Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-21
BY c. F. BERTELLl.
'ial Gable to The Atlanta Georgian.

Special Gable to The Atlanta Georgian.
PARIS. March 21.-I am able tC
give an exclusive. full and accurate
account of the amazing chain o.
events which eliminated in the as.
sassination of CASTOR Calmette by
Nine. CaillauX.
1t is story wherein the play of The
elemental instincts of love, ambition
and elf-interest go to form a drama
compared to which Bernstein's mos
intricate plays appear simple. Red
life has, In this case, surpassed the
widest imagination of the most dar.
ing playwright.
So intricate is the plot that for the
readers of The Georgian to compre.
bend it, 1t is necessary first to sketch
the dramatis personae, all of whom
occupy the highest positions in tine
political and social life of Europe
The principal actors follow:
Characters in Drama.
JOSEPH CAILLAUX, Finance
Minister, former Premier, aged
81. fiorid. bald. small with rest
less eyes, a square jaw and a
depotic nature; has had a sky
rocket career. He arose quickly
to a high place in the Govern
ment of his country, thanks to his
exceptional financial ability, the
chief characteristic of Don Juan
disposition which gained him the
nickname of the modern Henry
VIII"
LOUIS BARTHOU. able states
man, former Premier, under
whose administration the three
years military law was passed as
o 1f
ornaments. He was a bitter po-
litical opponent of CaillauX.
CASTOR CALMETTE, intimate
friend Of Prince Victor Napoleon,
pretender to the French throne.
owed his prominent position as
the editor of leading Paris
newspaper to his marriage to
Mile. Presta, daughter of the
president of the Figaro company,
whom he secretly divorced re-
Gently Calmette. brilliant po
lemic VINO waged the bitterest
campaign against CaillauX. known
in French public life since the
Dreyfus affair, was a sentiment
taist at heart, "a white man"
MADAME CAILLAUX, No. 2,
the beautiful heroine, of wealthy
and cultured parents is the for
mer wife of Leo Claretie, Figa-
ro's literary critic, from whom
she was divorced to marry Call
lauX in 1911.
A HANDSOME WOMAN. the
third woman who has stood be
tween caiilaux and Calmette, was
formerly a close friend of the
present Madame CaillauX. She is
the wife of distinguished play
wright. tall brunette. with the
soft beauty Of a Southerner, the
elegance of Parisienne, and the
vivacity of an American girl. For
obvious reasons her name must
not be mentioned.
Begins in Divorce.
In 1889 a divorce took place be
tween an obscure couple. mime. X.
blessed with what is known as "fatal
beauty" always inspired and likec
mems admiration. Her successes as a
beautiful and smart woman are a by
word in Paris She was 80 years old
Madame Calmette, nee Presta, is a
morphine fiend and was a long time
an inmate of a private hospital. Mad
anne Dupre. CaillauX's first wife. di-
vorced Dupre in order to marry the
Minister. Jules Dupre was the son OF
a famous painter and thrice held a
clerkship at $500 a year al the Min
istry of Fine Arts. The same Year
CaillauX became Finance Minister
and shortly afterward married Mad
anne Dupre, whose former husband
Immediately prospered, and is now
filling an important position under the
Ministry of Finance at $4,253 salary
In this epoch Caillaux developed a
fondness for writing letters, his be-
setting sin. His volatile nature be-
trayed him into making cynical re-
marks about prominent politicians
including those of his own party and
to whom he owed his position.
Fell in Love With Another.
When he met the present Nine
Caillaux, then the wife of Leo Clar-
etie, he fell in love with her at first
sight For a while he corresponded
with her and soon decided to obtain
a divorce. The proceedings were be-
gun, but as Caillaux didn't propose to
pay his wife any alimony she used
the convincing argument afforded by
a bundle of letters written to her and
other women containing evidence
damaging to his political career.
During these negotiations these let
tiers were confided by Madame Call
laux Number One to a literary ac-
quaintance with a view to their ar
rangement for publication and thus. ii
is understood, passed through the
hands of several persons, during
which process they We're photo
graphed.
For, when Caillaux finally yielded
to his wife's demands for $4,000 a
year alimony. he regained possession
of the original letters But photo