Evening journal., 1914-07-21
CAILLAUX Tells
OF WIFE'S crime
Shot French Editor After
Husband Had Threatened
Bodily Harm
BITTER LEGAL
STRUGGLE AHEAD
By WILLIAM PHILLIP SIMMS
United Press staff Correspondent.

PARIS, July 2l.-The pent-up under
current OF political hatred and strife
which burst upon Paris with the fury
of storm following the murder of Gas
ton Calmette, editor OF lie Figaro. all
but again came to the surface today.
IL was during the trial Of Mime. 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, were to be
published.
The direct cause was the deposition
of Raymond roincare, President of
France, read in court. This alone IS an
unprecedented procedure. In fis de-
position the tIcsidcnt tcld Of CaillauX,
then ministe. of finance, coming to his
office and telling of his belief that Cal
metta intended to publisl, these letters.
III he does that I will kill him." Cad-
lauA declared. tc the President
"When this was read by the clerk
there was first a restless movement
throughout the court room, then low
murmurs, gradually growing in volume
until Presiding Judge Albane sharply
called for order and threatened TO arrest
the disturbers.
Caillaux himself was the principal
witness today, mis- story all but rivaling
the sensation created by the reading ot
the deposition of the President lie
told of the threat he had made against
Calnette to his wife, how she appar-
emily pondered over il, and how, when
wounded, harassed and nerveshaken, he
left when he went to the Senate
It was after Nine. CaillauX's visit
to Judge Monier, when she was told
that nothing could be done to pre-
vent the publication of the letters by
Calmette that Caillaux made his
threat
Nine. Caillaux arrived at the minis
try at midday. 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.
(The French slang expression cas-
ser la geuel" might mean intent TO
kill or merely what it says literally
"On the way home in the automo-
bile my wife was evidently pondering
NV threat" continued CaillauN. "She
asked when I intended to carry out
my threat. said not today, but
soOn.'"
Again the court room was crowded
10 suffocation today and again police
and gendarmes guarded the corridors
and courtyard. while detectives IN
plain clothes were scattered through
the throng packed into the STANDING
room in the rear of the court
Nine. Caillaux was nervous, bu'
managed to get some sleep last night
following her ordeal as a witness, he
jailers said today. She declared sh
was glad it was over.
There was nothing she would not hav
done TO save her husband from furthe
attacks and prevent the publication o
additional letters Calmette was suppos
Cd To have in his possession, but sh
did not intend to kill the editor. i
was Tor the love of Caillaux that sh
acted. She feared he might attack Cal
mrtte and the scandal would ruin IN
political career. Then came the though
of creating scandal herself, frightening
Calmette and arousing the public TO tn
hitter warfare that was being wage
noainst him in which personal letter
addressed to her before their marriag
were being dragged in. In telling o
those letters Nine. CaillauX said:
"yVe would have preferred to renounc
oir great happiness rather than see on
inner life blazoned to the world. W
were reproached for being bourgeoisi'
II is true. / am a bourgeois. 1 wa
tauobt nv nv poor father that VIC
mans honor consisted in having h'
life as omen as possible Last year h
told me that a wife who had love
was without honor. He never woul
have set foot in my house had he know
of my liaison with NJ CaillauX."
Harassed bv constant attacks upon nc
husband in the papers, insulted an
snubbed bv women whom she met IN pul
liz because of the disclosures, Nm
Caillaux was overwhelmed by the pull
lication of the "Ion Jo" letter.
From now on the trial is expecte
to develop into a bitter struggle b.
tween the State and Fernand Ii
bori. noted as the defender of Dire.
fus. Throughout her testimon
Nine. Caillaux sought to show thi
she had no intention of killing Ca
mette. not even when she purchase
a revolver and started for his ofic
The act was not premeditated. III
famous note written by Nine. Caillat
at O'Clock on the afternoon OF u
shooting is now in evidence. III
maid was instructed to give the no
to Caillaux II she did not return.
"If this letter reacher you. "
will know have acted" is the se
tence upon which will be based mu'
Of the claim Of the prosecution tn
the shooting was premeditated.
nudge Monier has testified IN
Nine. Caillaux did not give HON q
impression that she had any idea
killing Calmette when she called
him, seeking to learn whether q
publication OF further letters by I
editor could be prevented by leg
means.
It was shortly after II o'clo
when Nine. Caillaux was brought In
court today Two gendarmes aga
guarded her. She appeared ev
paler than yesterday and wore I
same black gown and hat.
Paul Bourget. a playwright, al
author. member of the Academ
Franchise. was the first witness. /