New-York tribune., 1909-05-19
THE MAN WITH THE FIST.

One Of the most amusing incidents of his term of
Office his encounter with the Boulangist Dep
5uty IIaur, who has since to the fore in con-
nection with his portrayal of Empress Eugene and
the least savory features of the court of Napo-
leon III. I.aurs abuse of the administration had
degenerated into such intoerable personal insult,
aimed the Minister of the Interior, that one day
the latter was unable to control himself any longer
and then and there brought Laur's utterances in
the Chamber Of Deputies to close by knocking
him down with we'll directed blow. OF course the
affair created great sensation. and the minister
was charged with having forgotten what was due
70 the dignity OF his office and Parliament But
the people at large were pleased with the unex-
pected display of feeling and of vigor on the part
OF Constans and he acquired ther by great popu-
larity throughout the land the people respecting
him as ''un hOmme a poigne' Ia man with strong
asu who could be relied upon to act with decision
and with vigor in moments of personal and ma
tional emergency
Just two days previous to Constans's encounter
with I.aLr, the prefect Governor, of the Aude
having been grossly insulted during a session or
the provincial Diet by one of its members VINO nad
apostrophized him as a sCoundrel. had retorted oy
knocking him down Great excitement ere
ated thereby. and a complaint was Immediately ad-
dressed the Minister of the Interior at Parls'
AS soon as Constans received this dispatch ne at
once wired the prefect: 7 have heard Of your Vio-
Ience Come Immediately 20 see me" The prefect
took the next train and reached Paris at in the
evening As he entered the office of the minister
the latter likewise happened to arrive from the
Chamber of Deputies. where lie had just boWled
over Iaur for having called him a swinder
The prefect, altogether ignorant or the scene
which had taken place in the Legislature began.
Il am here Monsieur le Minstre. to present my
apologies
Constans. however. Immediately interrupted MIN
with the words: 1T is useless, my dear fellow L
have no reproaches TO make 70 you. You have done
very well TO have arrived this evening. instead OF
this morning. This morning perhaps, might nave
had something say you. But this evening
have nothing-no. absolutely nOthng-to say 10 YOU
except u shake hands very warmly
The prefect gazed at him with open eyed ana
open 1nouthed asonishment, while the minister WIN
drew into his private apartments after taking leVe
in the most cordial and friendly manner. Nor was
fl until the prefect had left the department ana
purchased on the boulevards evening newspaper
giving full account of the stormy session at the
Palais Bourbon that he understood and appreciated
the strange conduct of the Minister OF the Interior
When Constans sfterward appointed as AM
bassador Constantinople some JOKER recalling ms
reputation being ready with his fists warned the
Turks that he g statesman who always did
mn his foes in good style without the slightest
scruple This reached the Of Sultan Abdul
Hamd who during one of his first interviews
with the French Ambassador asked him II 1t was
true that he invariably gave Quietus 10 his enc
mics and put them of the way. Ccnstans either
misunderstood the Sultan else entered into the
Joke for he answered in the affirmative. and from
thenceforth Constans enjoyed particularly high
place in the regard of the Sultan, who saw in him
a man his ideas.
MARQUISE DE FONTENOY.