Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-17
M. Cai|Iaux, Whose Wife Shot
Editor of Figaro, Resigns,
However.
WEEPS LIKE A CHILD
ON MEETING OFFICIALS
Assassination Is elimination of Bit
ter Strife Between Minister of
Finance and Publisher.

PARIS. March 1.-THE French cabinet
today decided to retain Office in spite of
the resignation of Joseph Caillaux, min
lister of finance.
NJ. Caillaux's resignation was made
necessary by his wifes assassination OF
CASTOR Calmette. editor of Figaro. Al
though CaillauX was considered the
strongest and most influential member of
the cabinet, his colleagues determined to
accept his resignation and to reorganize
the various portfolios.
Rene Renoult, hitherto minister of the
interior. will become minister of finance.
Louis J. Malvy, minister of commerce.
will succeed NJ. Renoult as minister of
the interior. Raoul Peret. deputy from
Vienna and under secretary OF the in
terror will become minister of COM
merce.
His Wife in Prison.
Nine. Caillaux. who caused this up
heaval in French political life. is mean
while in st. Lazare prison. Her husband
today took an affecting leave of the Off
cials of the ministry of finance.
Acting on information given by Nine.
Caillaux. the police today took possession
of various papers in the office of the
editor of Figaro 1t is understood that
among these papers were various private
letters written by NJ. Caillaux to his
present wife before they were married
and while she was still the wife OF Leo
Claretie.
1t is generally supposed that Nine.
Caillaux had received an intimaton that
Calmette was about to publish these let
ters and it was this that led her to at
tack him. Calmette was a bitter politi-
cal foe Of caillaux.
Breaks Down and Weeps.
NJ Caillaux appeared at the ministry
of finance for. a few minutes this MORN
ing in order to dispose Of several urgent
matters of departmental business. He
called into his private Office several of
the higher officials of the ministry and
informed them of his resignation. The
minister was extremely depressed. He
broke down during his interview with the
officials and wept like a child. His
colleagues quietly withdrew and left him
alone. When he had become somewhat
more composed NJ. Caillaux proceeded to
his private residence.
Because of the hostile demonstrations
by street crowds a number of detectives
were assigned today to protect the min
lister.
Strong police pickets were placed in the
vicinity of the private residence of NJ.
Caillaux in the Rue Alphonse de Neuville
in order to prevent demonstrations
A group of students from the Latin
Quarter paraded the streets today shout
ing against Caillaux and the cabinet.
Cabinet Denounced.
The chamber of deputies opened with
only fifteen members in their seats Some
hundreds of others spent their time in
the lobbies and committee rooms dis
cussing the situation brought about by
the assassination of NJ. Calmette. AL
though 1t was regarded as illogical to
hold the cabinet in any way responsible
for the crime of Nine. Caillaux, yet the
opportunity was seized by opponents of
the cabinet to denounce NJ. Cailiaux and
his associates. The adherents of the
government were somewhat disorganized
and displayed sentiment of diminished
confidence as to the ministry being able
to resist the attacks of the opposition.
Nine. Caillaux went to the Office of the
Figaro to carry out an act of vengeance
against NJ. Calmette. who had been wag-
ing campaign characerized by great
bitterness against the minister of finance.
mette being wounded in the chest in the
side and In the abdomen.
While the editor was being transported
to the hospital he said repeatedly: Il
have done my duty. l have done my
duty"
Having committed the deed Nine
CaillauX submitted to arrest, and while
employees in the Figaro offices were TAX
ing the pistol from her hands she said:
Since there is no justice in this coun-
try l take upon myself ali ac- of justice.
Take me where you WILL
Nine. CaillauX Immediately was remov-
ed to a police station, where she under
went a preliminary examination, the SUBJ
stance of which was communicated to
the press at her desire.
Il am sorry, she said, FOR what l
was obliged to do. 1 had no intention Of
killing NJ. Calmette. and l would be
happy to know that he will recover. I
desired only to teach him lesson
At the moment of the attack NJ. Cal
mette was preparing to leave his office in
the company Of Paul Rourget. the author
He excused himself to receive Nine
Caillaux.
Her Statement to Police.
In her statement to the police Nine
CaillauS explained that the campaign
against her husband had become intoler-
able and she determined TO stop it. She
consulted an eminent lawyer who ad-
vised her that legal proceedings would be
futile-that they were often worse in the
case of an innocent person than in the
case of the guilty. She decided then to
take the law into her hands. She bought
a revolver, drove to the Figaro office and
sent in her card.
NJ Calmette was most polite and asked
y fn, l,<,
"It is needless for me to pretend that /
am making a friendly call 1 answered" "
said Nine. Caillaux. Then. losing all
control Of myself at the thought of the
humiliations inflicted on my husband, l
drew my revolver from my muff and fired
all the cartridges. NJ. Calmette was sur
prised at the first report and tried to take
shelter behind desk"
Mme.- Cafllaux was charged formally
with attempted homicide and removed to
81 Lazare prison. Later the charge was
changed to homicide. Nine. Caillaux.
when she was taken from the police sta
tion to ST. Lazare prison after commtttine
the crime was accompanied by Arthur
Ieymarie, chief private secretary of the
minister for war. She conversed calmly
with him,
- ,,,av, che said "The press camno,g,,