Evening star., 1945-10-15
Laval Killed by Bullet in Head
After Firing Squad Shots Fail
And Suicide Attempt Is Futile
Former Premier Dies
After Crying Out,
Vive la France
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
PARIS, Oct. 15.-Pierre Laval
was executed today as a traitor
to France after failing to cheat
the firing squad by swallowing
poison.
The man who collaborated with
the Germans as chief of govern
ment in Marshal Philippi Petain's
Vichy regime died from revolver
bullet, fired through his ear, when
a volley from the firing squad did
not kill him.
Doctors had restored Laval from
effects of poison taken four hours
earlier. He was led to the court
yard Of Fresnes Prison and died
with a cry of ''Vive la France" on
his lips.
He was refused final request to
give the order for his own death to
the execution squad.
Refuses Blindfold.
Laval refused preferred blind
fold and face his executioners.
These were his last words:
"It is not the soldiers fault. They
know not what they do. Vive la
France!"
The II rifemen fired.
Laval fell only to his knees.
An officer rushed up Immediately,
aimed his revolver into Laval's ear
and fired. The coup de grace dis
patched Laval at 1882 pm. and he
fell dead into the dirt Of the court
yard.
A coffin lay near the spot. The
body was placed in it swiftly and
loaded into a hearse.
Three official cars bearing the
prefect of police, the attorney gen.
eral and the local police commits
sioner accompanied the hearse from
the gates of the prison.
Ceffin Lowered Into Grave.
The little procession went to near
by Thiais Cemetery and there
Laval's coffin was lowered into the
ground.
Next to Laval's plot was grave
marked:
Here lies an unknown collab-
orator"
Grave diggers Immediately began
covering Laval's coffin with dirt
About Is spectators watched silently.
The grave was left unmarked. 1t
was believed, however, that his fam
lily would be given the right to move
the body or place a tombstone
over it.
No medical report was released
Immediately concerning the exact
condition of Laval when he was
executed. Two men had supported
him on his last walk to face the
firing squad.
Doctors worked on Laval with a
stomach pump for two hours before
the decision was made to proceed
with the execution.
No Demonstrations Occur.
No demonstrations occurred
around Fresnes. Heavy cordons of
police lined all approaches to the
prison.
When the sound of firing was
heard from the prison, a stir went
through the crowd.
Lavals attorneys said that shortly
before his suicide attempt Laval
wrote a note in which he declared:
ITO save French soldiers from
the dishonor of carrying this (the
execution) out, I prefer to die as
a Roman-by taking poison
Laval wrote that he was the VIC
tim of "a veritable murder" and
that he had kept the poison for "a
very long time" The message was
addressed ito my counsel to inform
them, and to my executioners to
answer them"
Lavals first words when doctors
revived him from the poisoning
were: "I didn't want to die under
French bullets"
To one of his lawyers, Jacques
Baraduc, who accompanied him to
the execution stake, Laval whis-
pered:
Tell my wife and daughter my
last thoughts were of them"
Nine. Laval had tried futilely to
save his life. Laval's daughter, Jose,
is the Countess Rene de Chambru9.
De Chambrun, who claims American
citizenship as a descendant of La
fayette, and the Countess were ques-
toned by the French, but released
on September 10, 1914.
Countess Collapses.
The American educated countess
who formerly lived in Washington
was reported to have collapsed at
her Paris home when informed OF
her fathers execution.
Nine. Laval, however, was re-
ported dry-eyed. On hearing of her
husbands words, she was reported
to have said:
What beautiful way to die"
Lavals attorneys, Albert Maud and
Baraduc, declared jointly after the
execution:
I'VE feel our duty is not finished
1t has just begun. We will con-
tinue to fight until the trial is re-
viewed"
The lawyers estimated it might
take up to three years" to secure a
review.
Laval, who before the war had
thrice been Premier of France and
a dozen times member of Frances
cabinets was condemned by the
High Court of Justice last week
the same court which condemned
Petain and Joseph barnard, the
head of the Vichy militia.
Petain'5 sentence was commuteo
to life imprisonment and disgrace;
Darnand stood before a firing squad