VICTIM OF REVENGE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 545, 24 December 1928, Page 11

VICTIM OF REVENGE

JUDGE SHOT IN PARIS , SEQUEL TO ALSACE TREASON TRIALS (United P.A.—Ey Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) PARIS, Saturday. A strange act of revenge occurred in Paris to-day. A young man gained admission to the flat of M. Fachot, a Judge of the Siipreme Jourt, pulled out a revolver and fired three shots at him. He then bowed to Madame Fachot, who had thrown herself on her knees beside her fallen husband. On his way to the street the stranger encountered a tenant below the judge’s flat, who asked him if he had heard the shots. He replied coolly, “Yes, someone must have committed suicide. lam in a hurry.” The young man later surrendered to the police, giving the name of George Benoit. He confessed that the motive for the crime was to take revenge on M. Fachot, who had been public prosecutor in the Alsace treason trials early iu the year. The judge was seriously wounded in the abdomen. The Government has promoted M. Fachot from an Officer of the Legion of Honour to Commander. M. Fachot is better, but is still dangerously iIL The judge told his wife at the hospital that he did not mind if he died, as long as his death helped to seal the bonds between Alsace and France.

EXTREMISTS BLAMED

NEW LIGHT ON CRIME (United Service) LONDON, Saturday. According to the “Daily Mail” it is feared that the attempts on the life of Judge Fachot may be .he beginning of a terrorist campaign on the part of the home rule extremists at Colmar in connection with unrest caused by the new electoral campaign. While German money and aid are always available for the Alsation autonomists, much of the agitation against the central government in Paris has had a religious foundation, the “Mail” says. Southern Alsace is intensely Roman Catholic. The priests are opposed to the French Government on the ground that the majority of members of the Chamber of Deputies and the civil servants imposed on Alsace are anti-Christian-