The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-07-18
AN ATTEMPT TO KILL
PRESIDENT EALIERES
TWo ShOts Fired at the Executive
Ct France.
WAS ACT OF NAVAL REsERnST.
The Pr sident and His Party, In
Guiding Premier Clemenceau, Escape
Unframed. but the Attempted AS
sassinatiOn Mars the Celebration of
the National Holiday.

Paris (By Cable.) - The national
tete Sunday was married by das-
tardly attempt on the life OF Presi-
dent Fallieres by Leon Maille, a ma
va reservist OF Havre, who, it Is be-
lieved. is suffering from tho mania
OF persecution. Maille fired two
shots at the President, but did not
hit him. He was at once placed un-
der arrest.
On account OF the activity OF the
anti-militarists, who tried to organ
ize demonstration against the army
throughout Franco Sunday, excep-
tonal precautions were taken TO safe
guard President Fallieres, The at
tempt on his life occurred on Avenue
des Champs ElYsees while tho Presi-
dent was returning to the palace from
Longchamps, where he had reviewed
the garrison Of Paris In the presence
OF 100000 enthusiastic people.
Premier Clemenceau and NJ. Lanes,
the Presidents secretary, were with
the President In his landau, which
was escorted by a squadron OF cuiras-
siers. The carriage had safely
emerged from the Bois de Boulogne,
where the anti-militarists hsd sta
toned themselves with the intention
of booting the soldiers, and was de-
scending the broad Champs Elysees
amid the acclamatlons of the crowds
thronging the sidewalks. who were
shouting give Fallieres!" ''Vive
rArmeel" when, at the corner OF
Lesueur Street, Maille from the curb
fired two shots point-blank at the
President in quick succession. No
one was hit.
President FalIieres was cool and
collected when the cortege stopped.
The diplomats who were followin 6
the Presidents landau aligbted from
their carriages and hu. Cd to the
side OF NJ. Fallieres. Finding that
nobody had been injured, by the
Presidents orders, the cortege moved
on.
In the meantime two policemen
seized Maille, who made no resist
ence, but the police. with difficulty.
prevented the irate crowds from
lynching the prisoner until Gordon
OF reserves came up and conducted
him to the station. There Maille re-
fused to give any reasons for his act,
saying:
'Tho revelations I have are so
grave and serious that / will only
make them before a magistrate for
transmission to the chief Of state. 1t
IS a matter between the government
and me. / am the victim of many
villainies."
Some of the witnesses of the shoot
ing said that Maille fired in the air.
It is believed that the man partici-
pated in the recent seamen's strike.
and that his mind had been unhinged
by fancied grievances.
It is believed also that he aid
ed In the revolutionary agitation of
the General Federation of Labor and
the anti-militarists. There is no rea-
son to suspect a plot, as Maille only
arrived here from Rouen Saturday
night.
Maille appeared before an cxamin-
ing magistrate, and the authorities
only succeeded In extracting from
him a rambling statement about fam
fly persecution directed against him.
It was In order to draw public at
tention to his grievances. he said,
that he fired the shots. The prisoner
terminated the examination by an
nouncing his intention to give no fur
ther explanations. as he believed that
the magistrate would do nothing to
remedy his wrongs.
A search revealed that the prison
er had five francs and a ticket for
luggage left at the st. Lazare Rail
way Station. Nothing more was
found on him. He was dressed like
a workman in his Sunday clothes
but with shirt slightly soiled. His
baggage proved to be a broken trunk
containing plenty CT cartridges fOi
the revolver. clothing and papers, re-
vealing the owner as Jean Marie
Male, sailor. II years old. who was
born at Meyries. in Lozere. The pa
pers showed that he had served in
the navy, quitting it with the rank
OF flrst-class gunner, with q good
reputation.