The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-11
VALIANT is GLAD.
Thanking the Jury for
Death.
VERY SHORT WORK OF HIM.
How France Tried the Latest of
Anarchists.
VERY SHORT WORK OF HIM.
HIS WAR WAS AGAINST SOCIETY.
Sorry Spectators Were Hurt When
He Threw the Bomb in the
Chamber.

PARIS, Jan. 10.-The trial OF Auguste
valiant. the anarchist who threw a bomb
in the Chamber of Deputies, began to-day
The courtroom was surrounded by guards
and no one was allowed 10 pass unidenti-
fed. The court was thronged. The open
ing proceedings were purely formal. A
report was circulated that a bomb with a
burned fuse was found outside the court
The court made short work OF the tIial,
which resulted in condemning the prisoner
to death. After the prisoner had admit
ted, in reply to questions Of the Public
Prosecutor. that he had been in prison
several times for theft, the prisoner ex-
claimed fiercely: The unjust conditions
of society were responsible for what you
are pleased to term rObberies."
Valiant said be conceived the idea of
blowing upthe Chamber of Deputies while
living at Choisy lie Roi. He admitted that
he obtained the money with which he pur-
chased materials for making the bombs
from the results of thefts. Later on he
reluctantly admitted that he received 90
francs from Nine. Paul Reclus. wife of the
young engineer and nephew of the distn-
guished French geographical writer, Jean
Jacques Elisee Reclus. Valiant, however,
insisted that Nine. Reclus gave him money
as an act of charity, not as a subscription
to the cause of anarchy or in any way TO
further the ends which had in view. Vail
liant said he regretted that the bomb did
not have the effect he desired, and ex-
planned that this was owing to the fact
that one of his neighbo in the gallery ac-
ciden tally knocked his arm while he was
in the act Of throwing the loaded missile
at the Deputies.
At this point the presiding Judge turned
to the prisoner and said: al suppose you
wanted to hit Csssimir- Perier, the Pre-
mier?"
No" replied Valiant, II did not aim
at any one in particular. but l wanted to
kill some Ministers. All Ministers are the
same 10 me-" Valiant continued: at is
true hit some of the spectators, but [
only intended to hurt Deputies or Minis
tiers. and | would rather see three Or four
Ministers or Deputies killed than have
one spectator injured" The Judge tried
to interrupt the prisoner, but VailIsnt
succeeded In adding: 81 am not waging
war against the people, but against So
ciety, and l aimed directly at these para
site Deputies"
The jury retired at 5:35 P. NJ. and were
return it was announced that they had
found the prisoner guilty without extern
uatiDg circumstances"
Upon hearing the foreman's answer to
the judges question. asking him if the
jury had agreed on a verdict. Valiant
sprang to his feet and shouted: ut is
death; l thank you for It,"
The presiding Judge then announced
ha anfa ~
hearing the words which condemned him
to the gulllotiDe, shouted "Vive Pax!'
valiant refused to sign an appeal to the
Court Of Cessation against the sentence.
At the close of the Public Prosecutors
Inter- ogatory Valiant arose and said:
You. sir. have the habit of presiding in
this court. l am not accustomed to ap-
pearing here, and you will excuse me If
make one remark. On returning from
America 1 thought l could be satisfied
with the established libraries to prepare
brains for a revolution. / thought to
make a good living this way, but
my master would not give me
more than twenty francs a week.
spoke to him Of my wife and child, and he
replied: What is that TO me?' That sum
was not enough to keep me and mine from
dying of hunger. Then l felt l must not
delay to make my revolution myself, and
l took my bomb 10 the Chamber of
Deputies IN order TO explain my theoritcal
ideas. As am not an orator L have writ
ten declaration. May read it?"
VaillRnts address occupies almost
column in the newspapers and is written
with considerable ability. He will prob
ably be the first person guillotined within
prison walls, for NJ. Reinach has taken
charge of the bill passed by the Senate
and which has just been returned to the
Chamber against public executions.