Evening star., 1923-12-03
DAUDET BOYS FATE
SENSATION IN PARIS
Son of French Royalist Chief
Slain by Anarchists Is
Charge by Father.
BY the Associated Press,

PARIS, December 3-Not in many
parable with that afforded by the
death of fourteenyear-o Philippe
Daudet. who died in a hospital sew
eral days ago from the effect OF
wounds received in a taxicab
The newspapers of a week ago said
that the boy had committed suicide,
but Leon Daudet, leader of the royal
ist movement in France and father of
Philippe, is of the opinion that his
son was murdered "by an atrocious
plot" and has asked the public prose-
cutor to act on an article printed in
Libertaire. the anarchist paper, In
which a visit Of Philippe to the news
paper office was described.
Leon Daudet was told by the pro-
curator-general that the boys sui
eide had been established beyond
doubt. and that it would he impossi-
BILE for the judicial authorities to do
anything further unless ne mace
charge against some definite or ins
definite persons, or could make q
charge of corrupting minor or OF
criminal libel against Libertaire. The
father agreed to prefer charges.
Points to BE Cleared.
Among the points requiring clarif-
cation today We're where the BOY
spent the two days that elapsed be-
tween his disappearance from home
November 20 and his visit to the Lib
ertaire office November %. George
vidal, editor of the newspaper, who
wrote the article describing the ar
rival Of Philippe at his Office on No
vember Q, has been extensively inter-
viewed
The newspaper story asserted that
the lad described himself as an an
archist, but refused 10 give any name
except Philippe. He handed Vidal
letter which was to be used in case
anything happened to him. The edl-
tor opened this communication after
he had learned of the mysterious
taxicab suicide. and found that 1t
was written to Nine Daudet. In the
letter Philippe spoke of his secret
adherence TO the anarchist cause, as
serting: Now my cause summons
me. l believe 1t is my duty to do
what / am doing"
LAction Franchise, admitting that
the communication is in Phtlippe's
handwriting, suggests that it may
have been written under duress, and
demands to know what occurred In
the offices of Libertaire while Philippe
was there. The royalist publication
says the death of the boy was an act
of vengeance for Germaine Berthon,
the young woman anarchist who
killed Marius Plateau of the STAN of
LAction Francaise last November.
Calls Language wild.
Vidal told the interviewers that he
was alarmed at the eXtravagant
language used by Philippe when he
visited Libertaire, and that the boy
seemed to him to be unbalanced. In
the light of subsequent events. Vidal
said to LIE Matin he was convinced
Philippe planned to kill his own
father, but when his excitement wore
off he was so overcome with horror
at the idea that he could have enter
tained such a thought that he COM
mitted suicide.
Another uncertain point is where
Philippe got his revolver. He was with
out an overcoat when found in the taxi
cab. Leon Daudet maintains that the
pistol was given him by anarchists
who had kidnapped him, but the latter
deny this, asserting that they were
kind to the boy and endeavored to
Soothe him.
One of vidals friends. the manager
of a Montmartre cabaret. says that
Philippe said he needed money and that
he loaned the lad various sums amount
ing in all to 25 francs. LIE Journal has
made inquiries among the boys friends,
intimates and high school Instructors,
all of whom agreed he was an en-
thusiastic admirer Of his father and
fully imbued with royalist ideas, with
out, however. being argumentative on
the subject. The Instructors asserted
that Philippe was a precocious boy. and
that they were not surprised he was
the author Of the free verse poems
that were inclosed with the letter he
left with Vidal. The instructors also
do not believe Philippe was an anarchist
convert.