Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-25
At THE FRENCH EMBASSY.
The Flag at Half-Mast-Omcial Notih-
cation of the Tragedy.

A large tri-color the flag OF France hung
at half-mast in front Of the French embas-
sy on II street today. The news of he
death OF President Carnot came to the am
bassador and his associates with all the
more bitter force on account of its sudden
ness, and the horrible manner in which the
tragedy occurred. All were immensely
shocked by the sad news. and at first could
not realize that II was true
Last evening NJ. Patenotre drove in from
his country home and was at the embassy
when he received the news by telephone
from the office OF press association. He
did not credit the news al first and
thought that there must be some mistake
but later advices showed that IL was only
TOO true. All last evening he waited for
some official notification from his home gov
eminent, but this did not arrive Until this
morning. All the members of the embassy
have nothing but words of regret and sor-
row Tor the sad event that closed the career
OF the head of the French government
They all looked upon him with the greatest
respect, and admired him for his devotion
TO his countrys interests and to republi-
today a great deal is said as to the similari-
~ between the fate Of President Carnot and
that OF President Garfield. Several Of those
at the embassy were in Washington when
Guiteau fired his fatal bullet and Well re-
member the incidents Of the long siege Of
pain that intervered between the time Pres
ident Garfield was shot and his death The
president of France was spared this long
period OF suffering, but he, too, met his
death at the hands of a man who had moth
Ing against him personally. and was &c
tuated solely by crack-brained ideas.
Oficial Notification.
The first official notification received at
the embassy came this morning in the
form of a brief telegram, which came from
the ministry of foreign affairs 1t simply
stated that NJ. Carnot had been wounded
1t was followed a few minutes later by
another stating that the president was
dead. Shortly after the receipt Of the sec
ond telegram NJ. Patenotre went directly
to the State Department, where he saw
Secretary Gresham and officially convey cd
to him the news, with the request that the
Secretary would inform the President
This Mr. Gresham did without delay, and
he was closeted for some little time with
Mr. Cleveland and Mr.. Herbert at the
White House. The Secretary of State sent
eE expression of sympathy to the French
ambassador. and shortly before noon Mr.
Pruden, the executive clerk at the White
House. was sent to the Capitol with a mes
sage to Congress informing the two bodies
of the death of the French president The
Serate had already adjourned.
Messages were also received at the State
Department this morning with the news
from Ambassador Eustis. The delay in the
receipt of any official communication from
the American representative in Paris is
explained by the fact that all wires were
probably put under governmental super
vision Immediately. as was done in this
city when President Garfield was shot.
Justice Will Not BE Delayed.
According to the gentlemen connected
with the French embassy in this city the
anarchist who killed NJ. Carnot has but a
very short lease of life left. They do not
delay in matters of this sort in France as
they do in this country. The fact was
commented on pretty freely this morning
that since the day when Prendergast shot
and killed Mayor Harrison OF Chicago there
have been three or four dynamite outrages
committed in Paris. The French police
officials have their records all closed up
however. for the men who perpetrated the
outrages have all been guillotined while
PrendergaStS lawyers are still fighting for
further delay in his case. They do not act
with indecent haste In France, but they
do not waste any time, either, and no
one would be surprised If Santos head
should grace a basket within a very few
weeks.
The French legislative assembly is now In
session at Versailles, and as a call has
been issued for an election for Mr.. Carnot's
successor on Wednesday II is not thought
that there will be a very long interregnum
prominent Official at the embassy was
asked by a Star reporter this morning as
to who would probably be chosen to fill
the vacant chair. He said that he had not
the slightest idea. The election will be made
by the legislative assembly, and as there
are about 800 members Of the two bodies
he said that II would be impossible even to
hazard a guess. A large number of the
diplomatic corps have called at the en-
bassy today to leave their cards with a
suitable expression of regret, and II is
probable that NJ Patenotre will issue to
them mourning cards appropriate to the