh whom he had never set eyes before, accept his apology? He had written to him as he would have written to the Minister, and he had not dreamt of- carrying out his threat. No one who had followed his career could ever think that he could be a murderer. He asked forgiveness of the generals, of his. colonel, and of his brother officers. Now that he had made- this confession his mind was easy. Meanwhile, there had been much play with pocket-handkerchiefs, as most of the people in the Court had been moved to tears long ere this address ended, and eveu the officers who were trying the case vainly endeavoured to look unconcerned.. Within an hour after this "coup de theatre" the proceedings were at a close. The officers composing the court-martial were only absent half that time, and when they returned it was announced that they had, by six votes to one, found Major Perrot guilty, but gave him the benefit of extenuating circumstances, so that he was sentenced to the payment of a fine ofXjjne franc and the costs.