Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-21
BY c. E. RERrELLI.

PARIS, March 21--I am able t
give an exclusive, full and accurat
account of the amazing chain c
events which eliminated in the as
sassination of CASTOR Calmette b
Nine. Caillaux.
1t Is a story wherein the play of III
elemental instincts of love, ambitio
and self-interest go to form a dram
compared to which Bernstein's mos
intricate plays appear simple. Rec
life has, In this case, surpassed tn
widest Imagination of the most dar
ing playwright.
So intricate is the plot that for tn
readers of The Georgian to compre
bend 1t, 1t is necessary first to sketc
the dramatis personae, all of whor
occupy the highest positions In tn
political and social life of Europe
The principal actors follow:
Characters in Drama.
JOSEPH CAILLAUX, Finance
Minister, former Premier, aged
81, f1orid. 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 a 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
10 Ia I'D q
reply to Germany's increase of
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, a brilliant po-
lelnic who waged the bitterest
campaign against CaillauX, known
in French public life since the
Dreyfus affair, was a sentiment
talist at heart, "a white man."
MADAME CAILLAUX, No. 2,
Tire 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 Gail
lauX in 1911
A HANDSOME WOMAN, the
third woman who has stood be-
tween caillauX and Calmette. was
formerly a close friend of the
present Madame CaillaUx She is
the wife of distinguished play
wright, a tall brunette. with the
soft beauty of a SoutheTner. the
elegance of a 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 'fats
beauty" always inspired and like
mems admiration. Her successes as
beautiful and smart woman are by
word in Paris. She was go years ole
Madame Calmette, nee Presta, is
morphine fiend and was long tim
an inmate of a private hospital. Mad
anne Dupre, Caillaux's first wife, di
vorced Dupre in order to marry tn
Minister Jules Dupre was the son c
a famous painter and thrice held
at $500 a year at the Min
istry of Fine Arts. The same yea
Caillaux became Finance Ministe
and shortly afterward married Mad
anne Dupre, whose former husban
Immediately prospered, and is nov
filling an important position under tn
Ministry of Finance at S4,253 salary
In this epoch CaillauX developed
fondness for writing letters, his be
setting sin. His volatile nature be
trayed him into making cynical re
marks about prominent politician:
those of his own party an
to whom he owed his position
Fell in Love With Another.
When he met the present Nine
Caillaux, then the wife of Leo Clar
cite, he fell in love with her at frs
sight. For a while he corresponds
with her and soon decided to obtai
]. divorce. The proceedings were be
gun, but as Caillaux didn't propose t
pay his wife any alimony she use
The convincing argument afforded b.
a bundle of letters written to her an
other women containing eVidenc
to his political career.
During these negotiations these let
ters were confded by Madame Gail
laux Number One to a literary ac
1uaintance with a view to their ar
for publication and thus.
is understood, passed through In
hands of several persons, durin
which process they were photo
yraphed
For. when Caillaux finally yielde
to his wife's demands for $4,000
year alimony. he regained possessio
Of the original letters But photo