REICHSTAG FIRE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 671, 25 October 1933, Page 5

REICHSTAG FIRE

(Press Assn.-

trial proceeding EXPERTS DECLARE THAT VAN DER LUBBE HAD HELPERS ELABORATE PREPARATIONS'

-By Telegraph— Copyright).

Berlin, Oct. 23. It is absolutely out of the question that Van der Lubbe fired the Reichstag alone, deelared Professor Josse, testifying on Saturday's expert examination, adding that the preparations must have taken a longer time than Van der Lubbe had at his disposal. At least forty pounds of petrol was used to fire the main chamr bers. Dr. Schatz, an expert chemist, expressed the opinion that a self-light-ing fluid caused the fire, van de Lubbe merely climbing into tbe window in order to distract attention from the real incendiaries and take the blame himself. Dr. Schatz added that he had analysed the remnants of soot from the scene . of the fire and confirmed the theory that the incendiaries used a self-lighting fluid, in which they soaked a firelighter which was laid on eotton waste soaked in paraffin, causing spontaneous conflagration upon vaporisation. Several persons would be needed to lay the fire, each having his own job. If Torgler had assisted his oclothes would have had a strong and peculiar smell. Questioned as to how the incendiaries entered, Dr Echatz said he had an opinion thereon, but it was npt his business as an expert to express it. Torgler remarked: "Besides van de Lubbe there are four innocent persons here; if you can reveal the truth it is your duty as a human being to do so."