Bomb for Zola.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 263, 15 November 1901, Page 1

Bomb for Zola.

Paris, Oct. 3. A correspondent went to Emile Zola's country seat at Medan, one hour from Paris, the day after a bomb was found at the entrance of the novelist’s Paris mansion on Eue de Bruxelles. Zola was astonishingly calm. He says he has received threatening letters almost every day in the last ton years, (evidently written hy religious fanatics and cranks of all sorts, who were exasperated. ~by; his works. Every new vclumb'VbtkagVtiiore . rabid.' pniatles. After he took a hand in the Dreyfus afiair the dire missives came in such numbers that Mme. Zola ordered his secretary to destroy them without showing them to him. Three attompts have been made on Zola’s life. Ones some poisoned wine was left at his house by a supposed dealer. Once, on returning home late at night, ho was murderously attacked by two men with knives. He pasted them with a stout cane, When ho published his novel entitled .Lourdes,” purporting to show how the “ miracle business ” was exploited at the famous grotto where it was alleged the Virgin once appeared, a bomb was exploded at his country house, partly demolishing it, but not harming any persons. A paper was found nailed to the front door on which was written: “ Death to tho satanic writer who has blasphemed Our Lady of Lourdes.” Moreover, during Zola’s trial in the Assizes Court of Versailles a mob daily stopped him on coming out, wrecked his automobile and howled encouragement to lynch him.

Zola says : “Being.blown up probably is not a more disagreeable death than any other, and I don’t care which way my hour comes. But I deplore these attempts to reveal untouched treasures of human stupidity and discouragement.” The bomb found the other day consisted of a strong iron box filled with powder and a lot of rifle cartridges. The fact that the fuse was not lighted indicates that tho intending murderer was disturbed.