STRANGE CAREER

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 37, 6 November 1937, Page 6

STRANGE CAREER

Italian Ex-Officer's Remarkable Story ARRESTED FOR MURDER TTig remarkable life history having been recounted to the Bow Street magistrate, a former captain in the Italian Army was sent to gaol with a rvecommendation for his deportation. He is Mario Biselli, aged 41, described as a teacher of languages, of Finborough, road, London, and one dramatic incident in his career occurred in ltaly in 1920. • l It was stated that when Biselli was arrested on a charge of murder in that year his regiment went on strike. He remained two and a-half years in prison, and was finally acquitted with, as^ *the official record said, "flying coiours." In London Biselli was accused. as an alien, with landing in Britain without •leave, being in porression of twoirregular passports, and making a false statement to a police officer. He had previously been remanded for the police to consider whether to prefer against him a charge of marrying a woman bigamously in England. Detective-Sergeant Miller, of Scotland Yard, who was called as a witness, stated that the Commissioner did not yropose to oifer any evidence with regard to the allegation of bigamy. Biselli, the officer went on to say, left the Itaiian Army with the rank of captain. In 1919 he' was marnei in fi'rance, but subsequently obtained a separation from his wifv

In 1927 . Biselli was convicted of a eheque iraud and sentenced to eighi years' imprisonme'nt. The sentenCe Was tfterwards reduced to tiiree years. He was released under an amnesty at the time of Prince Humbert's marriago after serving two years. in Rome, in 1931, he had a bad motoring accident while driving with a forged licen'ce, and was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment, to be followed by two years in a concentration carap. At' the end of his sentence he appealed against being sentenced to a concentration camp and ahsconded while -on bail. Biselli then travelled ' to Britain with a forged passport In the name of Hellman, and registered with the police in that name. In 1934 he went through a form of marriage with a 21-year-old Italian girl at" Holloway. Three days later he left for France to join the Foreign Legion, and used. his -wife's passfort, substitutlng the name of Mario Gandelli. In 1936 he was discharged from the I'oreign Legion as unfits and went to England with another passport, which had been destroyed. Biselli was sentenced to, two months' hard labour, and, as stated, recommended for deportation.