A PARIS MYSTERY.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1923, Page 1

A PARIS MYSTERY.

AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION. PAR IS, December 2. On October 2-jth, the last Philippe Daudet the fifteen-year old son of Leon Baudot, the noted Royalist leader and the director of the Royalist Party newspaper “Action'F;ancaise.’ r was fount! dead in a taxicab, with a revolver Pallet in lti.s head. It was then generally assumed that he had committed suicide, but, following on the receipt of l resit information, and notably a statement by the Anarelii.-t Journal “Libcrtf.lire” that young Philippe, before taking his life, had enrolled as a member , Hie anarchists, the boy’s father came to the conclusion that the hoy had been assassinated, and he then requested the public Ptoseeuior to take steps in order that justice may he executed. The father, M. Daudet, owing to his long campaign against anti-nationalists elements lias created a- host of enemies to himself among tlie anarchists. Last January. M. Maurice Plateau, Secretary of the “Action Fraucaise,” was shot in the paper office, by tt girl named Germaine Bertlion. According to tlie Anarchist journal “libeittaire,” young Philippe Daudet, who was of an extremely nervous, morbid temperament-. visited “Ltb.-rl-tr.ire’s” office and there offered, w'thout tevealing Ins identity, to avenge the girl Berthon. in the event of her conviction. Philippe left- a letter addtessed to his mother, wherein he stated that, he had long been an anarchist, adding: “Now that the cause mills me, T think it- my duty to do what I am about to do.” Tlie father is convinced that Phi'ippe really intended to act as a secret rgent fur the Patriotic- Party, hut that he wax identified and was either murdered or terrorised into suicide.