The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-21
Shot for the Sake Of Her Hus-
band and Child.
She DESCRIBES THE KILLING
Fired When She Had No Desire
Even to Wound.
Continued to Press the Trigger
without Intention.

laux was up at o'clock this morning
preparing for the second day of her
trial on a charge of the willful murder
on March 16 of CASTOR Calmette. editor
Of the Figaro. The wife Of the former
premier and minister of finance took an
early breakfast, and before O'Clock
was waiting for her husband.
The prisoner had previously looked
through a mass of morning papers, and
had found that generally she had been
sympathetically treated. The steno-
graphic report Of her testimony filled
16 columns In some of the newspapers.
a-d besides this there were many APP
precautions # her dexterous arrange
ment of facts and of the feeling she
had put into her description Of her
agony.
Nine. Caillaux held the attention Of
the crowded courtroom for three hours
while giving her testimony.
Nine. Caillaux was willing witness
Throughout and showed great self con-
troll. 1t was only after she had concluded
her narrative and was asked whether
there was anything she would like to
add that she cast restraint aside and
with accents Of genuine emotion thrill
ed her listeners and ELECTED murmurs
of applause. Then she described vivid
ly the protracted agony she had en-
dured because Of the calumnies against
herself and her husband.
She Mounted Calvary"
For three months. mounted CAL
vary she said. ''Such do not wish
imagine what went through. I feared
for myself. for my husband. for my
child. I feared for myself because II
part of those letters were published my
deepest innermost secret would be dis
played before the world, my woman's
hnnnr - nd
II always had been taught that
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 bourgeoise Of the period
Of 1880. devoted to the ideas Of that
told me that a wife who had a lover
was a woman without honor, never
would have set foot in my house had
he known of my liaison with M. Call
laux.
I'VE were reproache6 of being of the
bourgeoise. 1t is truess I do not blush
for it. 1 am q bourgeoise. When the
letters were purloined M. Caillaux and
myself felt alike; we would have pre-
ferred to ren0unce our great happiness
rather than see our inner souls blazon-
ed to the world.
Fear of Publicity.
II feared the publication OF the let
tiers on account Of the society we fire.
quented. We had many friends. es-
pecially among the embassies. and In
those circles people wished to humtitate
and cast ridicule upon my husband 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 re-
public the chief Of the radical party
and strike, through him. the republic.
Finally. 1 did not wish to blush be-
fore my daughter; that Is one thing q
woman must not be asked to do. I
and would have undergone anything in
the world rather than have been the
cause of it,
Every ear strained to catch each
word of the faltering recital of the
tragedy in the Figaro office.
Story of the Tragedy.
1T was Sis o'clock when L
reached the Figaro office In my mo-
tor car said the witness. II asked
for M. Calmette and he was not in.
For about an hour 1 waited. thinking
of the coming interview. 1 felt my
not expect to make use of 1t, but as
a reflex action my hand pressed hard
upon it as If to assure me it was
there. 1t was shortly after o'clock
when M. Calmette arrived.
II sent in my card in a sealed en-
ped the revolver from its case and
held it naked in my hand. But did
not wish to kill him or even wound
him. 1 only prepared for eventuali-
ties. not knowing what would hap
PEN"
Nine. Caillaux said it was her de-
sire to keep her visit to the editor
secret, but she heard him say, SHOW
Nine. Caillaux in" i
THE attendant repeated Nine.
Caillaux'"
The beautiful woman gripped her
chair nervously as she related this
part Of her story and her eyes biased
upon the jury.
Il knew everyone in the building
would know Of my presence she said.
The blood beat at my temples; there
was drumming in my ears. When the
attendant again appeared I could only
stand up and say Here l am
Il Killed Him."
only one lamp was burning on n.
Calmette's desk. In the scmi-obscurtty
! saw before me my enemy. he who had
done SO much to injure me and my
husband.
You probably know the object Of
my visit said.
I do not Please sit down. he said.
had spoken without knowing what
l said. I could not take my eyes from
him. I lost my head. killed him.
After pulling my revolver from my
mum | continued to press the trigger.
continued to shoot, although had NO
desire to kill or even to wound when I
entered the Office
Nine. Caillaux again told her story
OF her fears that her husband would
attack Calmette: how. after NJ Monier
had given his advice. Caillaux said he
would simply 60 and smash Calmette's
face" since nothing else could be done
In her nervous state she pictured her
husband shooting the editor. his arrest
and trial, the wrecking Of his political
career. In French the phrase used by