Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-10-10
BOULANGER DEAD.
he Commits Suicide Over the Grave
of Madame De Bonnemain.

he Commits Suicide Over the Grave
Of Madame De Bonnemain.
Once Called Hope of Francc'--Deserted
by Friends and and His Party Gone
He Seeks Relief in Death.
intense excitement was caused in Paris by
the report from Brussels that Gen. Bon anger
committed suicide on the tomb of Madame
Bonnemain, his late mistress, who recently
die in that city. Gen. Boulanger went to
Brussels from London few months ago. Re
Gently, owing to reduced means, he has
been compelled to live in small hotel Ma
dame Bonnenain accompanied him from Eng
land, AMI early in July last died from con
sumption. 1t was greatly through Madame
Bonnem ms favor that the general was en-
abled to carry on his political intrigues, for
she had inherited fortune Of 81, 500, 900, all
of which sum she devoted to the cause of the
popular leader.
Every day since Madame de Bonnemain's
death, at about in the afternoon, it has now
become known, Gen. Boulanser has gone to
the cemetery at Ixalles, and has deposited
some handsome floral emblem, generally
crown, upon her grave. He would stay by
the grave for some moments, sometimes for
an hour together, either engaged in prayer or
in deep thought. A few days ago the unfor-
tunate general deposited on the grave a hand
some crown of flowers bearing the words "A
bientot, Marguerite.
The family of the general and the servants
in his no. ell IN tho Rue Montoyer were there
fore somewhat surprised when they heard him
order his landau at much earlier hour than
usual, saying that he was going % the Ixelles
Cemetery at 10 III the morning instead Of at 4
in the atierna on. The family and servants
at fist paid but little attention 10 the change
in h plans, and nobody seems 10 have had
the slightest idea that he intended to commit
suicide.
Eventually The general accompanied by his
valet, lett the Rue Montoyer in a landau
drawn by two horses. His NIECE q ter the
generate departure ;or IxeIles, sesm, to have
reflected over the change he had made in the
hour of visiting the tomb of Madame de
Bonnemain, anu she be came greatly alarmed.
Gen. Boulanger left the landau at the gate
Of the cemetery and walked slowly and calm
ly to the tomb OF Madame Bonnemain. He
remained there for some time in deep thought
and was afterwards seen to be slowly walking
arounl the cemetery, still thinking deeply.
The general must have walk ed about the ceme-
terry for nearly an hour aud half before he
returned TO Madame Bonnemain's tomb. All
reports agree in the statement that as soon as
the general reached The tomb the second time
he Immediately place d the pistol to his head
and shot himself. The r port of the revolver
was heard by the coachman who was driving
the generals landau, and by the valet, who
had accompanied the suicide to the cemetery
Tney both rushed to Madame Bonnemain'
tomb, aa;. there found the general quite dead,
lying &c. oss the grave. Death must have
been instantaneous. The weapon was a re-
volver OF !arge caiber, so il is all the more
extraordinary that il should have escaped the
vigilance OF his valet, relatives and friends.
The dead man held this weapon tightly
grasPed in his right hand and 1t was seen that
the bullet had entered his head near the right
temple, had passed through his head and lett
it by the lett temple.
Madame Bouianger the generals wife lives
in Paris. When the husbands flithlessness
became known to her, she refused to seek a
divorce, and apparently has never ceased 10
love him. Shortly after Madame de Bonnie
mains death, the g neraPs wife wrote Offering
to forgive him and share his exile, but her
letter was lett unanswered.
George Ornest Marie BoulaHger, French ex.
minister OF war, was born at Rennes in 1887.
His descent on the maternal side is Welsh.
In 1870 Bosianger entered the military col
lege Of st. Cyr ami was made sub-lieutenant
in 1857. lie served under Marshall Random,
in the Kabylc campaign. lie also took part
IN the Franco-ltalian war, and WAS wounded
in the battle Of Turbigo. In 1860 he obtained
his full lieutenancy, and Two years later was
promoted to the captaincy, having in the in
term seen service IN CochinChina. Just be-
fore the war Of 1870 he b. came major. He
was with BaZaine at Metz but by some means
escaped the fate of Bazaine's army and made
his way back to Paris. He was then promoted
to heutcnan olone'cy by the government
of national defense and fought ct Champignv
November 80 10 December ~ In 1880 he be-
came biisadier general being app inted to
the command OF the army of occupation of
Tuns. He next held the war office appoint.
ment of director OF the infontry div sion, and
became minister of war in 1886. When NJ,
De Freycihet resigned and was succeeded by
NJ. Goblet December 1856, the generel re-
tanned his portfolio but on the fall of NJ. Cob.
let, Boulanger's name did not appear in the
cabinet of NJ. Rouyier. Soon after this the
general was despatched TO Clermont- Ferrand
TO take command of an army corps, receiving
a great ovation at Paris on his departure.
When the Limousn scandal broke upon
Paris like a thunder clap, Gen. Boulanger
commented very freely upon the war m mis-
ter's conduct and was Immediately ordered
under close arrest for thirty days at his own
cided in March, 1888, TO cashier the general
by placing him on the retired list, he inaugu-
rated VIGOROUS campaign against the minis
try. Vacancies shortly afterwari occurred
IN the Republican representation of the Bou-
logne and the Nord. Here he was returned by
90, 800 votes to $3.50 polled by the Opportun-
list candidate. In the Nord his triumph WIS
sui more remarkable, the number of vot
polled for him being 172,52 against 75,90l
Tor NJ. Foucart and 9,647 for NJ. Moreau.
This was on the 18th OF April, 1888, which in
manifesto he issued to the electors he de-
clared would be marked in the annals of the
country as date OF true deliverence. Subse-
quently his popularity waned for time. The
generals appearance in the Chamber of
Deputies, in July, 1888, to demand dissolu-
ton OF the chamber, gave rise to a stormy
scene. N. Floquet made vigorous attack
upon the general, and in the alteration be-
tween Gen. Boulanger exclaimed, you lie?"
This led NJ. Flopuet to demand satisfaction,
and on July Is a duel was fought between
them, with the result that the general received
deep wound in the throat.
After his recovery he appeared 1850 es
candidate at bye-electons in Paris at the
Nord, the Somme, and Charent infereure,
ard was returned by large majorities. The
Patriotic League, Of which he was the head,
was subsequently suppress d, and the general
was tried Ly the senate on a charge of hayiEs,
while war minister, appropriated f10,o6) of
public money for purposes of his own propa-
ganda. He was found guilty. To avoid ar
rest, he fed first to Belgium, then to London,
where he arrived April "a. The general was
elected at the general elect on (September)for