Australia

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 46, 25 February 1915, Page 5

Australia

GERMAN TREACHERY.

COLD-BLOODED MURDER IN NEW

GUINEA.

United Press Association. (Received 8.40 a.m.) Melhoume, February 25

Particulars of the treacherous shooting of M. Deschars, who was formerly French sub-Consul at Sydney, show that on the outbreak of war he joined the staff of General Rentinian as interpreter. He was wounded and was left in an ambulance in the village of Gommery. A German troop arrived and the Non-com. in charge pretended that someone had fired. The Germans demanded the services of an interpreter, and Deschars, with the help of Dr. Vaissieres, advanced. The Non-com. drew his revolver and shot both dead., The rest of the Germans became frenzied, and struck and shot the othev ! wounded like devil-possessed.

TRADING WITH THE ENEMY.

United Press Association. Sydney, February 24

Theodore Tobias, a German on tho staff of the Wurtemberg Electric Plate Company, who said he was naturalised in New Zealand in 1907-8, but not in Australia, was charged with attempting to trade with the enemy. According to the Crown case Tobias allegedly tried to send letters containing "orders through Professor Finch, who attended the British Science Congress, and two other sources, but no money was sent to Germany.

Tobias, in his evidence, admitted writing to his firm in October last suggesting that they open a factory in England at the end of the war, take partially finished "goods from Germany to England, and finish there, stamping them as British-made, thus overcoming prejudice against German goods. He informed his firm that Australia and New Zealand would rush goods stamped "British."