Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-07-15
SENSATION In PARIS.
Supposed Attempt 10 ASSissinate the
President at LOnSChampS.
REVOLVER FIRED NEAR VI. FAURE.
Many Think 1t Was Aimed Point
BIank Mt the Popular French Ex-
ccutivc--Great Indignation The
shooter Thought Insane.

PARIS. July 1i-What is claimed in
some quarters as an attempt TO assassi-
nate President Felix Faure was made n
2:5o o'clock this afternoon at the paraue
ground at Longchamps.
The day was the one hundred ana
seventh anniversary OF the fall OF the
Bastile. and was celebrated in the usual
manner. including a review of the troo-'s
at Longchamps, which drew very large
concourse OF people. Among those pres
ent were some of the members of the An
cient and Honorable Artillery Company
of Boston. who were yesterday elected
honorary members Of the Cercle Militaire.
President Faure, accompanied by Prime
Minister Meline, General lie Mouton de
Bolsdeffre, chief of staff of the army, ana
General Tournier chief of the president
military household. left the palace OF the
Elysee I'm an open carriage and drove to
I,ongchamps II having been arranged thaI
the President should review the troops.
As the carriage passed through the
Porte du Moulin entrance TO the parane-
ground il was surrounded by troops VINO
we're TO escort NJ. Faure to the reviewing
stand. Before the vehicle had proceeded
far. a tall. fair. and correctly-dressed
man of about 80 years of age stepped
slightly in advance of the crowd ana
drew revolver, which, some eye-wl,-
nesses declare. he discharged point-blank
at the President. Immediately there was
a scene of the greatest excitement, ana
il would undoubtedly have gone hard
with the man had he not at once Deeh
seized by the gendarmes who were stanu-
ing by. He was at once conducted TO the
temporary police quarters that had beeh
established near the grand cascade, Win
in the grounds.
The man resisted arrest, declaring that
he had done nothing TO cause his beins
taken into custody. He claimed that ne
had not fred the revolver with any IN
tention of injuring the President ana
thar i'm fact. the weapon had only been
loaded with blank cartridges. He claimed
that he had discharged the revolver IN
exuberance of spirits. Some of those
who stood close by him when the Presi-
dent entered the ground declare that two
shots were fired. An examination OF the
revolver that was made by the police ap-
pears to bear out the prisoners state
ment that blank cartridges were used, FOR
I'm four Of the chambers cartridges with
no bullets were found.
PRISONER APPARENTLY INSANE.
Attempts at the police station to learn
anything further from the prisoner were
Of no avail. lie stated that his name was
Francois, and refused 20 say anything
further. The prisoner appeared to be in
sane.
In the mean time the news OF the af-
fair had spread like wildfre. and the most
exaggerated reports had gained credence.
The crowd of spectators surged towards
the Presidents carriage. and the troops
had a difficult task In keeping the excited
people back. Ii took only a little time,
however. for II to be learned that NJ.
Faure was unharmed. whereupon the
crowd cheered the President again and
again.
n. Faure appeared TO be entirely un-
moved by the excitement He had paid
no attention to the shot. and calmly
conversed with his companions i'm the car
rage until the shouts and cheers of the
multitude drowned his voice. Then, di-
recting his coachman TO proceed, the car
rage, which had been temporarily stop
ped, went on TO the stand. where the
President reviewed the troops after
which he was driven back to the Palace
Of the Elysee.
The police informed a reporter of Ia
Presse that Francois is the same lunatic
who recently threw a bundle OF petitions
from the gallery Of the Chamber of Do
puties into the body Of the house. there
by causing n semi-panic among the mem
bers, who imagined that the bundle was
a bomb.
Late this afternoon Francois was ex-
amined by Prefect Lepine. lie was then
more communicative and told the Pre-
feet that in discharging the revolver he
merely wished to attract attention He
reiterated his statement that he had no
wish to hurt anybody, and that the
weapon was loaded only with blank
cartridges. Francois was formerly a
street surveyor. employed by the Council
of Paris. but was discharged an account
Of his presumed anarchistic tendencies.
The special offence which led to the dis
charge was the publication Of revolt
tionary verses. He lives at No. 45 Rue
Clery His residence was searched by
the police. but nothing Of suspicious
nature was found. The officials believe
that he is insane.
AN ANARCHIST ARRESTED.
During the commotlon which followed
the firing, a reputed Anarchist named
Boulant was arrested for saying, That 5
the sort Of a fellow for me. He has
done the proper tnlns. lhiS dpproNdi
Of outrage is a penal offence under NJ
Dupuy's anti-Anarchst law, and Boulant
stands good chance OF spending few
of the coming years in prison.
The feeling of the crowd at the review
ins-stand was illustrated by its treat
ment OF a waiter at a cafe at the grand
cascade In some way this man was
mistaken by the crowd for Francois,
and a savage attack was made upon him.
one of his eyes was torn from its socket.
and he was almost lynched before the
police were able to rescue him.
The news of the shooting had preceded
the President TO the city, and he was
recognized by the people on the streets
through which he passed and was greeted
with cheers and congratulations.
This evening the diplomats and a large
number OF public men called at the Palace
Of the Elysee and congratulated NJ.
Faure. Several sovereigns sent tele-