M. MILLERAND'S ESCAPE

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15033, 2 September 1922, Page 7

M. MILLERAND'S ESCAPE

PARIS SHOOTING OUTRAGE. The great military review at Longohamp on the occasion of France’s National Eete of July 14 nearly ended in a tragedy (says tho Paris correspondent of tho London Times, writing on July 14). An attempt was made to assassinate the President of the Republic, M. Millerand, as he was returning through the Champs Elysees. It was at t'iie carriage of the new Paris Prefect of Police, M. Naudin —• appointed only a few days ago—that the shots were actually fired. It Is believed, however, that as tho President’s carriage followed closely behind, the .young anarchist who fired was either mistaken, or else was so unnerved that lie aimed at random when the procession passed.

Happily the Prefect was not struck. The only person who was injured was a woman named Marie Daucamp. She received a trivial wound in her arm. She had, however, a narrow escape. The second bullet appears to have passed through the sleeve of her blouse. She was standing on a chair in the front rank of the crowd of spectators, and tiad come up front the Midi especially to see the review. The assailant, Gustave Bouvet, is a young man of 23, and is understood to be the secretary of the Communist organisation to which he belongs. He is tall, dark, and rather sickly in appearance.

He has evidently been misguided by the extremist ‘literature” which protests against the so-called military character of these celebrations. During tho past few days certain newspapers have been declaring that the original spirit of Bastille Day has been completely perverted. Bouvet himself says that he only meant to make a demonstration, lie adds that he fired upon the ground,- and had no desire to hurt anybody. Against HRs assertion, however, is the fact that the course of the bullet was horizontal, as is shown by the hole in Mme. Daucamp’s blouse. Eye-Witness’ Story. It was at 10.45 this morning that, the presidential procession, descending the Avenue les Champs Elysees, arrived at the corner of the Avenue Marigny. Suddenly, to the consternation of the crowd, two shots rang out. An eye-witness who was in the entourage of the President gave the following account: —“Everybody was slartled. A policeman riding a bicycle immediately dashed upon the young man. There was a scrambling confusion of bicycles and struggling limbs. Other policemen rushed to Hie rescue. The bystanders were exceedingly menacing, and it would have /gcn e hard with the youth had not the police, with remarkable alacrity and instinctive sense of order, surrounded and protected him from the anger of the crowd. I lost sight of him, but. I observed the public thronging round the President’s carriage in order to save him from any possible further attempts. M. Millerand had not heard the sounds of tho shots in the clamours o; the populace, and was surprised to see this movement. The people cried, ‘Stop I Don’t go onj Learning what had taken place, and pleased by this spontaneous show of affection, the President rose, waved the throng aside, and said, simply and smilingly, ‘No, let us proceed. Tc the Elvsee!'" The procession was hardly interrupted. The Presidential carriage was preceded by that of M. Naudin. With M. Naudin were M. Guichard, Director of the Municipal Police, and M. Marlie, Chef-de-Cabinet to the Prefect. M. Guichard jumped out - and signalled to the procession to px-oceed. Tho Elysee was reached in good order. As soon as they aiTived, the President congratulated the Prefect on having escaped fi'om this attack. The Prefect replied lightly: ‘M. le President, I have received my baptism of fire in Paris 1’ It was realised that the real object of this crime was the President, and he was overwhelmed with solicitous inquiries and congratulations.” M. Naudin stated that it was evident that it was not for him that the shots were meant. “I am happy,” he added, “that it was upon me that they were directed instead of on the President.” Bouvet was taken to the police station near the Grand Palais. He was interrogated at length. Twice he has been convicted of crimes against society, and has suffered six months’ imprisonment. He is known as Juvenis, and has been living at tho Hotel de la’viette- Rue de Panovaux.