The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-23
IT May BRING
ABOUT A WAR
Trial of Mime. Caillaux for MUIR
der of Calmette
Threatens to Bring About In
ternatiOnal Complications.
MANY DUELS IN PROSPECT
The WOman's Guilt or lnnO-
cence Is Lost Sight
In Presence of Political Fea'
lures of the Case.

In Presence of Political Fea'
lures of the Case.
Paris, July 23.-The murder Oh Gas
ton Calmette, editor or LIE Flsa,U' ~
which the beautiful Nine. CalilauN
wife of the former French prehie.
and minister of finance, Is no" VI.
trial may be only one OF series "
murders, with it as the mother CRIME
Impending duels between Calmette
and Caillaux partisans surcnaree TIC
air Grave international lcompEcatlons
ore also feared and the but half heal
ed wound between France ana 0er-
many may be broken open. IT., A.s
aroused was strikingly evinced by an
attempt TO mob Caillaux as ne wa
leaving the court house after makihe
a dramatic speech in his wi1es ue-
fense. in which he assumed the entire
blame for Calmette's death, ana our
ing the course of which he virtually
challenged Attorney Chenu. represent
ing the Calmette family, to, duel:
The attack was planned by royalists.
Half a hundred Of them gathered
about the entrance OF tne couIl wal. .e
ing for the former premier to emerge.
All were armed with heavy ebony
sticks.
AS Caillaux approached the en-
trance a low murmur OF Missing ran
through the royalist group. A little
party of Caillaux sympathizers stand
ing near heard it and instantly took
"Vive Caillaux." they shouted. The
royalists, forgetting caution, answered
with groauns and jeers, and brandlsh-
ed sticks, shouting threats.
CoiJ1o,,v 6e1aved his QeDartuTc
from court a few moments and the
royalists grew violent. Caillaux sup
porters were equally wrought up, ana
the two factions were on the verge OF
a pitched battle in the street. Several
blows were exchanged and it was final
ly necessary to call out troops to dis
perse the mob. The troops charged
the royalists with drawn swords, and
drove them back from the court house.
Four of the royalists were arrested.
Tremendous excitement was created
during the trial when the report be-
came rife in the lobbies of the court
that one of the editors of LIE Figaro
would today read copies of kilograms
exposing the alleged plot by which
Calmette partisans charge that Joseph
Caillaux planned the betrayal of
France to Germany in the Moroccan
negotiations.
Government Is Worried.
The government strenuOusly denied
the existence of any such documents
and officially authorized a denial of
the charges against the former cabi-
net member. 1t was known that the
government was in state of great
agitation over the possible effect of the
production of these documents, and
that it was even strongly asserted that
Nine. Caillaux's absolute freedom was
preferable to their exposure.
1t is now charged that the docu-
ments in question are in the form of
kilograms passing between Paris and
Berlin. Grave international conse-
quences are to be feared in the event
Of their production. The Calmette
events of the day, boldly asserted the
existence of discriminating papers and
promised to produce copies.
So closely interviewer are the story
of the murder and the story of
Frances international relations that
complications. Senator Dienvenu Mar
tin. acting minister of foreign affairs,
telegraphed in alarm to President
Poincare who with Premier Rene
Viviani is in Russia. asking if the
documents alleged to have been hand
ed to the president by Calmette should
be displayed at the trial. The ques-
tion brought, evidently, a negative an
ewer At the hearing they were re-
fused.
R1Ot and Disorder.
Thereto appended scene of riot
and disorder in the court room that
brought a threat from Caillaux to
make the life of M. Chenu, counsel for
Calmette's family, forfeit for Chenu's
bitter charges against Caillaux.
The incident means duel. 1t is the
first growing out of the murder Of
uproar as the most prominent man in
the politics of France screamed his
defiance to the lawyer and gave the
challenge to combat.
Sensation followed sensation. The
Princess Estradere swore that Cal
mette had offered her $4,000 to ar
range an interview with Caillaux's di-
vorced wife for the purpose of procur-
ing personal letters for publication. A
gunsmith's clerk told how Nine. Call
laux bought an automatic pistol and
practiced upon the figure of a man.
But the personal controversy be-
tween Chenu and Caillaux supplied the
most intense, exciting moments of the
days proceedings. 1t was about this
incident and a later repetition that the
chief action clung,. and the challenge
produced a scene that even Paris had
not before known.
The entire court was thrown into the
widest disorder. Only the Intervention
OF M. Robert. head OF the Paris bar
saved the scene from developing into
a riot. Prosecutor Herbeaux began the
action. Matre Labori, for the defense
had demanded that the government
produce the documents alleged to have
been held by LIE Figaro. proving that
Caillaux had been a traitor to France
In the Moroccan negotiations
LabOri Demands the Papers.
Labor, the most spectacular of the
French lawyers of the day. promised tn
Withdraw II the government did NOT
either produce the papers or cease al
ipsions to them M. Herbeaux read a
document declining to produce them.
Instantly Caillaux was on his feet I5s
denounced LIE Figaro for using papers
II could not produce. 8 -. :
Chenu. representing the Calmette