The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1908-06-05
MAJOR DREYFUS
SHOT AT PARIS
Gregori, the Would.Be Assassin, Was No Ordin.
ary Fanatic...The Affair Created Widest
Excitement in Paris Took Place in the
Crowded Pantheon President and
High State Officials Present

Paris, June 5.--Just at the close
of the ceremonies attending the cam
onization of Emile Zola In the Pan
theon yesterday when the president
of France, premier and a host OF
ministers Of state were taking their
departure, Louis Anthehne Gregori,
military writer of note, drew a re-
volver and fired 2 shots point blank
at Major Alfred Dreyfus for whose
liberty Zola fought and won.
Men distinguished in all walks
of life filled the Pantheon and when
the shots rang out there was in
tence excitement in the fear that
the president had been assassinated,
but even an attempt on the life of
Major Dreyfus created profound
impression. Soldiers speedily SUR
rounded Gregori, and he was taken
to jail, bruised and bleeding, with
his clothing almost torn from his
back.
The affair has created a tremend-
GUS sensation in Paris and the mo-
tive OF the assassin is the cause OF
much mystification for Gregori, In
stead Of being an ordinary fanatic,
such as is carried away by political
passions OF moment, is a man Of ma
ture age having been born In 1874
and was highly esteemed in circles
where he was known. Although
born OF Italian parents, be has been
an ardent Frenchman for years and
has written authoritatively on mill
tary subjects, enjoying close rela-
tions with many high French off,
GERS. He was one Of the correspond
ents who followed the big French
and German manelvers to obtain
data FOR technical papers. His
friends are at loss to understand
what induced him to commit such a
foolhardy act and many are disposed
to question his statement that he
simply shot as an individual in pro-
test against participation OF the
army in ceremonies attending plac-
ing of the ashes of Zola In the pan
theon. Some do not hesitate to ex-
press the opinion that he may have
been the tool Of little clan of
royalists, who, under the name Of
] faction Francaise, have never ceas-
ed to insist that the court OF Cas-
sation Illegally prevented the appeal
of the Dreyfus case, nor abandoned
hope Of seeing revision favorable
to the contentious Of the national
lists. "
BY the shooting Of 'Dreyfus, they
point out, the whole affair may be
Indirectly opened before July, be-
cause the assassination or attempted
assassination must come before AS
size court Of trial. Some color is
lent to this theory by series of re-
markable articles that appeared In
yesterday mornings Action Fran
caise from pens Of Charles Maurras
and Leo Daudel, son Of the poet,
who are the leading spirits among
royalist supporters OF the restoration
of Philippe Of Orleans.
The articles apparently anticipat-
ed yesterdays event that OF Maur-
ra's declaring that there may be
rumbling before revolution. 2
Daudel wrote:
"The real hero will be Dreyfus
and gDreyfus may ask himself wheth-
|er this nocturnal gloriftcation Of
modern crime will not conjure up
Ia terrible dawn. He has already
heard the stroke Of midnight"
Furthermore soleil, the royalist
|organ this morning printed an en-
tire page er1logizing the Duke Of
Orleans, accompanied by his pic
|ture. Other stories are afioat to the
|effect that there was an actual plot
|of the royalist Catholic students to
dump the hearse containing Zola's
body into the Seine Wednesday night
but that It was discovered and frus-
|trated. Such rumors, however, re-
|ceived no Official confirmation and
the general public rejects them as
far fetched and absurd in view Of
| the strength Of republican sentiment
among the masses.