The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-02


try to outline the plot and give the
titles of the chapters of the Almey-
reda story, in the hope that they will
prove sufficient for your enlighten-
ment: Time, the third year OF the
greatest war in history; place. the
wars storm center, Paris, and its
peace center, Switzerland.
Dramatis personae: One-a poor and
morphIne-crRzed Journalist
2. Ex-militant anarchist. who. later
becomes a rich editor with chateaux.
villas, and automobiles; q band Of
confederates whose antecedents are
similar and who share the leaders
fortunes.
3. German or German-swiss bank
ers.
4. The minister of the interior
who is alleged to have received Al
meyreda-and the head of the French
| detective service just dismissed.
.. Figilant editors, senators, and
the military anti-espionage stan.
6. Devoted but self-contradictory
stan of prison infrmary doctors and
warders.
Z. Shrewd medIco-legaI experts
who can tell the difference between
the corpse OF a man hanged and a
person who has died a natural death.
8. Judges and prosecuting attor-
neys, civil and military.
Frequent Trips To Switzerland
Chapter I. The Bonnet Rouge, q
weak, webbing, scurriIous daily, sud
denly develops an aggressive pacifst
campaign, pays larger salaries, starts
huge free list for the front and the
country.
II. One of its directors makes fire.
Quent journeys to Standardization
in a year-where he receives checks
totaling half a million from a Ger
man-named banker.
III. The pacifst campaign causes
strikes and other trouble.
". The vigilant editors denounce
the peril and an eminent senator at
tacks the criminal propaganda in a
telling speech.
V. The French premier announces
the arrest Of the much-traveled Bon
net Rouge director.
VI Justice makes Investigations
and the Bonnet Rouge and affiliated
organs of mushroom growth are sup
pressed by the military authorities.
VII. The Bonnet Rouge's head edi-
tor, Almeyreda, is arrested. Public
interest is now fully aroused.
VIII. Almeyreda is in the prison
infirmary, whose medical officials re-
port his end natural, due to hemopty-
sis, purulent peritonitis, chronic ap-
pendicitis, acute gastritis, and enor-
nous abuse OF morphine.
Brings Downfall of OnieIaIs-
TX. Three medico experts review the
body and are Immediately struck by
a furrow round the neck.
y. They hold an autopsy and re-
port that Almeyreda died of strangu-
lation and that the body presented all
signs of the consequences of death By
hanging.
XI. Astounding and contradictory
assertions OF the prison personnel in
which bootlaces, pots of jam con-
cealing morphine and hypodermic
syringes, previous attempts at sui
eide, shirts torn to ribbons. death-liks
prostrations, and in extremis CONVEX
sations are inextricably mingled.
XII Numerous losses of positions
announced, including the newly pro-
NOTED chief of the French detective |
service, who as chief permanent Of
fetal of the ministry of the interior |
was instrumental in obtaining the re- |
lease and return of a check to the |
Bonnet Rouge traveller, when on one |
occasion he was seized by the military
authorities. The doctor and director
and personnel of prison also suffer,
the former being denoted to assist
ant ambulance man with the rank Sf
second class soldier.
COurt.MartiaI Held.
XIII. The whole affair put into
the hands Of military justice to be
tried by court-martial. The charge
is now intelligence with the enemy
instead of, as at first, only commercial |
relations. The penalty for the former |
is a fine and short Imprisonment; for |
the latter. death.
That is the status of the case at |
present, but it will not rest there. |
What the consequences may be no |
one can foresee. Though grave scan |
dals are to be deprecated in war time,
II is in the best interest of France |
that this foul abscess be operated |
on unfiinchingly. Already the action |
of Justice has had an invaluable effect. |
An end has been put to an outrage
Gus campaign Of temptation, insinua-
ton and propaganda in the interest
of German peace. Only one month
ago a fair-sounding German peace
offer might have had an effect. Now
one thing is certain, France will night
out this war TO the end, with absolute