New Caledonia

Sordid Tragedy in New Caledonia

A MACABRE tragedy which could outdo the imaginings of Edgar Allen Poe has just come to its close in Noumea.

Nothing was wanting in the set up; a drunken orgy, a corpse with a fatal knife wound, the whole in a ruined hut in a desolate valley on a wild night. To cap it all, the actors were lepers.

The incident occurred some months ago at Ducos peninsular within the boundaries of the Ducos Hansenian sanatorium. During a drunken brawl amongst some native patients who had gone to an out of-the-way corner to drink, one of them was knifed and died His assailant’s trial ended early May,

the trial being held at Ducos Sanatorium.

Sentence: five years seclusion.

More than a little ironic as the accused is already in seclusion be cause of his disease.