Evening star., 1942-12-26
French Council
Meets 10 Name
New Leader
Allied Officials
Pay Tribute at
AdmiruI's Funeral
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Dec. 26.-Reuters
reported from Algiers that a
firing squad this morning put to
death the 22-year-old assassin
of Admiral Jean Darlan, quickly
carrying out the sentence of a
cOurt-martial.
The assassin previously had been
scheduled to face the firing squad at
dawn.
tCBS Correspondent Charles
Collingwood also reported to New
York that the sentence Of death
had been executed.
tMr Collingwood said Admiral
Darlans funeral was held with
considerable military ceremony
this morning and was attended
by the highest Allied officers. in
cluding 1t Gen. Dwight D. Eisen-
hover and Mark w. Clark. who
stood with Nine Darlan around
the casket after the services in
the Algiers Cathedral as Ameri-
can, British and French troops
marched past.
CThe body, which had lain in
state in the fort of the govern
ment palace, was moved into a
chapel where it now lies, he saidD
The name and motive of the as
sassin as yet were uncertain. He
was described, however, as of French
nationality with an Italian mother
still living in Italy.
ALGIERS, Dec. 26 CP).-The o.
year-old assassin whose bullets cut
down Admiral Jean Darlan on
Christmas eve was scheduled for
swift execution today as the i'm
perial council named by Darlan was
called to choose his successor as
high commissioner of the French
African colonies.
CThe Morocco radio said all
five surviving members of Ad-
miral Darlan's imperial council
would be present at the meeting
to pick successor. They are
Gen. Jean Marie Bergeret. Gen.
Henri Honore Giraud and the
three Governors-Ge of
French North and West Africa,
Pierre Boisson of West Africa,
Yves Chatel of Algeria and Au-
guste Nogues of Morocco
Police powers in French North
Africa were taken over yesterday by
Gen. Henri Honore Giraud, French
military commander now regarded
as one of the possible successors to
Darlan's political leadership in the
colonial empire.
The consequences of this violent
removal of Admiral Darlan, former
Vichy collaborationist, whose as
sumption of African colonial lead
ership brought bitter protests from
divided French factions and other
quarters, still were unclear. 1t
appeared, however, that the way
now was open for greater unity
among the French fighting beside
the Allies.
Bergeret Calls for Unity.
Gen. Jean Marie Bergeret. close
associate of the dead admiral,
urged all Frenchmen to unite for
the only fight that counts-the
liberation of France"
French justice move almost in
stantly to punish the assassin. At
6 pm. yesterday. 27 hours after
Admiral Darlan's death, the court
martial sentenced him to death.
The young killer, when at first he
believed his attempt had failed.
said: Il am sorry I missed my
mission" Then, when informed
Admiral Darlan was dead, he said.
so much the better, you may kill
me now"
A communique said letters be-
tween the young man, described as
French. and his mother, now living
in Italy, had been seized but "the
contents threw no light on the case
or the actual circumstances of the
crime"
The assassin used the name
'Morand' when he went to the
summer palace to ambush Admiral
Darlan at pm. on Christmas eve.
He was said to have spent most
of his life in Paris and Italy, and
to have entered the University at
Algiers about year ago.
The body of the dapper little
French Admiral and politician was
taken to the Algiers Cathedral for
(See DARLAN, Page 2-XD