HANGED IN THE STREET

Hokitika Guardian, 13 October 1928, Page 6

HANGED IN THE STREET

; RIOTS IN 1 FRENCH COLONY. If PARIS, August 20. . : A dramatic story of colonial intrigue /which culminated in the poisoning of :M. Jean Gal mot, the former Deputy to jfbg French Parliament for French Guinea'(South America), and the killing of six people in riots which followed Lis 'death is contained in a report from the Governor of the colony whidli reached the Ministry for the Colonies foTlay.

1 Clashes 'between the populace and the police put the colony in a turmoil. The convict settlements’ of Devil’s Is;Jawl and Cayenne are in Freimb Guinea,-arid it was feared that if the Irioters got the upper hand they might release me 2,000 criminals imprisoned. ; The Governor states that grave tension had followed the last general election, but was relaxed when M. Gal mot was'taken ill. He-was one of the notabilities of the colony, although he was under suspended sentence in connection ‘with an nrmv scandal.

:He d ied of . arson ica 1 poison ing after declaring' his belief that lie had been poisoning by broth given him by bis old and trusted cook Adrienne.

CIVIL WAR. . The. news of Galmot’s death caused oivil waV. A municipal official of Cayenne, named- Earns. who was an enemy of Galmot, laughed "when the news spread, and- was stoned to death Hv an infuriated crowd. While La was dying ‘i\l. Rourgarel, a county o-u.m i I lor, passed on his bicycle, lie was dragged from'lib'- machine by the mob, which included a large number of women, and killed.

When night fell the mob organised a nan-hunt under cover of darkness. Finding a 'municipal councillor named Tha.his hiding in an attic between two mattresses, they dragged him out and billed him. They went to the home of another town councillor, M. ,Jlibel, bagged him inti) flic street, and hanged him. ■ Hiding in prison. ’ The head of the hoard school administration M.Jean Clement, who was also oik; of Galmont’s enemies w‘-m found hiding in a. cell in the civil prison, and was also lynched. With a small force of gendarmerie- at his disposal, the Governor arrested the cook, Adrienne, and got her into the 'onvict settlement disguised as a man. It was not until 24 hours later that order was restored.