Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02
GAMBETTA'S AMOU R
Story of the Late FrenChman's
Ruling Passion.
THE MADAME LEONIE LEON
Story of the Disaster Which Led to
His Death.
WOMEN NEARLY EATEN BY LIONS
Peculiar Sequences of Paris Law Suit.
Man Forced Sister to Swallow
Needles-W oman Burned Alive.
WOMEN NEARLYE EATEN BY LIONS


Special Cablpgram to Tie Star.
PARIS. June lie Occur de Gambet-
Ia is the title of a very interesting work
by NJ. Francis Laur which has just been
published. 1t gives an account of the great
tribunes long friendship with Madame
L"onie Leon and contains many important
historical features. Gambetta took the
lady, to whom he was devoted and whom he
would have married if death had not cut
his career short in the flower of his age,
regularly into his CoUnsclS and relied i'm
pliCitly on her judgment. 1t will be remem-
hered that flood of controversy has swung
round the point of the precise Circum-
stances under which Ciambetta died. Stupe-
faction took place ON the part OF the public
when II was learned that he in danger
OF losing his life. and after he had expired
all sorts of sensational rumOrs We're cur
rent. NJ. Laur settles this question quite
conclusvriy. First there was an accident
which was nothing but pure accident and
complications followed which proved fatal.
1t was on the morning of Monday. No
Vemhcr -, l>s... that the trouble which was
the caus" of the eventual disaster occurred
Gamhetta was at his villa at Vile d Array
and great friend, zen. Thomas. had called
on him. Gambctta had asked him to stay
at luncheon but he mad engagement at
Versailles. So, after he had left Gambetta,
by way of beSuiling the half hour 5 interval
preceding the meal, went up to his bed
room to fetch revolver for practice, of
which he was very fond.
Weapon Prematurely Discharged.
He was VIGOROUSLY careless and while
handling the weapon it went off, sending a
bullet right through the palm of his right
hand. Madame Leonie Leon. alarmed by
the report, rushed out of her chamber and
ga JJa
did his best to reassure her and she assisted
him until doctors arrived and stopped the
hemorrhage. They were to have been
married privately in three days and now
the wedding would have to be postponed a
little while, but the disappointment was
taken gaily enough The wound was heal
ing rapidly and Doctor LannelOngue's notes
were very satisfactory. But he remarked
as strange that when the wounded hand
was resting on cushion outside the bed
Gambetta imagined it was reposing his
breast and had to look at it to convince
himself of his error.
Gambetta lunched a little too heartily on
that day and from that moment he grew
worse. Abnormal abdominal pains devel-
opend, and on the following day his face
was slightly congested and he had no relish
for food. He was, however, able to move
about the house and four days later he drove
out, very imprudent proceeding, as he
contracted a chill. Feverish symptoms
supervened and friends who called that
later DR.. Lanneongue spoke of a perfora
ton of the intestine, but his medical col
leagues did not agree with him.
Surgical Operation Refused,
He had suggested an operation, but the
proposals were rejected at various con-
situations, and he even received a hint not
to return. Erysipelas declared itself on
the abdomen. On December 30 tea with
kirsch and also some grogs were given to
the patient. Gambetta soon grew indiffer-
ent to everything, and high fever set in.
On the morning of December 81 all the
doctors except Lannelongue gazed in silence
at the sufferer. who was dying. Coffee and
champagne were given to him. but he could
not retain them He was warmed with
hot water bottles. At 10 o'clock that even
ing the symptoms grew more alarming,
but Gambetta was still conscious.
His last word was uttered at 1O:45 and
he expired few minutes before midnight,
going out with the year. During the whole
of his illness not d murmur passed his lips.
Two hours before he drew his last breath
he had thanked DR.. LannelOngue with a
sign and smile. His friends remained all
that night in the death chamber, and when
the sad news was spread about Paris in
the morning every train brought crowds
of sympathzers to La Jardies.
Fearful Experience With Lions.
Two women fell into a cage of lions the
other day in the Apollo, a new music hall
only recently opened and were nearly
eaten up. The spectacle was much more
sensa tional and one might say sanguinary
than had been intended by the program.
The two women were tight-rope dancers
and were supposed to perform series of
clever feats on rope stretched across the
stage, and under which there was a Big
cage with two lions. The top of the cage
was left open so that the lions could see
the women performing over their heads,
and the public could at the same time enjoy
the delightful sensation of terror.
The lions, a rule. took no interest in
the feats of the tight rope walkers and
sometimes even doZed off while they Were
In progress. Perhaps they could not see the
sense of the exploits. However, they suddenly
awakened from their Indifference The
rope snapped in twain in the middle of a
performance. and the unhappy women fell
literally into the jaws of the lions. The
wild beasts naturally did not understand
the situation and mauled and clawed the
women terribly. one of the women had
presence of mind enough to remain pros
trate on the floor of the cage, and sue
cecded in crawling out, while her COM
panion was so imprudent as TO stand up,
and was being mangied by the lions. The
audience was in a panic, women screamed
with terror and tainted. After considerable
efforts the remaining woman was finally
rescued from the cage. Her arms and
breast were terribly clawed and bitten, but
she had escaped with her life, and seemed
cheerful over il. She even took her com
paion by the hand. and with dramatic self
Composure came before the curtain and
saluted the spectators.
Struck Kings Grandson With Pa1asol.
An interesting lawsuit has been attracting
unusual attention before the Paris correc-
tinnaI courts The main subjects of debate
were whether Don Antonio d'Orleans,
grandson of King Louis Philippe, had been
struck. and made to bleed with parasol
nv a former lady friend Madam Gugsen-
helm and whether he owed her a sum of
$4,000 which, Ii Is alleged she lent 10
him The suit and the Counter-suit both
LAWYERS declared were Scandalous, ana
should never have been started. year
ago the prince happened to be coming out
of a shop in the Rue de la Pa!X when he
was attacked by a lady who struck him
twice with her parasol until he bled.
The lady turned out TO be a former friend
with whom he had been on very intimate
terms for more than seven years. He
brought a suit against her for the alleged
clJa hrDll pyht against