A SORDID STORY.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17166, 24 March 1927, Page 5

A SORDID STORY.

— Pfeiss Ass3cIt.troii—

(AuBtralian and N.5. Press Association.):

SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST FRENCH DOCTOR

(\JBD1Q~

-Copyrlg-ht.y

Received Wednesday 5.5 p.m. \ PARIS, March 22. ^ Sensational charges have heeig; made against Doctor Bougratf whose trial opened at Marseille$ to-day. It is alleged that he murder* ed a patient, Jacques Rumebes, inJ his surgery. He locked the corps^; in a secret cupboard and assuredj the widow that the victim va| alive and well. * j! Enormous crowds besieged th'd court. With him in the doclc was his[ mistress. Mdlle Andrea Audiberfrj for whom the doctor divorced hi^ wife and for whose sake it is alleg4 ecl he committed the crimes. Bougrat, who is 32, holds th| Croix de Guerre- and is a ChevalieiS of the Legion of Honour. He an| Rumebes had been comrades to* gether in war time. Latterly Rume* bes had been under treatment, and when he mysieriously disappearech it was known that he had £300 irf ,his possession. Three months after^ wards his remains wTere discovered by the police who visited Bougrat's ' surgery to execute a warrant for q series of cheque frauds. They werd overpowrered by an unbeargbla stench. They investigated and found the corpse. e \ The prosecution alleges an amaz* ing record of cases where girls vis* iting the surgery have heen drug' ged and robbed of money and jewellery. Enquiries are proceeding in* to the deaths of several former patients of Bougrat,' following thd discovers*- of overlarge quantities oS poison in his surgery. i The doctor denibs the charges admitting, however, that since he wad divorced he had led a debauched life. frequenting low establishments.