BRITON HELD

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19894, 25 May 1936, Page 5

BRITON HELD

BRUTALITY OF ITALIANS. VICTIM TELLS REMAIKABLI STORY A SICK MAN BADGERED. United Press Assn—Exec. Tel. Copyright. (Received May 25, 1 pm.) LONDON, May 21;. A message from the Jibouti corresDondent of the Times says that \\’ar—rant—Ofllcer L. J. Bunner tells a remarkable story or official brutality. He “‘35 passing his luggage through the Customs at Dirodawa on April 15_ pre—paratory to entralning, when he was told that. the police commandant doubted his identity. . The Consul. .\ir Chapman Andrews. interviewed the ltalian General on Runner‘s behalf. Bunner returned to iiarar, believing that all was well. He was arrested on entering the train on .\prii 16, and was cross—examined for Utree hours through an interpreter by Captain Lueeiii, in the presence of squads of police. A iO-year-old Abyssinian boy de—nounced him as Rudolf Brunner, an Austrian Captain. and chief of the Abyssinian intelligence service. as it such an organisation was conceivable. Bunner's personal documents were examined. Ills passport preceded him to Jihoutl. but the Red Cross identification papers were given so little credence that his passport would hardly have fared better. Hold Platol to "and. Captain Lucetti. holding an imaginary pistol to his own head. declared it was a matter or life and death. adding significantly: “ ’l‘o-morrow." The tribunal refused to call in .\lr Chapman Andrews, declaring that he was only Consul tn llaili Selassie, and no longer enjoyed diplomatic status. ' The remainder of the hearing was (‘m'i‘ieil on in l-lallan and was not. inicrprrled. Dunner was refused lied and blank—cts. and was marrhml to Prison—nmnrly. a small incinerator, where he sit-hi on the Ilonr. lh- was “gain int-\rrnlzalmi on .\pril 17. The 'l‘iinrs rorrrspondrnl in—formed lhr British authorities at .lihouti. liunnrr hill the incineration at mid< night on May is and sealed a 20ft. wall while the guard were rourlinK Ethiopian women. Barefooted Through Thorns. l‘iunner walked out of Diredawa bare—footed. since it was impossible to climb the wall in boots. and trumped for three days through thorns along the railway line to Jiboutl. lie was two days without water. lie bought sandshoes from a Somali. lie found further progress imDOSSW‘B ““1 returned to Diredawa, collapsing in a. fit in a native hut. whose owner elgner to the authorities. Meanwhile .\lr Chapman Andrews was insisiing on an inquiry regarding Runner, who was finally allowed to deparl. with other members of the Red Cross. but his illms and documents remain in the possession of ”10 llallans. whose feeble attempt. ‘0 pretend that Bunnm‘ tried to smuggle dollars broke down when an onlrer at the station admitted that it was a deliberate fake.