The morning call., 1894-06-25
GRIEF OF. FRENCH RESIDENTS.
How the News was Received in the
=: Local Colony.


was finally verified beyond question. Then
: for a moment the pulsations almost ceased;
the lights of life burned low, and the local
colony with one breath exclaimed. sadly:
God save France -
The news that Carnot the good, Carnot
the courageous, Carnot the honest, the
gentleman. the peer Of all Frenchmen,
whom everybody loved. had been struck
dead by the weapon Of a fanatic and wild
minded anarchist smote home to all spirits
deeper grief than any which had been
felt since Statesman GamDetta yielded TO
the grim angel and Sbufied away his
N prtaf coil, or since Lincoln laid his head
o. the pillow Of mRTtyTdom and to the
ofrges OF all sympsthizing nations gave up
the ghost to memory and to the worlds
praise.
The tslegraDhic dispatches seemed 10
have needed nc time at all to reach the
r remotest citizens, and to I'LL the clubs and
churches and home circles ard street rem
devious with astOnished and aggrieved
men and women. Darkness had not yet
cast its full shadow when the trl-color
hung at hRlf-mast from Office windows
along deserted Montgomery street even,
from stats over tall buildings 10 the popu-
lated quarters and from Bantel-shelves in
the private homes. The clubs, for q Sun
day night, we're crowded before the thea
ters were closed, before the picnic excur-
siOns had returned TO the city, before the
hour usually arrives for conyiviality or
. social converse. At the Cercle Franeais the
outeTdoor might as we'll have stood uDclOsed
for the number of bells that rang and keys
that turned it open to admit visitors, in
quiFers and associates Within President
Levy and Sylvan Well and dozens Of
others as early as at o'clock stood extend
ing the open sesame" greetings to the
inner circles of their community. No one
was denied admittance and to every one
=. went out a hand ready TO receive the ex-
preston of sympathy or the query as to
the feeling Of Franco-Americans. The
billiard cues stood idle in their racks; only
some vsgrant member standing by desul-
torily rolled the balls over the green
cushions swapping them from his fingers.
bat thinking neither of aim nor of any
thing but "Carnot, Carnot LIE President
est sssassine." The bar did no business.
. Yquem andVeuVe ClicQuot and Riesling and
American wines and the sharp and deli
cate liqueurs called no favor.
For IN all sincerity every Frenehman
felt that the loss of his cOuntry's chief
l.
Caruot was much loved, much honored.
much respected. American children OF
the second republic esteemed the man
honest, ineorruptible, noble, worthy of
perpetual admiration. Particularly to
those who had imbibed the democratic
spirit Of the United States Government
did Csrnots mOdesty and careful avoid
ance of all attempt at pomp or royalty
seem commendable. The fact that at th e
time Of his assassination he was riding
through the streets Of Lyons in an open
carriage, without other attendance than
thst Of the PTefect of the city, waving bis
hand in courtesy 10 the people massed
about him and smiling and speaking as if
in some manner TO make them unmindful
that he was their President, seemed TO
give emphasis to their reasons for admir-
ing him.
Sylvan Veil. who had been one of the
first to hear Of the calamity, spoke of Car
not and his mOdesty, and his charming
wife and his gentle manner. $50 unas-
suming. so unselfsh," he said. "Out Of
200. 600 francs (S24O 600 annual salary
which he has received for several years, we
know that he has not saved a cent, that be
has expended it all for the work of his
office"
Daniel Levy, president Of the Cercle, did
not receive the news until late, but it was
carried to bin by special messenger, and
he arrived eager to join in fellow thoughts
e., with lis brother c0untrymen and to speak
warmly for Carnot He reiterated Mr..
:. .-Weill's statement as to The ex-PresidenPs
honesty and virtue. "He was carried in to
ofice," Mr.. Levy said, "for bis courage in
refusing to sign some bill TO which corrup-
ton was attached This was during his
= term Of Office as Minister OF Finance un-
der the presidency of NJ. Jules Grevy.
L do not remember the exact circum-
stances, but l know that he was never
candidate for the Office. He was
elected solely by the force of mis- own per-
sonal strength. So strong a man as Jules
Ferry was against him, and he was before
the Houses only as a dark horse" On
some wave OF reaction against Ferry, who
was considered too strong q Radical, he
went into Office with a large majority.
What could have drawn this horrible at
tack upon bin l cannot conceive. save on
he thought that it is anarchy pure and
simple. Carnot made enemies only among
the extreme Republicans. He was q con-
.seTvative man, who managed always 10
continue in the Cabinet the same political
representatives that have been there since
= the Presidency of Jules Grevy, namely,
the moderate Republicans. His stand
against the anarchists and against the So
el2lists has been only such as he must
maintain as Executive officer. He has
issued DO pronunclamentos. He has only
refused TO commute the sentences Of men
already sentenced"
"ADd that, interrupted Mr.. WE'LL. sis
. the real secret probably of tie assassina-
tion. Ii is generally known that the an
archisis had several times threatened to
kill the President unless the sentences of
RaVachol and Henri were commuted."
Mr.. Levy did not think the crime was
the result of any plot. But, thsn. we
cannot tell" be added. I'VE are so far
away. Il is hard to tell"
The assassin is an Italian?" was
asked. "Do you think that indicates a
plot outside of France? DO you think il
means an International complication" ?"
''0b. no. no. was the instant response.
But MIR. Well thought otherwise. 1T