Evening star., 1930-05-04


- Dragged of stealing 287,000,000
francs, a record in the annals of French swim
ding. AS an example to other offenders, the
."Knights" said they were subjecting their
prisoner to prolonged torture-tests Of nerve
and courage each more horrible than the
other. They were treating their prisoner like
a cat playing with dying mouse, seeking to
prolong his mental and physical suffering as
long as possible before putting him out of his
misery.
Handing him list of six different Sup
pliceS" or tests, each of which might easily
lead to his death, they gave him the choice
of the order in which he would face them. To
spur him on, his torturers exercised double
pressure on the unfortunate man; at one and
the same time they threatened him with in
stant destruction should he refuse to act accord
ing to their wishes, and simultaneously appealed
to his "knightly courage"
According to one communique, Champaubert.
"a powerfully built and athletic man, who In his
youth and early manhood took great part In
field sports, selected the "Supplice du saut" as
:the first trial of his strength and endurance.
He was obliged to jump no fewer than three
times across an 18-foot dixie filed to depth
of feet with quicklime! He was allowed
"a 25-yard run, and to fail by an inch meant
that he would be swallowed up and burnt alive.
THIS horrible fate he narrowly escaped at
his very first jump, only just clearing the
distance. 1t looked extremely doubtful whether
he could undertake second effort; but to the
astonishment of his tormentors he quickly re-
covered himself and came up to the scratch.
The second time he jumped he cleared the dis
tance of meters 10 centimeters in perfect
style and after few minutes rest he accom-
plshed the same feat for the third time.
'When he had finished" runs the account
of the knights of Themis,' he recovered his
usual self-possession and with folded arms
looked at us in silence and with certain
expression on his face which it is impossible
to describe"
The next punishment to which the knights"
alleged they submitted Champaubert was one
which they called "The Ordeal of the Three
Winchesters."
Three Winchesters, loaded with ball, are
fixed on a special construction and point to a
post to which the Marquis Is attached in so
secure a manner that he cannot escape" says
the communique. "The triggers are worked
simultaneously by means of a spring attached
to Bickford cord. An electrical apparatus
lis timed to sever this cord four minutes after
it is set in motion, and consequently discharge
the Winchesters unless the Marquis by means
of another Winchester, can snap thin electric
wire which transmits the current to produce
the spark which sewers the cord. Five
shots are allowed the victim. If he cannot
within four minutes sever the electric wire he
is dead man."
The document goes on to state that in order
to assure against the possibility Of Champaubert
using his Winchester against his enemies, a
Knight" armed with an automatic pistol was
placed near him and instructed to shoot rim
like dog if he showed the slightest intention
of playing tricks.
Champaubert'S first shot is stated to have
hit the target placed behind the wire, but
= missed the latter by about centimeters
After calmly lighting cigarette and taking a
few puffs, he fired again. missing by CEN
tmeters. He had no better luck with his third
shot, and as two minutes had already elapsed
he was seen to wrinkle his brow and turn just
a shade paler.
A fourth time he aimed; almost Immediately
pressing the trigger, whereupon 'there followed
a little swapping sound accompanied by
vibration similar to that which is
caused by a mandolin string when it breaks.
Once more the Marquis de Champaubert had
escaped DEATH
And extraordinary though it may appear"
continues the narrative, 1--WE were almost glad