MADAME CAILIAUN ON TRIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15444, 5 September 1914, Page 2

MADAME CAILIAUN ON TRIAL.

CROWDS BESIEGE PALACE OF JUSTICE. PRISONER TELLS HER STORY. Proceedings in tho trial of Mme. Caillaux for the- murder on March 16 of Gaston Cahnettc, editor of "Figaro.." began at noon to-day in the Palace of Just ce, with Judge Lou's Albanel as President of the Court (says a messageto the New York "Evening Post.") The dramatic circumstances of the affair, involving political intrigues in which tho pr'soncr's husband, a former Premier and Minister of Finance, was a prominent figure, and rumoured threat of Royalists to create a disturbance during the trial, heightened popular interest in the case. Precautions were taken by the Government to prevent a disturbance.

Long before the opening of the Palace of Justice, crowds, in spite of a drizzling rain, had assembled in the vicinity, and heavy forces of police were called out t»i keep them in order. Long lines formed on the Place Dauphine and the Boulevard du Palais, hoping to secure the few places left for the general puT>l'ir in th> courtroom, which had been for the most »ait allotted to the press representative.? and barristers. A fewpersons had taken tip positions outside tho building last night, with the object of silling their places to others w : liing to pay well for the chance of admission" The police however, eventually chased tlic-m awav.

LEADING FIGURES OF THE TRIAL

Mme. Caillaux herself had been conducted i'rom tho prison of the Cone'ergerie to tho court by secret ways, so that thoso outside had no opportunity of cheering or hissing her, according to the'r sympathies. The other leading figures occupied with the case, however, were the objects of demonstrations. Among them were tho Pro-curator-Generai, Jules Herbaux, in charge of the prosecution, and Bernand Labori, the famous advocate, who hseanie widely known through li s connection vr'.V'.i the Dreyfuss trial. The newspapers to-day were filled with references to the case, and "Figam." came out w.th a violently worded article on the opening of the trial i'rom tho pen of Alfred C'apus, the recently chosen academ.cian. who n;.w occupies the edtorial chair formerly held by Calmette. la it he declares: "Tho party wh'eh assass'nated Calmette is going to do its host to defiie his memory. for that purpese it has stopped at nothing, and has not scrupled to violate confidences, thus giving a foretaste of what is in store."'

The art'flo continues with a panegyric on the dead editor, and concludes: "Those who have sla>n him from behind would l'ke to transform him into a man invoved in shady finance —a pirate. Caillaux, go on! Do not put vourself out. You have well-sharpened teeth, a heavy jaw, an appetite excited by the sme'.l of biood; but the honour of Calmette is wroughtin nfarb'.e. You will not bite into it."

PRISONER CALLED BEFORE COURT. .

As soon as t'ae jurors, who had been drawn by iot, were .n a pr.vate room, and the four judges composing the court had taken tho.r places, Piesidcnt A.'banoc culled out loiuhy, "'Bi'.ng in the accused." and the moment for wh cli vile people crowd ng the courtroom had bej.n wa.tng had c.mo.' Repr.b.icMi guards then opened a small door m the wall of the courtroom bci oath the bust of the Goddess of L ber. ly, ami .Aline. Caillaux stepped out before the tribunal. The strong l.ght from the windows opposite seemed to startle the accused woman, or perhaps -t was tho absomto sdence in the conn renin and the masses of faces turned towards her that made her lies.tate, and reach out unstead.ly to catch the arm of tho RcpubUau Guard standing at her right, lie spoke ;i word !<, her and she catered the prisoner's enclosure directly in 'frost of her. She stood there with eyes downcast and her shoulders bent, a t rn.dleokir.g figure .n b.a.k. SCie wore a c oth-jackct su t. a sniali b!a-k hat w.tli a black birdwiiig cocked on one s'elo, a whit;.- .iiu'ii collar od_od w.th lace and held together by a pearl pin. The prisoner sat ilowir, but as all in vac ci.urtrc.om- except the judges were standing s-lic has: ly rose again and iLd not reseat herself untu ail the others d.el so. A moment later Judge Aib..nel. •n a clear, pleasant vo.ee, said: "What is your namer ' Mme. Ca.haux's re. p.y. •Tlenr.ette C'a l.aux," cou d hardly" bo heard. As tho pr.sdUT remaned standing me piesidmg judge said, "You luav st down."

'the only women present in court wo'n two women barristers and several witnesses. Tho remainder ol tho space was occupied by 1 17 reporters, twenty artists, seventy-live witnesses, about fifty barristers. and possib;y as many more Republican Guards, detectives, and potty court officials. .Upon tile table in tront of the judges was a large brow p. pap.v package containing the pistol with which Calmette was shot, and various other articles connected w-'-h the case. Tho three judges assisting President Albanel are AchflU- Katz. Louis Dagoury. and Henri Roiy. Tho jury is composed of men of many trades and professions, including an engraver, a build.ng contractor, a distiller, an architect, a teacher, a furrier, and a commis-ion agent, as well as several small capitalists. When these had been sworn, the clerk read the long indictment.

-MME. CAILLAUX OVERCOME BY. CIIAUGE. Mme. Caillaux began to cry when the court clerk, wlnlv reading the indictment, roaencd the words "wiliul murder." She jliook with sobs and piaced a handkerchief over her lace. The clerk then called the list of wit-iie.-s,s, oaeh of whom answered "Presini," and then leli tile court. The prisoner looked at t.ach of the witnesses .i- he or .-he lepiieel. Joseph Cailsuix, :he prisoner's husband, answered in a firm voice, and she watched him as he leu tin court. Judge A;l>anel then began to question the prisoner. •• Yen are called Genevieve Josephine Jhiiriette Havnottard. atv you not:- and were born October li. 1574 'nie prisoner stood up and replied: •" Yes. Judge." The Judge— ■■ During your examination liyliy the magistrate you gave some information ab,m: your past jif. ■. |)c> you wish to recti 11 for the iurv wh:it you ~:>id : hen r" Ihe prisoner then nutde a long statcii.; itt - referring fremiently tu nolc«. Her voi.-e was -tnulv. She turned her head i; vas:ona!ly from side in side, as tS: ot:11 inakiim a public i-peedi. and ,~1;..u.d niiich selr'-jmssession. She .<;iid: I '\a< married at nineteen. io Leon ('ia r. ti. We had two daughters. One of them died when she was oiiiv six in..mils <iid. The other. Germaino, is now nineteen. A divorce was granted in \pril. lP')s'. in my favour, and the L".!ardian.-hit' t;: our daughter was given io Hi-.." Mme. t'aillaux spoke of her marriage ti- M. Cai!lau\ with some pride. She s.i it! : "M. Caillaux was Premier and in iiorrying hi in 1 found complete happin>s~. I thought all would be happy. I»;H ala«! my liie began to lie poison'd l.v calumuie., "

JUDGE SPEAKS OF VENGEANCE. The Judge—" You spoke at your examination of having vengeance for outrages against your husband." Tile prisoner: "The campaign of l: Figaro" against my husband then began. All the people in the salons that I frequented received me with smiles, that were intc-ndc-d to wound me. One person said behind nie that my husband had taken money from Germany to cede the Congo. These slanderous rumours penetrated every part of society. I was no longer able to go to the sittings of the Chamber of Deputies, because I was the object of unpleasant attention in the galleries. One day there was a cry behind me, 'To Berlin! Caillaux! Congo!' I was forced to leave/' !Mme. Caillaux added that painful incidents wore taking place all the time among her acquaintances when she was shopping, and oven in her home. She contmicd: "The attacks of the •i' :2raro' were implacable. They had nothing to do with po/t-ics. They wero personnel. I suffered. I lost- my head." Mine. Caillaux's voice sank.' and she seemed greatly moved. The judge waited a moment, and then inquired: hy you say that the polenrc cf 'Figaro had nothing to do with politics.-''

The prisoner ra : sed her clenched hands and said, passionatelv, "I will tell you why

'FIGARO" ARTICLES PRODUCED.

t Mme. Caillaux then searched among ■iiei notes and began to read passages Irom the "F.garo" articles. "These." she shouted, "are some among the 13S artx-lcs published against niy husband. J hese criticisms, as you have" heard are net attacks upon h,s polices, but upon him. one could be mstaken." Several times the prisoner paused and excused herself for the amount of t:mo she was taking. She asked tho presiding judge if sho could go on. "Take as much time as you l.ke." repked the judge. "You have tho fullest freedom to say anything you like or to take as much time as vou please." Mme. Caillaux then read avl Gaston Calmette s articles aga : nst M. Caillaux, and once while she, was do ng so exclaimed with stiddeii emotion, "Oh, niv poor husband! He was reckiesslv accused !"

The judge reminded Mme. Caillaux that at her examination she had referred to llie "Thy Joe" letter as one or three forming a sort of triologv. "I shall be obl ged," tho pr.soner answered, '*to into tho case my husband's first wife. I shall do so wit'll the greatest possible discretion 1 am forced to recall the fact that Mme. Cjuydon herself told nw*'husband that she had purloined those three letters and that she intended to make use of them against h;m and aga'nst- me, ancl to communicate them to my daughter and to my family."