THE DAUDET CASE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 16, 19 January 1924, Page 7

THE DAUDET CASE

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS

FATHER SAYS POLICE KILLED

HIS SON,'

(BNITEP PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) (ADitIALUJJ-NEW ZSALAND CABLI ASSOCIATION.)

(Received 19th January, 9 a.m.)

LONDON, 18th January.. "The Morning Post's" Paris correspondent says there have been ast6u,ndiug developments in the case of Philippe Daudet, son of - Leon Daudet. The father attended before an investigating Magistrate, and made a statement accusing the police of having shot his son. The accusation was based on the fact that Philippe on • the morning of his disappearance called on a bookseller and announced his intention" of killing some political personage. The bookseller regarded the lad as demented, and telephoned the police, who surrounded the shop. According to previous reports, they did not find Philippe. The father now alleges that one of the police did find Philippe and, unaware of his identity, and thinking that he was dealing with a dangerous anarchist, fired with fatal effect. When his 'superiors ■ recognised tlie body, they searched the pockets, removed identity marks, and put the body into a taxicab and ordered the-cabman to report that the lad had committed suicide in the cab. This the cabman did.

On 25th October, Philippe Daudet; the fifteen-year-old son of Leon Daudet, the Royalist leader and director of the newspaper^.'L'Action • Francaise^''"' < was found dead ;in a taxi-cab,' with a revolver bullet in his head; It was generally assumed that he had • committed suicide, but following' the receipt of fresh information, 'notably the -statement' "'6f the' Anarchist journal, "Libertaire," that Philippe, before taking his life, was enrolled as a member of the Anarchists, his father came to the conclusion that his son was assassinated, and requested the Public. Prosecutor to take steps in order that justice - might be executfed. Tfie father,., owing to his campaign against the anti-Nationalist element, had created a host of enemies amongst the Anarchists. Last^ January, Marius Plateau, editor of "L'Action Francaise," was-.shot in his office by a girl named Germaine Berthon. According to the "Libertaire,'! Philippe, who was of an extremely, nervous and morbid temperament, visited the "Libertaire's" office and offered, without revealing his identity, to avenge Germaine Berthon, who thus far had not been convicted. Philippe loft a letter addressed to his mother, in which he stated that ho had long been an anarchist, adding: "Now the cause calls me, I think it my duty to do what I am about to do." His father is convinced that Philippe intended- to act as a secret i agent for the. patriotic party, but was [ identified, and either murdered or terrorised into committing suicide.