REICHSTAG FIRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 661, 13 October 1933, Page 5

REICHSTAG FIRE

d m j LAft&s Assn.-

,uk thi a j POLICE OFFICER CONTRIBUTES hsip SOME DRAMATIC ^ EYIDENCE ed 1 .Use| DIMITROFF BANNED '.t «

— By Telegraph — Copyright) .

Berlin, October 11. seda Police-Lieutenant Latiet, a trim jdl»!iifornied figure, dramatically gave Wpridence of the scene when he en^rmffed the burning Reichstag. He ojjaid: irfl rushed to the central session Il5Siamber and saw the curtains blaz1 right and left. There was a burn"jrag cushion on the floor. while over y »-,e dais the burning curtains resemlSe;H:ied a burning organ, with flames for , H'he organ pipes. I returned to the fc"»faor and shouted: 'Incendiarism! It's ^Mlarning every corner.' ^9 "Later I learned that Yan der = Ml'ibbe had been arrested, being dress- : only in trousers. I asked hira if a tie, and piece of soap I had .JBjieked up were his. He replied: £Yes.' yHSo admitted firing the Reichstag. I Jsked why and he laughed and said. a&fldng.' " p B latiet added: "I had the impression was dealing with a madman." 16 ■ The pro-ecutor asked witness if he J ■loticed many inflammable articles rS»out. Latiet ivplied: "About twenty or ■fey pic-ces of charred cloth." '9 The Prosecutor: "The newspapers t*1ye decdared there were hundred-u*e-ghts of paper and otlier inflamp»ables." jecH Latiet: "We searched the place jhrB^iculously, even the cupboards. I '0nBaff nothlng anywhere." ict^B ^r- Telchert petitioned that Dimiua*°ff be allowed to attend owing to pJB being important that the accused s t^pr the proceedings. ■ The court ruled that Dimitroff's ■jtoaviour was tending to bring the ^ftoceedings into contempt, and thus ^■stiiied his exclusion. ■'The trial is expected to last three foB°re days.