Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-01
TOOK HIS OWN LIFE.
General BOulanger's Tragic
Death.
Euicided at the Grave of His
Mistress.
Grief for His Lost Love the Cause of
the Rash Act.
His HopeIess Financial and Political
Prospects Contributed to His
MelanchoIia--All Europe
Excited.
Associated Press Dispatches

DAoheVCNSo4
BRussELs, Sept. 30.-General Boulan-
ger committed suicide at the tomb OF
Madame Bonnemaine, his mistress, who
died here recently, at noon today. He
stood alone by the grave of his mistress
for some time, when an attendant who
stood by suddenly heard sharp report
in that direction. Rushing to the spot
she attendant found General BoulaDger
lying dead upon the ground, with q re-
volver clenched in his right hand. An
examination showed that the dead man
placed the weapon to his right ear and
fred the shot.
The affair caused great excitement
here, and some commotion among the
generals followers in Paris. The police
and the dead mans friends here have
taken possession of his lodgings.
NO HOPES FOR THE FUTURE.
The generals position, financially and
politically, had been getting blacker
recently. He had no hopes for the
future, and his remaining friends were
lew and becoming colder, as the once
famous general dropped more and more
ont OF public notice. There is no doubt
that the general was conscious of these
facts, and they preyed upon bis mind.
Coupled to this was the morbid love or
iniatuation which he had for his dead
mistress, to whom he was undoubtedly
greatly attached.
The body of the dead man was taken
30 his late residence in this city.
LONG PREMEpIrArED SUICIDE.
This evening his friends admit that
reeeutly he frequently openly avowed q
desire for death, and it is even added
that the general several times of late
made attempts to take his own life.
The consequences has been that he was
@atehed as closely as possible by the
friends who remained loyal. Even they,
however, appear to have grown tired OF
their task, and warned the generals
niece and the latter's husband. The
niece and husband arrived a few DAYS
ago, and the first thing they did was to
cause all his weapons taken away and
hidden. General Boulanger must have
noticed the precautions, and managed
to secure and hide the pistol with which
he shot himself.
HIS GRIEF FOR HIS MISTRESS.
Boulanger, according to stories told
this evening, made no secret of his
wegrness of life since the collapse of
his party, and particularly so since the
death of Nine. de Bonnemain. His
triends now recall the fact that when
the coffin lid finally closed over the re-
r ins of his mistress he kept on repeat
- ',in heart-broken tones, eau revoir
AIbientot.' Every day, at about 4
cIock in the afternoon, since her
:. Ith, Boulanger has gone to the ceme-
12y and deposited hand some floral
nblem on her grave. He would stay
~ the grave sometimes an hour either
ngaged in prayer or in deep thought.
The family were surprised when this
morning they heard him order a
andau much earlier than usual No.
cody, however, seems to have had the
slightest idea that he intended to COM
nit suicide.
Stopping in Brussels at the present
time ls one of PouIanger's most attached
adherents. His name is Alfred Dutins,
and he came from Paris upon receipt of
letter from Boulanger, about a week
ago, announcing that he intended to
commit suicide at an early date. Dutins
came to Brussels for the express pur-
lf'ooS Va OH0O0NCtlbE w pClEudQV tAC
general to alter his mind. Dutins and
lis old leader had several long inter-
views, during which the former did his
utmost to persuade the general that he
should abandon such morbid ideas.
HE EvADEs HIS GUARDIANS.
The generals niece becoming alarmed
sitter his departure this morning, sent
Ger Dutins and together they started for
she cemetery. In the meantime General
Bpuianger had left the landau at the
gate OF the cemetery and walked slowly
and calmly to the tomb of Nine. Bonne-
main, de remained there some time in
deep. thought, and was afterwards seen
slowly walking around the cemetery,
stiIl thinking deeply.
THE RASH ACT PERFORMED,
Contrary to the first reports of the af-
lair, the general must have walked about
ihe cemetery nearly an hour and a half
before hereturned to Nine. Bonnemain's
,omb. All reports agree in the state
mont that as soon as the general reached
,he tomb the second time he immedi-
ltely placed pistol to his head and
hot himself. The reportof the revolver
vas heard by the coachman who was
irving the generals landau and by his
alet, who accompanied the suicide to
he cemetery. They both rushed to
4me. Bonnemain's tomb and there
ound the general quite dead, lying
cross the grave. Death must have been
instantaneous.
THE DEAD MANS BODY.
AS the police were bearing the gen.
rails body away from the tomb of his
aistress, with the intention of placing
: in the landau for conveyance to Brus-
ella, the dead mans niece, accompanied
" M. Dutins, reached the cemetery.
lis niece tainted upon hearing the
ews, and Dutins' grief at being too late
oeaye the life OF his friend was ex-
eesive.
The corpse has been prepared for
uTial bat Is only being viewed by
ltimate friends OF the family. The
utter unanimously desire that the fun
ssNnouidshe Of the most simple order.