New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-24
FRENCH PERSONALITIES.
GAMBETTNS WOUND DEATH OF LOUIS
BLANC.

|
tbs very hard 10 get at the real truth about Gam
| betta's hand. AT the Russian Embassy they hater
! Themselves on knowing it, secretary brDed, III
| would appear one of Gambettas women servants,
| and she told a tale which was dramatic and sensa-
tiopal. but which was perhaps also false from be-
ginning to end. Her story is that SInyrniote lady
| "A Jewess-who often drives into the woods near
| Vile d, Sonay with the great orator. wanted very
| much to see the Jubilee representation of lie
Roi s'Amuse" 1t was arranged that she was to have
place in the lOge Ori6e grated box which is, at
first representations at the Franeais usually occu-
| pied by Gambetta But when she was buOyed up
with expectation and within half an hour of start
ing for the theatre word sent her that she was
not to come. Nevertheless she went and found the
Countess de Beaumont, sister of La Marechale Mac
| Mahon in the faueuIl she was to have occupied.
No violent scene took place. But the disappointed
lady vowed vengeance and took the earliest oppor-
| tunity to keep her oath. The truth would have
come out the story u.s. if it had not been for lear
| that Madame de Beaumont might find 1t disagree
able This unattached" Countess has exercised
baleful influence over the Gambettist party. She
is separated from Count de Beaumont, TO whom is
given the entire guardianship of two children born
of the marriage French courts of justice very
rarely set aside maternal rights. Madame de Bean
mont was the cause in 1869 of duel between
Prince Metternich and the Austrian Ambassador TO
the Court Of the TuieTies. She has since studied
| art under Gustave Dor6 and from being his pupil
| became his tyrant Her mother the Countess OF
| Castrcs was brought forum by her. Madame de
| Beaumont Is vain and imperiOus Her salon for
| three winters was an ante-chamber to the Bourse
My belief is that Gambetta was on much less IN
innate terms with her than she and n mob of
Austro- Hungarian Jews connected with the press
made believe. As he goes on tho principle of never
contradicting anything, the lady and her Hebrew
following from the banks Of the Danube might as
sert fearlessy anything they liked Parvenus OF
the Opportunist party who have not Republican
souls were greatly hattered at any attention that
she paid them and attended regularly her solrees
She is q woman Of some artistic talent, vain mpe-
rious and atters herself upon having originated an
idea which will make its way in France. II Is Tor
| Gambetta to be to the Republic what Henry WITH
was to the Calvinist party in which he was brought
ND. and of which he became leader at the age OF
sixteen.
Madame dc Beaumont was certainly at the Fran
| Gals on the evening of November %. When was
in the salon was Informed of her arrival by many
persons who saw her in the ground floor corridor.
But she was not visible to the general public. Tie
conclusion was therefore arrived at that she must
have been in logc Grl{e. Now, there was only one
box, the grated screen of which was drawn up She
might certainly, have looked III from place in the
co1nice; hut the probability of her having done so
| is too slight to be seriously considered
| However tale or no tale, Gamletta seems ont OF
danger All those who are now, OF ever have been,
| Intimately acquainted with him. must be rejoiced
at the favorable bulletins which have been issued
within the last two days. Quiet is insisted upon by
the doctors of whom seven were in attendance last
| Monday There are two wounds At one time there
| seemed danger Of reception Of pus. But 1t has
been got over. The whole Gambettist party was
thrown in heap by the pstol-shot wound They did
| not dare TO stir step il the Chamber for whole
week. Hence the absolute calm in French politics
for more than ten days past. The outer public was
| not much affected ly the mishap. NJ Rochefort and
some of the mOnaTchical journals kept interest
alive by the circumsantial evidence in favor of
feminine vengeance which they deduced from the
wound Great stress was laid by Them the facts
that Gambetta Is not awkward in handling fire
AIMS and that he is not left-haudcd Awkwardness
is a relative thing. 1t should be remembered that
Gambetta has only eye, and that there are cir
cumstanccs under which he does not take n right
focus of objects before him. There is nothing in
credible i'll the statement that hc was holding the
butt Of the pistol in the left hand and trying with
the right to force the barrel into tn breach when
the ball was discharged.
have learned that one Of the most charming,
lovable and geat-hearted OF men, Louis Blanc
has died at Cannes His dccease was announced to-
day TO the Chamber by NJ. BriSson, and the news
Of il caused general and deep feeling OF sorrow
| there Louis Blanc was a thorough gentleman
well as q great writer and speaker. He dld not Ill
| The former character appear to the highest advan-
| tage when engaged in newspaper correspondence.
| I'm journalism there was 10 room for his gracious
| manner ana exquisite wit TO come INTO play.
here the entire man best appeared was III eplsllts
| to clever friends with whom ne was IN sym2a.Ily,
| There much natural charm III his style and
! great art. He did not indte rapidly, but thought
q great deal about what he termed " Ia toilette dc
| cbdqne idte" When he was engaged at " he Ills
! tory OF Ten Years. his daily production was, he
| told me, very regular, but never more than SIX
| pages. The moment he found his ideas did not
| come rapidly lie got up from his desk and went to
take a urn in "a public garden near which he lived.
He used to exercise his BRAIN i'll another direction,
| at the chess-bOard and was a match In playing
chess with Grevy, Naquet and the violnlst Ernst.
Before his prescription be was niue OF Tue danay
| and very much ladys man: one OF the
salons he frequented was that of Mime. Jobert,
sister of the Comte dalton She. lie made the ac'
| quaintaHcc of Berger who though intensely hos
tile 10 the socialism OF LOUIS Blanc appreciated Ills
chIyalTOus spirit and exquisite dellcacy OF feeling
Louis Blanc was the prOudeet OF the proud. lie
was thin-sknncd to a morbid degree. but easy to
| mO.Iiy. a more faithful FRIEND attached and fond
relative, and tender husband. have never seen;
| Although his heart was wrapped up IN ms we anu
| brother there was room in 1t Tor crowd OF other
| people. A most com passionate heart 1t was. The
poor and all suffering and oppressed beings nad
large place IN II. lie was tue Don QulxOte OF tluI
maltieated anima, the donkey and often 10 taxing
his part at Brighton got himself abused ny ToRhs.
had he privilege OF being admitted TO the nome
circle Of Louis Blanc footing OF intimacy. III
future let ,er shall speak at greater length about
his public life and private virtues. Louis Blanc
was COTslcan and had touch of the CorSican ac-
| cent. His eyes and general physlOgn0my were
very Southern. Passion, when II swept over MS
soul, strongly expressed IN both. There were
10th soltness and sweetness III the velvetY Drown
eyes III hIs ordinary moods. LAttery the NOUN
showed bitter disappointment anu lncuraDe ,settied
| sadness. Ills health for years very bad. Since
! his wife's death he felt alone IN the world She
| was Il swes t-tempered ahectonate ana thOi-