The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-13
Throws a Bomb in a Crowded Cafe
and Scalters Death and
Wreck.
Twenty eight Victims OF the Ex-
plosion and His Deadly
Revolver.
Captured After a Hot Chase and n Hard
Hight-Preeiaims Himself an
Anarchist.

PANS. Feb. IA young man. acting
from motives OF revenge. exploded q bomb
at nine o'clock last night In the oafe be-
meath the Terminus hotel. opposite the ~.
Lazare rail Dad station. The place was full
OF Teople al Abe time. man Who had
dined In the cafe was soen 20 raise his arm
and throw something into the middle OF ths
room. terrific explosion followed. The
cafe was flled with smoke and lying on the
floor we're numbef OF persons wounded.
Tho bomb had landed upon a table around
which party had been sitting. The ter-
sons eroured a. this table suffered most.
The injured numbsied fifteen. nearly ali
wounded In tho legs. Meatime. the man
responsible for the cowafdly act had not
been allowed TO escape. As soon as he had
thrown the bomb he ran out OF the place and
darted away. The alarm Was given and
number OF policemen gave chase. Tho
fugitive drew revolver and ned several
shots. killing a workman and woundinR a
number OF persons. One man struck was a
policeman and his wound is considered
fatal.
The man was captured when $50 yards
from the cafe. His name is Leon Breton.
He had been employed in the cafe As
waiter, bat had been discharged for mis-
conduct. News OF the explosion caused a
sensation throughout the city. The minis
ter OF the interior visited the scene as soon
as notified Of the occurrence.
Breton. before the explosion. had been
sitting on the outside o! the cafe and had
partaken OF Refreshments. As he was leav-
ing the placs be threw a bsmb. aiming at
an electric light chandelier. The explosion
shattered the plate glass front Of the place,
destroyed one marble too table, overturned
others, and smashed glassware and plates.
Breton. on leaving the cafe. rushed to.
wards the Rue de Rome. A policeman sit
ting on top Of an omnibus saw Breton,
lumpsd 20 the ground and sozsd him. Bfe-
ton turned on the policeman aud fred a
shot at him. The policeman grabbed him
and both fell. Whi.e on the ground b e.
ton fired another shot al the police a and
struck q woman who was passing. The
woman fell to abe ground moitally
/ wounded. The policeman had been badly
wounded By Brston's Ii - shot and was un-
able 20 hold on to tho prisoner. The latter
still branding his revolver regained his
feet and was likely 20 do further mischief.
Headed by another policeman, the crowd
rushed forward TO secure him. Breton
/ again attempted TO uss his revolver, but a
policeman cut him over the face with his
sabre. staggering him. lie was then ar
rested.
The mob demanded that he be lynehed
and would have carried out this intention
had not a strong force of police arrived.
Five persons passing IN the street at the
/ time OF the explosion were injured by the
/ flying fFAsmsnts OF glass. Inquiry before
the commisaary board showed that the
bomb was constructed from a sardine box
and contained n chlorate powder and pieoss
of lead the size OF che -ries.
] Breton admitted he was anarchist. He
told the Doctor Who dressed his wound that
he had received from the policeman's sabre
/ that his main oblect was to Evsnge valiant
aud others who will follow his example.
/ Breton later was sub isetsd 20 examination
/ by the minister of the intsrio,, minister of
] justice. chief of detectives and others. He
/ denied be was author OF the crime, adding
iusolsntiy: II am an anarchist; the sooner
the bourRsoiso burst uD ths better. but
know nothing. / did not enter the cafe;
you can suppose / arrived here from Pekin
or from Aarseilles, as you please"
! Notwithstanding his statements that be
was not IN the cafe. Breton was identified
by the woman who was injured by th, ex-
plosion. WHO slid II seemed TO hes there
we're two othe with him.
! In the waiting hall a. -. LaZare railroad
station the police arrested a wounded man
trying to couceal himself. who refused TO
give his name. IL is believed that he be-
longs 90 an anarchist group at Neuilly. of
| which the police believe Breton a member
/ The authorities think it probable the crime E
was committed by breton while Ia the COM
panY of accomplices.
Sufferers from the explosion and Breton's 8
revolver shots number twentE-eight. The
inquiry began by the ministers aud magis-
tratss continued until l:l5 o'clock this
morning