THE CALMETTE MURDER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 92, 9 April 1914, Page 5

THE CALMETTE MURDER.

AN UNHAPPY MARRIAGE. L-- ■ . .■; J Bt Electric Telegraph— Copyright [United Press Association.! Paris, April 7. M. Poiucaire informed the Magistrate that M. Caillaux asked for an interview on the day of M. Calmette’s assassination. M. Caillaux told him he feared the Figaro would publish letters involving his wife, and said: “If Calmette publishes our letters, I’ll kill him.” M. Poiucaire endeavoured to calm him. Later ho conferred with M .Doumergue, with a view of dispelling Caillaux’s fears. He had just arranged to use his influence to prevent the publication of the letters when ho heard of the murder. Reichep, sub-editor of the Figaro, gave .evidence that M. Caillaux, a month before the crime, told a member of the staff of the Figaro that unless M. Calmette ceased his campaign he would kill him in a duel. Latzarus, a journalist, denied that Calmette intended to publish tho letters. Their contents had been bandied about on all sides, but no newspaper dared to sully its columns with them. SEARCHING CROSS-EXAMINA-TION.

Paris, April 8. M. Caillaux, in a day’s sensational cross-examination, laid bare the whole of his private life. Ho said he was married in 1900, but the union was an unhappy one from tho beginning. After tho fall of the Clomenceau Ministry, their discord was acute. His wife stole three letters from him to hi° present wife, who was lately '.vorced from Claretie. ‘ One of the letters was that which Calmette had published, signed, “Yours, Jo,” and there was another of sixteen pages. Caillaux explained that for private and political reasons he was unable to divorce his wife. When ho discovered the theft he offered lus wife divorce or reconciliation, on condition that she restored tho letters. She chose tho reconciliation, and the letters were burnt in his presence. She solemnly declared that she had no copies. After the divorce he learnt that this was untrue, and that tho letters wore going to he published.