The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1883-02-17
GiMBETTA's DEATH.


An Authentic statement of the Accident 10 tho
French Statesman.
1t was on Monday, November 81, at
10; 45 o'clock in the morning that Nj
Gambetta, being at his country house,
Les Jardoa, at Vile d Array, wound
ed himself in the right hand with re-
yolyer. The following are circum
stances under which the accident &C
cured. He had spent the morning in
company with one OF his friends at the
Defense Rationale, tho Artillery Gen
eral Thomas, who had come from Yer
sailles to Vile d. Array to visit him.
At about 0:30 o'clock Gen. Thomas
rose to take leave Of his friend, but NJ.
Gambetta pressed him to remain for
breakfast. The General, who was OK
pected back at Versailles, was unable to
accept, and left the house. NJ. Gambet-
tn went up stairs to his bed room, on
the first floor. A revolver on lever
system, of quito q now model, the bar.
rel lifting up, was on one of the tables.
NJ. Gambetta, who had just received
the weapon, wished to go and try it in
the garden. Ho was fond OF firearms
and often handled them somewhat i'm
prudently; but in the county, in rath.
er lonely place, and living in house
situated at the end of garden, only
imperfectly walled round, il was aim ost
indispensable to be provided with such
weapons. 10 load tho revolver the natu
raj way WAS TO hold it in the left hand
putting tho charge in with the right. In
this way he loaded the revolver, but
one Of the cartridges did not enter
properly one of the chambers. When NJ.
Gambetta tried TO put down the barrel
into its place IL met with resistance
from tho cartridge. On this he took
the barrel with his right hand, while
holding the butt end of the pistol firm
ly with his lift, and endeavored to force
it down. The cartridge then exploded,
and the bullet entered M. Gambetta's
hand about the middle of the palm,
close to the Aeshy part near the thumb.
The bullet penetrated below the skin,
and following slightly oblique direc-
ton, passed up the muscles of the wrist,
and came ont about five centimeters
above the wrist on the inside of the
arm. The devoted lady who has since
bNNbAlo tuu NlCtlul VI tEo ulObt cruel
curiosity, ran into the room with the
servants, hearing the report of the pis-
toll, to see what had happened. A few
minutes later the wound was dressed
by DR.. Gille, OF Vile d ARRAY. DR..
Lannelongue arrived at Q o'clock. He
examined and completed the dressing
made by his colleague. Every wound
in the hand is serious, even when the
bullet, as was the case with Mr.. Gam
beta, does not pass through the flesh
without iniuring any artery. What
rendered the accident of November 9th
more serious was-first, the condition
OF M. Gambetta's health, which had
long inspired his friends with uneasi.
ness; and, second, the position and in-
ternal arrangement of the dwelling
where the wounded man had to be
nursed.
NJ Reinach leaves it to the provi-
dence of the faculty to describe the diff.
ferent phrases OF the illness which
proved fatal to M. Gambetta, and, af-
ter describing his last hours, concludes
rs follows: ave have now supreme
duty TO fulfill the very day of the great
national funeral, during which the grief
of mourning family, deeply afflicted
disappears, as drowned in the sorrow of
France. A woman was found faithful,
devoted, indefatigable in kindness and
af1ectionate care, who nursed during no
less than thirty.four nights the man of
whose heart she had so large a share.
We scarcely know this woman, even by
name, but we can guess that she has
suffered. We know how she has an
swered the calumnies heaped upon her.
She has abandoned herself entirely to
her duty and her friendship. That
broken heart inspires profound sym
pathy in all those who loved and ad.
mired NJ. Gambeita. We owe her a
respect and discreet gratitude for the
Joy she has shed upon his great life,
and for the tender consolation with
which she surrouded its end"