Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-21
.CA|LLAUX TOLD
PO|NCARE HE'D
KILL CALMETTE
French President Makes Depo-
sition at Today's Session
of Trial.
HUSBAND OF ACCUSED
PRINCIPAL WITNESS
Labori Makes Editors Friend
Admit Publishing Private Let
ters Was Wrong.
Special to the Evening Star.


strife which burst upon Paris with
the fury of storm following the
murder of CASTOR Calmette, editor of
LIE Figaro, all but again came to the
surface today IT was during the
trial of Nine. Joseph Caillaux, who
shot the editor because of the bitter
campaign he had waged against her
husband, and because she believed
Intimate letters he had written her
before their marriage We're to be
published.
The direct cause was the deposi-
tion of Raymond Poincare, president
of France, read in the procedure. His
letter told of Caillaux, then minis
ter of France, coming to his office
and telling of his belief that Call
mette intended to publish these per-
sonal letters.
IF he does I will kill him." Call
laux declared to the president. When
t9is W. read to the clerk there was
first a restless movement through
out the court room, then low MUIR
murs, growing in volume, until the
presiding Judge sharply called for or
der and threatened to arrest the dis
turbers
Caillaux on Witness Stand.
Caillaux himself was the principal
witness today, his story all but rival
ing the sensation created by the read
ing of the deposition of the presi-
dent. He told of the threat he had
made against Calmette to his wife;
how she apparently pondered over II,
and how wounded, harassed and
nerve-shaken he left her when he
went to the Senate. 1t was after
Nine. CaiIlaux's visit to Judge Mon
iere when she was told that nothing
could be done to prevent the publi-
cation of the letters by Calmette that
Caillaux made his threat. Nine. Call
laux arrived at the ministry at mid
day, Caillaux testified. She asked
him what he proposed doing
If that's<the way things stand, I'll
smash his face" Caillaux said he
replied.
On the way home in the automo-
Ebile my wife was evidently ponderins
my threat continued Caillaux. "Sht
asked when intended to carry on!
my threat said not today, bur
soon''
Only by stretching two articles of
law promulgated by Louis Philippe
in 1926 was it possible to arrange that
the evidence of President Poincare
might be read in the trial In his
deposition the President stated that
on the day Calmette was killed a
cabinet meeting was called at Elysee.
Before entering upon official business,
he said, he talked with various minis
ters, including Prime Minister Dour-
mergue Caillaux. The cabinet min
listers were filing into the room where
the meeting was to be held when
Caillaux asked Poincare if he could
speak to him privately.
Doors were closed, leaving the two
men alone and, in a voice filled with
emotion, Caillaux told of his fears.
II have it from the best source"
Caillaux told Poincare that letters
written by me to the lady who is now
my wife have been given to the Fig
aro and that CASTOR Calmette, the
editor. intends using them and will
publish them"
You must be mistaken" the Presi-
dent replied, according to his deposi-
ton. II know Calmette He Is a
gallant man. He would never bring
the name of a woman into an affair
of politics"
Caillaux was insistent He said the
people who had told him of CAL
mette's intentions could not be mis-
taken. AS an indication that further
publications might be expected, he
cited that LIE Figaro had printed an
article that morning entitled:
Comic Interlude: The Biographical
Notes of 10, by NJ Joseph Caillaux."
Again the President tried to calm
Caillaux, his deposition stated, using
all his power of persuasion. Vainly
he tried to obtain Caillaux's promise
to investigate the matter further
Caillaux rose from the chair into
which he had fallen and, facing the
President, said in a voice filed with
emotion:
an Kill Him"-Caillaux.
IF Calmette does that, I'll kill
him.
Caillaux began his story with a
history of his early life. He told Of
his marriage in 1906 TO Nine Guydon,
divorced wife of M. Dupre. The mar
riage was never happy one, and in
1911 matters reached a crisis. A
package of letters, he said. had been
purloined from his desk during the
night. These letters were from Call
laux to Nine Renouard, the present
Nine. Caillaux. There was a recon-
ciliation. On November ), 1909, at the
Caillaux home, the letters were
burned in the presence of Private
Deschaniel. general secretary of the
minister of finance.
Before the burning Caillaux asked
his wife to swear that no copies of
the letters had been made. A divorce
was granted in 1911. A few months
after the divorce and when he was
ptirne minister. Caillaux said France
Desclaux, his chief of cabinet. told
him Nine. Guydon asked M. Fervote.
a newspaper man. to publish certain
letters. One of them was the letter
later published by LIE Figaro.
Caillaux then told of his marriage
CONTINUED on Page I. Column ~