The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-07-24

with sneers and catcalls. Then pro-
secutor Andre Mornet, one OF
Frances most famous criminal
lawyers who convicted Mata Harl.
the woman spy of World War l.
shouted the assertion.
There are too many Germans IN
tn room.''
Protests and cries of Justice
rang out from all sides. Jacques
1sorny, defense counsel, de
handed a formal, apology and
Mornet retorted: 81 said there are
too many people here srving the
Germans but consider them the
same thing"
Again the courtroom erupted.
Spectators rose from their seats
and there followed Is minutes of
bedlam as black-robed lawyers
and indignant spectators plunged
into the screaming melee.
Petain was hustled from the dock
under guard and his chair and
table were knocked over as news
papermen, witnesses and court at
PENDANTS climbed on desks and
chairs to watch the scuffling.
Judge Mongiheaux ordered the
courtroom cleared.
With tommyguns, tn police
threatened arrests. Spectator law
yers ordered elected, battled with
the police to reenter the courtroom
After quiet was restored the trial
resumed at 4::30 p. m. with some
spectators and lawyers barred.
No actual arrests were made.
Once previously and again later,
Mongibeaux and his assistant
judges, Donat-Gigue and Picard re-
cessed the court.
At the trial opening, Petain' S
lawyer Fernand Payen, contended
that the Marshal never had de-
nounced the French Republic and
that under the constitution of 1875
only the Chamber of Deputies was
competent to Judge him.
The defense move failed, how
ever, after the judges dcliberated
and ruled that they were com
petent. Payen read the text of
Petain's letter to Hitler asking per-
mission to return to France last
April.
The prosecution then read the in
dictment which asserted that Pc
tain had been in contact with the
Germans, including Otto -Abetz,
Germany's representative in occu-
pied Paris, and that Petain's as
sumption of rule as Chief of State
was the final realization of a
long-prepared plot against the Re-
publican regime of France" The
indictment was based mainly on
the public acts of the Vichy gov
eminent which Petain headed.
Petain's face was crossed by a
faint smile. He shifted audibly.
Several times his h gu d err S
shrugged and he pursed his lips.
After the 25-minute uproar, one
OF the defense attorneys caused
the judges to retire again. He &C
cused both Judge Mongibeaux and
Prosecutor Mornet of having made
lnflammatory statements against
Petain months before the trial.
Both Mongibeaux and Mornet
denied the accusations but the
court was forced to huddle to de-
liberate whether it should admit
as evidence statements which had
been attributed to Mongibeaux and
Mornet in French newspapers.
Reynaud was the first witness
for the prosecution. The Prime
who turned over the pre-
premiership to Petain the day
France asked for an armistice, was
dressed in a plain blue business
suit.
Reynaud said events following
The armistice indicated in his opin-
ion ga plot against the state.' Pc
ain, who had been watching Rey-
1aud closely, looked up at the cell
ng and smiled.
AS the Germans approached
Paris, Reynaud said, he put for
ward a plan to repel them. Il see
before me now two men who
blocked it-Petain and Weygand,"
re said. Petain, he asserted, de-