BOMB FOR ZOLA IS NO NEW THING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11771, 28 September 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOMB FOR ZOLA IS NO NEW THING.

HE HAS RECEIVED LETTERS THREATENING inS LIFE ALMOST EVERY DAY FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS.

Pasts, August 3.—The World correspondent went to Zc.ki'i 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 Rue de Braxelles.

Zola was astonishingly calm. He says he has received threatening letters almost every day in the last ten years, evidently written by religious fanatics and cranks of all sorts, who were exasperated by his works. Every new volume brings more rabid epistles. After he took a hand in the Dreyfus affair the dire missives came in such numbers that Mme. Zola ordered his secretary to destroy them without showing them, to him. Three attempts have been made on Zola's life.

Once some poisoned wine was left at his house by a supposed dealer. Once on returning home late at night he was murderously attacked by two men with knives. He routed them with a stout cane.

When he published his novel entitled "Lourdes," purporting to show bow 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 the 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 1 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 the intending murderer was disturbed.