The Washington times., 1917-08-15
.HCTANER The Man Fish
A Strange Story of Mystery and
Fun1ticiSm
FunGticLSnI

events NJ. White. for the sake of
I form, repeated the story OF Hictan-
/ er's flight and Severac's arrest.
He then read Admiral Germinet's
report containing Hictaner's supreme
ultimatum cried out from the sea
near the Chateau OF II In the night.
\ together with all the circumstances
surrounding It.
A gloomy silence followed the
reading.
Gentlemen" NJ. White went on, "T
have the honor OF making the fol-
lowing proposal to you.
You will nominate a committee
\ OF twelve to Immediately question
Severac. and would like to suggest
that Admiral Germinet, the project
Of Police and the Govsrnor-General OF
Marseilles be present with q consult
ing voice.
The afternoon session will be held
behind closed doors, and then the
chairman OF the committee will make
known the results OF their investi-
CATION
you will then decide upon the pro-
cedure in regard to this Severac, as
vel las to the response to be made
to Hictaner's ultimatum. Tie Is no
longer the unknown to us)."
1 NSPCdlCa 1ppAdu16 NAO
proposals made by N. White. They
| were put to the vote, article by
article and altogether, and were
unanimously passed.
Thereupon the meeting at once pro-
ceeded to decide the personnel OF the
committee.
Ten minutes later these twelve per-
sons met In the grand salon OF the
Prefecture, with Admiral Germinet.
the Project and the Governor Of
MarseIlles.
NJ. cambon, the French represen-
tative, was named as secretary, and
N. Van Delt, of Belgium, as chair
man The Project At once gave the
order to produce Severac.
The celebrated anarchist appeared
in handouts. surrounded by four
brigadIers Of the police force.
He was calm and cold. as pale as
| ever, with the clear eye and the car
rage which gave the man q certain
Importance In spite OF his meagre
figure.
The delegates were seated along one
side Of a long table. NJ Cambon hav-
! ing q stenographer seated nearby.
Severac was motioned by the project
to a chair across the table facing the
members OF the committee.
severae GrIIIed.
N. Van Delt, a wonderful old man
with a fine eye and ironic lips, began
the questioning in a thin. high voice.
Severac replied in a monotone to the
Identifying questions. He did not
deny that the Terrorist Rottman and
the Anarchist Severac were one and
the same. .yt-.4ss
He admitted in a VOID gll the at
tacks Of which he had been conIicted
, or merely suspected. 1t was plain to
be seen that the questioned as well as
the questioners was in haste to inish
the preliminaries.
NJ Van Delt said abruptly:
and now. monsieur, will you tell
us what you know OF the Unknown
and OF HictAper?"
severac stood up, and his narrative
was rapid. animated and Infiamed
with passion beneath the surface.
He told all that he knew of oxus,
Fulbert and Hictaner. He talked for
almost an hour without interruption.
His listeners were eager, and NJ.
CAmDon, lest a WOTQ might De lOsI.
never took his eyes from the stenL
rapher's pen.
When Severac had finished talking
there were several minutes silence.
Then NJ. Van Delft said. smiling:
Thanks, monsieur, for your revela-
lions. Later we Will draw conJec-
lures from them as well for your
self as for the powers.
"But you have not told US all you
know"
Smiling also, but with q more
brutal irony than that OF the chair
man, SeVeac replied:
II have said all that / wish to say,
and nothing more. Nevertheless, I
will be glad to listen to any ques-
tions you may care to put to me-"
NJ Van Delt raised his head with
satisfaction. for he loved a tilt OF
wits.
Ito be Continued Tomorrow