Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-07-21
Slayer OF French Editor Holds
Courtroom EnthralIed for
Three Hours During Recital
of Tragic Event.
PRISONER SHOWS SKILL
IN MARSHALLING FACTS
i'For Three Months ! Mounted
Calvary" She Tells Judges,
in Describing Tortures of
Mind Suffered.

fsY 1osslNo JouRNAI SPECIAL LuAseo wisel
Paris. July 20.-Mmc yienriette
Vaillaux. wife OF Joseph Caillaux,
once premier of France ana former
minister Of finance, occupied the pris-
,ner's enclosure In the Assize court
at the Palace of Justice today and
reclted in dramatic manner the
circumstances leading up to the shoot
ing on March i6, of Gaston Calmette
editor of the Figaro with whose MUIR
der she Is charged
Judge Louis Alhanet acted as pres
idont of the court. the prosecutor
general. jules Herbaux, had charge
of the prosecution and Fernand La
bort the noted advocate who was
closely identified with the Dreyfus
case, was chief counsel for the de-
fense.
Nine. caillaux held the attention of
the crowded court room for three
hours. Slight, almost insignificant in
appearance and possessing none of
the outward characteristics of a fig
ure Of romance, she spoke with great
assurance, addressing herself In turn
TO each part OF the room like n lee
turer. She told her story In short.
disconnected sentences but showed re-
markahle skin in marshnling her
faots so as 10 present them in the
best light for her cause.
Judges Had Simple Role.
The Judges role was simple one,
confined to encouraging her with brief
questions as she came TO each sue
ccssve phase Of the drama. Nine
Caillaux was a willing witness
Throughout and showed great self
control II was only after she had
concluded her narrative and was ask
ed if there was anything she would 3
Ike to add that she cast restraint
aside and with accents Of genuine
emotion thrilled her listeners and
ELECTED murmurs of applause. Then
she described wildly the protracted
agony she had endured because Of the
calumnies against herself and her
husband.
For three months ! mounted Cal
vary she said. Such | do not wish
to my worst enemy No one can
imagine what | went through. |
feared for myself for my husband
ana my child feared for myself
because IL parts of those letters were
published my deepest innermost Sc
cret would be displayed before the
ped ana naked.
II had always been taught that a
woman's honor consisted In having
her life as open as possible. | was
reared by aged parents. MY father
was the son of a rich burgeois of the
period of 1880, devoted to the ideas
Of that epoch My poor father. who
last year told me that wife who
had a lover was woman without
honor never would have set foot in
my house had he known OF my liaison
with M. Cailaux
Kcproachcd for Being B0urgolse.
we We're reproaehed with being
of the bourgolse. II rs true. do
not blush for II. | am b0urgoisc.
When the letters were purloned M.
Caillaux and myself felt alike: we
have preferred TO renounco our great
happiness rather than see our inner
life blazoned to the world.
II feared the publication of the let
ters on account of the society We fire.
quented. We had many friends, es-
pecially among the embassies and In
those circles people wished to humi-
late and east rldicule upon my hus-
band by the publication of two letters
addressed to two different women
signed Thy joe They wished to
throw contempt upon the head Of a
minister Of the republic, the chief
of the radical party and strike
through him, the republic.
Finally, | did not wish to blush
before my daughters; that Is one thing
a woman must not be asked to do |
deeply regret the present misfortune
ana ! would have undergone anything
In the world rather than have been
the cause of IT,"
Her impassioned peroration was ac-
by eloquent gestures of her
slender hands from which she had
slipped her gloves The spectators
hung on every word and movement
frequently expressing discreet appro-
baton, with which the presiding
Judge made no attempt to interfere.
Prisoner Tells of Shooting.
Nine. Cailaux told of the shooting
in the Figaro office. Prior to this she
had been asked by the judge regard
ing her interview with Fernand Mon
cier, president of the Trbuna of the
Seine, from whom she had sought in
as to whether the attacks
Of M. Calmette against her husband
could be stopped.
NJ Monier told her, she said, that
this would be impossible; that one
could only put up with it or defend
oneself by ones own means. lie had
added. the witness asserted, that It
was astonishing that with the French
there We're not moro
heads broken.
Maurice Chenu, attorney for NJ.
ralmette's relatives. arose and said
that NJ. Monier, before the examining
magistrate. had denied giving utter
.pra IN apvf hing Of the sort
Nine. Caillaux then told of what
took place on the day of the tragedy.
II informed NJ. Caillaux at iunch,'
she testified what NJ. Monier had
said He was very indignant and ex-
: ....-l lla... l....s. thi....