A TRAITOR FOR LOVE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2107, 25 March 1920, Page 4

A TRAITOR FOR LOVE.

CORSICAN GIRL'S PASSION. A TRAGIC TERMINATION. Ideal material for a romantic play is contained in a sensational case investigated by a court-martial at Marseilles. It is the story of a. girl's passion, and of the rmks she ran to save (lie man on whom she lavished her affection.

The scene is laid at Bastia, m Corsica, and the characters arc Cliloc Rossi, a Corsican girl of great beauty, and Hussein Ben Taki, a Turkish officer, who was taken prisoner iu the East. During the o!iicer’s imprisonment at Bastia, Cliloc fell in love with him, and resolved to effect his escape. She smuggled civilian clothes into the prison, and ’a rope by which be had to lower himself into the courtyard. The girl arranged to meet him outside the gaol wall, bringing with her a motor car. A fellow captive, r.loharin .Ben Salin, was assisted to escape at ihe sarttc time. Once in the motor car, the fugitives were given caps which they pulled down over their .-eyes. The intention was to embark at Roussc Island the next day,' and lo facilitate escape, the girt, who had seen to every detail, obtained falsified 'passports for the Turks and cards

of identity belonging to her family. The motor car sped over hills and through ravines, and the. port of embarkation was reached before dawn. Unfortunately for the fugitives a telegram had been despatched from Bastia notifying their escape, and gendarmes arrested them. This happened on February 18th of last year, and the other day Chloe found herself charged with conducting intelligence with the enemy, forgery, and assisting prisoners to escape. There is .a tragic side to the romance, for when the girl found herself in. the dock beside the man for the love of whom she was now regarded as a traitress to her country, she and the court-martial made the startling discovery that he had become mad through his long months of imprisonment. He was acquitted, but the girl, who had braved so much, was sentenced lo live years' imprisonment, and lined £4, with, however, a respite, which means that the sentence will not take effect. It wa.s the same with the sentence of three years and a line of £2 passed upon Moharin Ben Salin.