A MYSTERIOUS CRIMINAL

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1926, Page 4

A MYSTERIOUS CRIMINAL

MAN OF KK) IDKXTITIKS PARIS, Foil, §l. The most astute examining magistrates and the cleverest detectives ot Franee are baffled by a mysterious murderer with a hundred aliases whose real identity they are unable to fatliom. The mysterious criminal, a mail of distinguished apenrance and speech, is a Latin and (Ireel; scholar, an accomplished musician, and boasts that he is the owner cl aSt radivarius. Me is charged with one murder, complicity in another, and with theft, and his operations are alleged to have extended to every big town in France. For several hours yesterday ,\l. liarquart. one of the leading examining magistrates at the Paris Law fourts subjected him to a gruelling cross-ex-amination, mainly with a view to ascertaining his real name and his family connect ions. The prisoner obstinately refused to reveal his identity. "I cannot tell you my real name for family reasons,” he said. ”1 have a. mother, a wife, and children. Some day. perhaps, you will find out who I am. and the day you address me by my real name 1 will open my heart to you.” AL Hacqiiart road a long list of family names in the hope of hitting upon the right one. but the prisoner smilingly declared he was wrong every

Tlio magistrate then changed the sul>_ jeet anti talked of the prisoner's travels This led him to admit that lie had obtained a bogus identity card for a Belgian woman who wished to join a French troop at the Crystal Palace in London.

As the prisoner is of a fine athletic type, the magistrate discussed with him recent outstanding sporting exploits. The prisoner gleefully pointed out that he was one of the only three men who ever accomplished the feat of diving from the top of the suspension bridge over the old port at -.Marseilles. a height of more than dOO feet. Two men who dived from the Marseilles suspension bridge were both killed, and the magistrate hopes that this clue will help him to determine his prisoner's identity.