SAVARKAR'S ESCAPE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1053, 16 February 1911, Page 5

SAVARKAR'S ESCAPE.

INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL SITS. By Telegraph-Press .Ajsnelatlnn-Coprrisbf. (Rec. February 15, 11.35 p.m.) The Hague, February IS. The Savarkar case has been opened before the Hague International Tribunal. - f The extradition of the Indian student Savarkar from England to India upon charges of sedition and conspiracy was ordered in June last; and on July, l.'he embarked in the -P. 'aud.O. steamship Morea at Gravesend in the custody, of a detcctivoWnspector from' Scotland Yard arid three Indian police officials. Upon tho arrival of the liner at Marseilles a week later Savarkar, wh/ was t.-L'ug a liith in the bathroom,■ crawled tlrongb an oiwn port hole, plunged into the harbour, ana swam ashore. As , coon as the detectives who had been waiting outside the bathroom door became aware of the prisoner's escape, they raised a hue and cry, with tho result that a sergeant of the French dock police, who was oh duty on the wharf, captured the fugitive as he clambered out of the water, aud hand-' ed him back" to tho British detectives.

The French Socialists, in getting wind of the incident, '■ at once started ah agitation on Sararkarfe behalf,- and.declared that,'asva'.political' offender,'once he escaped on to French soil he could not be recovered by tho British...lt was asserted that ho had been improperly handed over by the French policeman and should be returned to French soil by. Britain. The persistence with which .11. -Taures urged the fugitivo's cause led the French Goveriynentity take action, ,with, the result thatHhc Inland oiits'of the escapade is being investigated.by an international tribunal.-' '■'■'.' ■ '"'-.' ■ ■...■' ■

In the meantime Savarkar was taken on to India, and tried, being sentenced to transportation for life, with, the forfeiture of his property. • ,-. ■