Escaped From Devil Island

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 452, 6 September 1928, Page 1

Escaped From Devil Island

They are heading down the treacherous Guiana Coast, where many who have escaped from the island have been swallowed up in the quicksands or eaten by sharks. Should they reach Brazil, they will have to fight their way through hundreds of miles of treacherous jungle. The trial of Dr. Bougrat, charged with the murder of a patient named Jacques Rumebes at Marseilles in 1925 created a sensation in March, 1927, when he was found guilty and sentenced to hard labour for life. The verdict apparently meant that the jury was in doubt as to whether Rumebes was killed purposely or given an overdose of drug. Three expert toxicologists declared that Bougrat could not have poisoned Rumebes, who died from the effects of injections he was receiving for his complaint. They were of opinion that L Bougrat, c ndtos be h#d upwi^iutiiy

NOTORIOUS TRIO Sailing in Hollowed-Out Tree GRIM DANGERS FACED (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and K.Z. Press Association) Reed. Noon. PARIS, Wednesday. The Minister for the Colonies has advised that the notorious slayer Dr. Bougrat has escaped from the dread penal settlement at Devjl Island, together with two others, who were serving a life sentence. They escaped in a hol-lowed-out tree trunk which they secretly obtained from a Chinese merchant.

killed his patiese', lost his head and hid the body. Their evidence caused angry scenes in the court and the judge accused them of partiality. Counsel for tho prosecution hinted that the murder charge might be dropped and Bougrat charged only with theft and concealment of the body. The closing speeches for the prosecution, however, emphasised the murder charge and the concluding phase was so emotional that the judge, jury, counsel and reporters alike were weeping. Several women fainted and French negTo soldiers fixed bayonets while on duty outside the court to keep the crowd in order, after many hand to hand fights to secure admittance. A pathetic figure of the trial was Rumebes’s widow, who, with her two little girls, was dressed in deepest black. The widow denounced Bougr : fr* :n the court, crying out again : “I demand his head.’* The defence made an impassioned appeal for pity on account oi. ,grig9ggjfi ' - -