1929-01-08 — Page 9

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MOSCOW NEWS LETTER.

'ITALIA" FILM MYSTERY.

FACTS ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY,

MURDER APPEAL.

ALLOWED.

CONVICTION REDUCED TO

MANSLAUGHTER,

SEQUEL TO A VILLAGE FIGHT.

The Court of Crimical Appeal last. Moscow, December 10th (U.P.): An exciting morsel to which Moscow month quashed a conviction for theatre-goer had looked forward murder pad substituted for it one of eagerly for some weeks was snatch-inanslaughter, and sentenced the

ed from them at the' last moment. The showing of a play based on the disaster of the dirigible "Italia" | and the adventure of the Soviet ice-cutter "Krassin" was cancelled mysteriously several hours before the scheduled opening this week.

The audience, arriving at the

man who appealed to ten years penal servitude,

The case was one in which William Richard Hall, who was sentenced to death at the Aylesbury Assizes for murder, asked for leave to appeal against his conviction..

Hall, who is thirty-six and a Semperanto Theatre prepared for Inbourer, was accused of murdering the thrill of seeing Prof. Malmgren | Belcher Sines at Colnbrook. He - exten

by the Italian survivore had been recommended by the jury Zappi and Mariano, found instead to mercy. a pleasant and innocuous comedy about the rascalities of an American capitalist and a Russian emigre general.

The Arctic drama had been re- hearsed for weeks in strictest

Mr. Whittingstall, for Hall, atated that after a fight between Hall and Mark Sines, a brother of the dead

Sines, another brother, were found man, Beleber Sines and Shipton stabbed outside Hall's house.

secrecy, but enough rumours about Hall had stated that after he left it spread to sharpen the public:

a public house in Colnbrook, bo. appetite. From the best sources

THE HONG KONG DAILY PRESS. TUESDAY, JANUARY 8th, 1929.

MODERNISING OF PARIS.

ESTATE CLAIM" AND "A DREAM.

HISTORY OF THE VENUS DE MILO."

BUT THE OLD SPIRIT. REMAINS.

ELECTRIC SIGNS AND AMERICAN BARS.

Injured In Battle I,

In the course of the battle the

the

following

scratches on chin and lip, our labes

OLD WOMAN'S SEARCH FOR HOW HER ARMS WERE LOST. franes which at the exchange of that catalogue of injuries: broken nose,

DOCUMENTS.

ANCIENT BARONIES.

"Wembley:--A little, grey-haired, middle-aged woman who lives in this neighbourhood looked out of a front room window lost p delectable day-dream, --

П

Her name is Mrs. Holt, and abo

The right hand held the beautifully modeled drapery, Yorgon offered to all the statue to the French statue received Consula Milo, M. Brest for 1,900 day was 8250.

Tve hundred fifty dollare fotbroken, ona "tos broken, part of the Venus de Mils which could be rapery missing, soratches on back, hip and shoulders, arme broken. old saywhere to-day for 82,000,000 The arms, several witnesson maid, or more was to put it gently a bargain but Coqsal Brest was al raid temained on board the Galaxidiote, take a chance and communicated others said they fell into the water first with the French Ambassador, M

A low fragments of the apps were arms battle between French and dela Riviere at Constantizople, wie / brought back by Marcellus where immediately sent the first secretary

they are on exhibition on a glass. of the embassy, Count de Marcellus

cano cao tại thi The quá to file, on board the French naval

Paris, Des, 17th (U.P.)-Venus of the Greek post of Milo lost her arms, broke her nose and had her back scratched in a sabre and small

schooner, Estafette.

Albanian sailors in the year 1820, Paris, December 17th (U.P.):

according to documents which have just been discovered. To the thou That old world charm which made Paris the most delightful and most

sands who flock to the Louvre to Meanwhile, the farmer, Yorgos Inscinating of all capitale is dially

see what is considored the sculpbad carried the torso to his home lon safe-keeping, a task which was murrendering to the onward march firmly believes that she and her im-tural masterpiece of all time, the of progress. Fortunately for those mediate relatives are the rightful Venus de Milo is a quiet figure in easy because the statue is made of

two blocks of marble. The dis the estates and ancient white marble whose only knowledge covery having become known the foreigners and those Frenchmen heir to

price had gone up to 30,000 francs who love Paris, the old city is baronies of Montacute and Mon of pain was the deft chisel

or 86,000. What is more the monks assimilating moderaism in its own thermer which Colonel William still añonymous artist.

of a Greek convent had completed inimitable way... The erstwhile Selby-Lowndes, of Whaddon Hall,

arrangements for the purchase of presentation to: Prince Nikolaki

Marcellus story has been that the Up to the present, Couns de

damages rullored by the Tenys wATO received on the difficult journey from the Yorgos farm to the port,

but all evidence is against the acceptance of this story. The story itself is explained by the somewhat illegal procedure of the Count. The records also do not state whether or not France paid any money for the Venus.

quiet streets of Paris are now jam- Bucks, is claiming through the ments Professor Georges Gattazor the Venus for Moreusi, drago the statue are that it was scised by

med with taxicabs driven by demens boulevards are scintillating with weating whiskers; the once lazy electric signs; airplanes may go whizzing overhead; and certain pre tantions hotels de luxe have eleva tors that work both ways, but that effervescent populace still thinks in terms of cales, still adores band box theatres, and its soul still turús

toward art.

Committee of Privileges of the House of Lords.

She has wandered for years from one part of the country to the other, gathering documents which support her claim to the estates, hoping al- ways that she would find two state- ments of the utmost importance that would prove her claim.

When the Age of Arithmetic || lines,

our correspondent understands that passed a crowd of men, who includ-descended on the world after the

the play would have shown the Italians in most ignominious light, especially as compared to the self-sacrificing Soviet saviours. A good many of the shocking rumours current in the days after the so- called Malmgren group was rescued were enacted in this play quite literally,

Whether the Italian Embassy pro tested against the show, or whether the Soviet authorities forestalled a

protest by acting themselves, will remain an official secret. But it is perfectly clear that the play was sacrificed upon the altar of amicable Soviet-Italian "relations,

ed the Sines brothers. One of

One of these is the baptismal certificate of ber great-grand- mother, the other, her marriage

Since I was about fourteen

was a direct descendant of Thomas James Selby, of Whadden Hall," Mrs. Holt said, "but unfortunate- y our parents did not tell us as might have done. much about our family as they

Upon the strength of these docu-

and the archaeologist, Dragatsis, both of Athens, are planning to drag the bottom of Mio Harbour in the hope of discovering the missing arms

man of the arsenal at Constan tinople.

The statue had been transported it had been found where it was by ox team from the hillside where

placed on board the Albanian brig, Discovered By A Farmer,

Galaxidiote. Marcellus, enamored of the statue, determined to have The story of the Venus, as it can if at all costs and placing 'bimael! now be told, is as follows: In April as the head of the crew of the 1890 a farmer named Yorgos dis- Estafette, the French sailing ves covered the statue in a niche in the rocks, hidden by tall weeds and the Albanian ship where with sel that had brought him, boarded bushes. The statue perfectly shel-drawn sabres and knives they best tered, the figure was Iz ex- the Albanians with the flats of their cellent condition, not a. blemish words, distributed black eyes and upon it. Its left arm was crooked contusions generally, and

them called out to him to come back/War, when banks and reparations years of age I have known that I slightly; the hand held an apple. away with the Vonus

and fight. He did so, and was knocked down and rendered almost unconscious. He remembered no thing from that moment until the waking up in the hospital on the following morning. The ground appeal was misdirection by the judge at the trial.

Manslaughter Defence. Lord Hewart: How was it that the defence of manslaughter was not put to the judge?

Mr. Whittingstall: I put the question of manslaughter to the jury.

"On what ground!" inquired Lord Hewart.

Mr. Whittingstall: Provocation. Lord Hewart: Where is that in the summing up 1-Nowhere.

began succeeding each other as general topics of interesta, Paris. jens became worried lest their theatres and cafes would succumb to the Moloch of finance. A few cafsi disappeared, but for every one that took the count, it seems that ten new ones have sprung up-and better and bigger ones too. Paria now boasts the biggest cafe in the world. It really isn't, but inasmuch as it

Runaway Daughter.

"My mother used to say, however, that my great-grandmother, who his second wife, who was a daugh- was the child of Thomas Selby and

ber of the Bart of Northampton, ran away with a footman. That is how, in the first instance, we lost the money which should have come Tuna almost to us. through ал entire block, 1.8 far as these Parisiens are concern- ed, it's big enough.

The Cafe Globe, it is called, and when the |aperitif time 'conies, when, beer and vermouth sad port begin to flow, the scene is a back number.

"It is through this great-grand- mother, Mary Selby, that the right to the ancient baronien can be claim-

ed, and I am assured that if any one is entitled to them our branch of the family certainly is.

Mary Selby married Thomaa Clement, and their son Joseph Clement, of Kendal Westmorland, was my grandfther.

Every Actor His Own Author, Incidentally, the Semperanto Theatre which was prevented from "putting on this show is a unique

Charles Lindbergh. undertaking, perhaps without an exact parallel anywhere in the world

Walking along the boulevards, Lord Hewart, giving the judgment of theatre. It is the one company of the court, said that Mr. Justice American visitors to Paris may be in which the playwright in eliminat Mackinnon was of the opinion that played in big red letters the name, obtain proof of this claim by a surprised to see prominently dis- "I was encouraged to try to ed every actor is his own author!

the only issue for the jury was the Charles Lindbergh. However, Lind carious dream that I had your GED. The Semperanto players merely issue. murder or acquittai." agree on a theme, a general outfine Hall's atory depended on hisbergh has been true to his word I think it was really a vision. A of the action, and the distribution testimony alone, subject to the fact contracts that came Booding in on beside my bed, and urged me to and he has not accepted all those grey-haired woman came and stood of roles. Then, with two or three that the gravity of the injuries him when he was wearing other remember who my great-grand- sheets of scenario as their only which he had received was admitted peoples clothes at the American parents were. Unless you obtain guide, they are turned loose upon by the medical witnesses called by Embassy. The Charles Lindbergh proof of their kinship with you,' the stage to sink or swim. They the prosecution. improvise the lines and the details Another and more serious dif.is a play, by the popular actor the vision told me, you and your of the action as they go along, every city," added Lord Hewart, was Colonel is in it, speaking English ne powder."

playwright Sascha Guitry, and the family will be scattered away like member of the cast making what the interval which had elapsed be with just a slight French accent. he or she can of the role assigned.

tween the net which gave provoca The advertisement of Lindbergh After a number of rehearsala, the was charged. The judge in the cir further into history, although it tion and the act with which Hall seems to put his famous flight back play begins to run smoothly and is released to the public. However, there was no evidence to go to the cumstances was of the opinion that

was little more than a year and since there is no script, no two perjury on the question of provocaread with

a half ago. Lindbergh's name is formances are quite alike. The

such celebrities tion." characters continue to improvise

Moliere, Hugo,

Rachmaninoff, their parts, making them fuller and

Raquel Meller und Mistinguett. richer with every stowing if they

can.

whether on this evidence the de The question for the court was fence of manslaughter ought to have been left to the jury.

songs

2.5

and

Soon afterwards, when I was in the north of England, I obtained know, and since then I have been further proof of what I wanted to searching everywhere.

*

that his heirs should be advertised By his will Mr. Selby ordered

any discovery, he left. Whaddon and for in the newspapers, and; failing his other estates to his neighbour, William Lowndes, of Mazalow,

Invasion Of Montparnasse,

"It is strange, however, that I cannot find the baptismal certificate of that Mary Selby. Curiously enough, is not in the church Raquel And Mistinguett.

registers at Whaddou. I should he Mention of Raquel Meller and so happy if only some one could The plays witnessed by this writer had fe finish to them

True Version Of Facts.

Mistinguett brings up a fantasy of help me to find it.” earlier music hall days when both; Waddon was bought and owned which made it hard to believe that "It appears to us," said Lord artists were popularizing two songs by Mr. James Selby, who lived and it was all extempore. However, Hewart, that it was necessary that which made both of them and the died a bachelor in 1772 there were moments when this fact the jury should consider what the

famous.

The

adorable. became obviens enough, generally true version of the facts was: to Raquel delighted Paris with her without hurting the play, and often consider as precisely as the evidence Violetera song and the viva even heightening its effect. Thus permitted what was the interval cious Mistinguett had Paris sing several characters frequently talk that bad elapsed, and whether iting her apache refrain "C'est mon at the same time, there are de- was true to say in this case that horame," which she did with Harry casional embarrassed pauses, here Hall, when he committed the actPilcer at the Casino de Paris. and there a hitch in the action-all with which he was charged, was Other songs have come and gone. quite as in real life. There is none smarting under provocation or Both artists have travelled far and of the literary make-believe in cent and so strong that he was not wide, but now they are back in the Semperanto Theatre which so at the critical moment master of his their old theatres, both singing The above alcoholic interlude often. mars even the best-produced own understanding.

those same songs 30 perfectly suggests another phase of changing plays.

That defence was never sub adapted to their personalities. Paris. A quarter once loved by mitted to the jury; there is no re Mistinguett is more gamine than artists and frequented by neca- ference to manslaughter in the sum-ever and her intonation of the song sional tourists, has now completely ming up, and the only question left that is both hardboiled

metamorphosed into a howling, was whether Hall was guilty of pathetic usually wins a storm of sizzling incandescent, super Green- murder or not. In our opinion, it applause. It in the same when the wich Village. Montparnasse now denco to leave to the jury the quee her heart and sings the old hits of a habitat of queer people, long was right in this case on this evi- buxom Yvette Guilbert opens up rivals Montmartre as a show place, tion whether a true verdict was a prewar days. Paris knows every thinkers. Vast and glittering cafes haired painters, and ponderous verdiet of manslaughter.

artist by a wong; that song is the "Nobody can consider this. evi artist's personality, so it is impos have sprung up in this once quiet

section. dence without seeing that the desible to visualize Meller without fence of manslaughter was beset by seeing her bunch of violets; Mia. Montparnasse is a cheaper pre- Montmartre. In great difficulties arising in part tinguess without her cigarette; and sentation of cular from the interval which had Yvette Guilbert without her long Montparnasse, one can drink beer." or Swedish Punch, or Scotch Mist, elapsed and from the weapon which black gloves.

Ali Pale Ale or Dublin Stout. was chosen, and from some, at least,

this without the obligation of buy- But counter-revolution has been of the statements which Hall after-

wards made.

The modernization of Paris ising Champagne, as in most places interpreted broadly enough to bring We have come to the conclusion, taking quite another form than in Montmartre, hence the great a good many murderers before the

one sees on the boulevards. Paris popularity of this oasis among the firing squad Half a dozen death in these circumstances, after a

ia yielding to the seduction of the less opulent of the world's geniuses. sentences in various villages were great deal of deliberation, that the

cocktail. The cocktail has made its However, there is some of Paris recorded in the press this week proper course here is to quash the

way into every part of the city, that is left, particularly on the against peasante guilty of terroris conviction and to substitute a ver

and cafes everywhere are adding spur lines off the Montparnasse- tic acts. Considered as part of a dict of manslaughter."

Americen bars. Already this Montmartre Route. There widespread attack by certain ele

season two cocktail contests have Maxim's, and Le Grand Vatel, and ments in the villages against active

been held, the last one honoured Henry's Bar, and La Rue's, and Communists, such acts come clearly

with the name of the First Inter the Cafe de Paris, and others. within the category of counter.

national Cocktail Content, attract These still bear the naive aspect revolt.

The directors of the theatre claim, with much justice, that a poor actor cannot survive the test of extempore playing. He must feel his role deeply enough and play it earnestly enough to improvise lines without effort,

The Death Penalty."

The death penalty in this country! is invoked only for the punishment and suppression of counter-revolu- tion." Ordinary murder, in which no political motive is involved, generally results in a prison sen- tence of ten years or less.

although they do not often end so

tragically.

Cocktails,

At Kolganoff's trial it developed ed a hilarious crowd at Claridges. of prewar wickedness; that is, the that he was a relative of the former The terms were not written with waiters are polite, the cuisine is A death sentence imposed on a self-confessed murderer in the Soviet lived. The case happened to coin the entrance fee of fifty francs per they ought to be.

owner of the house in which he the idea of sobriety uppermost, for excellent, and the drinks" are what It is even capital this week, however, is not cide, moreover, with a campaign to mitted the spectator" to drink, universally agreed that these places nearly so clear. Alexei Kolgano tarn bourgeois elements out of unlimited beverages. in the course of an argument with

Each con- may never change, and that per- the head of his house committer," rooms which could be better-used by testant had a little bar erected and haps Maxims may go on forever.

workers. Although committed in the crowd voted for the best drink. The modernisation of Paris Communist named Korovayev, fit of temper, Kolganoff's marder From a cursory glance at the tal-would be deplorable if it were al drew a knifes and stabbed him to appeared to the court to have been late, it seemed that the early ones lowed to spread, but there is death Under the incredibly over political-an act of vengeance were written in French and Englittle danger. Many modern com ciowded living conditions of "Moscow argumenta between tenants against those who had oppfiscated lish, the later ones were written in forts have come, but the charao- the home that once belonged to his heiroglyphics, while the final bal-teristic personality of Paris has and the "house committee, are family, He was, therefore, "can- lots were inscribed in a sort of been stamped for all time by in- all too common phenomenon, demned to die as a counter-revolu. flowing Chinese.

visible forces more enduring than (Continued at foot of next column.) tionist.

(Continued on nezt Golumn),"

export trade,

came

Sorpe vorrions of the seture of

the French sailors as it was being carried aboard; others that the fight- took place on the beach, but "all" swords and attacked, and waighed are agreed that the Frenchmen drew

anchor and sailed out of the bar bour the moment the precious marble arrived.

Art critics consider the discussion a lot of pother in that the ring, even if brought back in perfect con merit to the Fenus Perhaps an dition, can add little additional equally exciting tale envelops the famous winged Victory for which the Danish professor, Christophe Blinkenberg has promised to find a bead.

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