Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-21
Staying Of CALMETTE
CLIMAX IN GREAT DRAMA
Of PARTISAN HIGH Lift

! graphic copies remained in other
hands, and it was precisely extracts
from one of these letters which Cal
mette published in The Figaro the
other day and which was the direct
cause of the tragedy. For some years
the friendship between Caillaux and
Nine. Claretie went on smoothly and
Caillaux's political Importance grew
daily.
Premier Marries After Divorce.
At this time Madame Claretie's
greatest friend was Madame X, who
even then was on intimate terms OF
friendship with CASTOR Calmette
| Meanwhile Claretie, becoming aware
of his wife's growing GOODNESS for
him, agreed to a divorce, and imme-
diately the decree was made absolute
in 1911.
Caillaux was then, Premier oil
France. To the general astonishment
he married the former Madame Clar-
cite in the thick of European politica,
complications
1t was Immediately after the mar
| rage that friction between CaillauX
and Calmette began.
| The Minister compelled his wife 10
I break all relations with Madame
X. on the ground of the intimacy
of the latter as a married woman
with the editor This made her I'M
desirable as a friend for the Prime
Minister'S wife
calmette Begins Campaign.
This social ban deeply hurt Cal
mette. who cherished a profound af-
lection for Madame x, and was.
| strangely enough, also a good friend
of her husband. The trio were almost
I inseparable and always to be seen TO-
gether at the theaters and restau-
rants.
In his resentment Camette began
campaign against Caillaux. Imme-
! diately the first signs of a polem.c
! appeared in The Figa 0. Caillaux's
| political enemies saw their opportu-
nifty and planned to use Calmette as
their instrument for the fnancier' S
political coup de grace.
Here we have Calmette brillan1
writer, unquestionably a clever bust
ness man, but totally incorruptinle
whose services could be gained oni'
| by playing on his feelings. Rumor>
We're adroitly spread that Caillau&
had fallen in love with Madame ".
to whom he was paying great atteu
ton, in the hope of cutting, out Cal
mette. his sufficed to infame :he
EDITORS Indignation against the Min
! ister anC in his resolute way he de-
| termined to spare nothing to bring
about Ca.llauX's downfall Behind
| The Figaro's bitter campaign stood
eX- Premier Barthou. ready to supply
Calmette with documentary eviden re
of CaillauX's political turpitude.
The most SCATTERING proof in Bar
! thou's possession was dramatically
7 IL !, H.
in the form of a document wherein
| Public Prosecutor Fabre accused Gail
| lauX of having caused Premier Monls
to order him to postpone the trial OF
Rochelle, the bank swindler, so that
| the prosecution would fail under the
statute of limitations.
Barthou supplied a Photographic
copy of this document to Calmette,
wio always carried it in his pocket.
Caillaux's Home Trouble.
While the campaign was proceed
| ing, the matrimonial relations of the
| Caillaux counle, which had not been
OF the best for some time, grew worse
than ever She and her husband lived
apart, and size was subjected to So
clal ostracism No later than a week
ago, while attending the reception Of
NJ. Dussard, a member of the Aca1e
nored. When she left, the scandal
caused by Calmette's revelations was
the general subject of conversation
in the reception rooms.
1t was n her return from this 50
cial cold plunge tlat, a prey to hit
/, ter despair, she thought to find con-
ISOLATION in reading her old love let
tiers from Caillaux extending over d
period of ten years. To her stupe-
faction she found the secret drawer #
her writing desk had been deftly rified
and bundle of these letters had dis
appeared.
Visits Minister Viviani.
Madame CaillauX lost her head
She jumped to the conclusion that
the letters had fallen into the hands
of her husbands political opponents,
who would turn them over to Cal
mette 20 further his campaign. After
hurs OF angushed irresolution, she
called on Minister Niviani to whom
she opened her heart as an old
friend. and begged him TO intercede
in her behalf with Calmette in order
TO prevent him from publishing the
letters, and, If possible, TO prevail on
him to cease his campaign.
Niviani saw Calmette but in vain
Nine. CaillauX then summoned to her
residence Judge Monier of the High
Court and asked him what legal
steps she could take to prevent Call
mette from continuing mis- attacks on
her husband. On, the judge replying
nothing could be done legally she
decided to act herself
On the afternoon Of the fatal day
she purchased q gun. and then. with
remarkable GOODNESS, spent couple
Of hours at an employment agency
interviewing prospective cooks. one
Of whom she engaged.
Then she motored to the Figaro
Office, and when she was shown into
Calmette's office did not shoot him at
sight, as is generally reported, but
ueremptorily demanded the return Of
all her letters The editor replied;
81 won't use them. but | will keep
them"
The last words had scarcely passed
his lips when the first shot rang out,
followed by five others in quick sue
cession.
Six hours later Calmette breathed
his last.
In the dead Of night the tall figure
OF a woman heavily yelled stepped
oIt Of an automobile at the private
hospital where the body Law, forced
her way TO the death bed and gave
way to paroXysm Of grief 1t was
Madame \.
VITA the death Of Calmette her
Ig,c