Gaston Calmette facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gaston Calmette
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Gaston Calmette in 1913
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| Born | 30 June 1858 Montpellier, France
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| Died | 16 March 1914 (aged 55) Paris, France
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| Cause of death | Shot by Henriette Caillaux |
| Resting place | Cimetière des Batignolles, (Batignolles Cemetery), Paris |
| Nationality | French |
| Occupation | Journalist and editor |
| Employer | Le Figaro |
| Relatives | Albert Calmette (brother) |
Gaston Calmette (born July 30, 1858 – died March 16, 1914) was a well-known French journalist. He was also the editor of a famous newspaper called Le Figaro. His death became a very public event at the time.
Early Life and Career
Gaston Calmette was born in Montpellier, a city in France. He went to school in several different cities, including Nice and Bordeaux. After finishing his education, he started working as a journalist.
In 1884, Calmette joined the team at Le Figaro, which was a major French newspaper. By 1894, he had become the editor of the newspaper. This meant he was in charge of what was published.
A Newspaper Campaign
In January 1914, Calmette started a big newspaper campaign. His target was Joseph Caillaux, who was the Minister of Finance at the time. Caillaux had introduced a new tax system where richer people paid a higher percentage of their income. He was also known for wanting peace with Germany during a time of tension in 1911.
Almost every day, Le Figaro published articles that tried to show bad things about Minister Caillaux. The newspaper suggested that he used his official position to help with financial deals in Paris. They also brought up an older case from 1911. Le Figaro claimed that Caillaux's ministry had influenced officials to delay justice in this case. This led to a very strong and public newspaper fight. Some of Caillaux's colleagues told him to sue the newspaper, but he decided not to. Joseph Caillaux eventually resigned from his job on January 11, 1912.
A Tragic Event
On March 16, 1914, at 6:00 p.m., Gaston Calmette was at the offices of Le Figaro. He was with his friend, a writer named Paul Bourget. A woman named Henriette Caillaux, who was Joseph Caillaux's wife, was waiting for him. She was wearing a fur coat and had her hands in a fur hand warmer.
Calmette agreed to meet with her in his office. After a short conversation, Madame Caillaux took out a small pistol she had hidden. She fired several shots. Calmette was hit four times and was badly hurt. He passed away six hours later. Madame Caillaux did not try to run away. Newspaper workers quickly called a doctor and the police. She was taken to the police station and formally questioned about what happened.
During the newspaper campaign against Joseph Caillaux, Le Figaro had published some of his private letters. Madame Caillaux was worried that the newspaper would also publish a love letter. This letter would show that her husband had started a relationship with her while he was still married to his first wife. She was later found not responsible for the event.
Other Interests
Gaston Calmette was also very interested in art. He had a great collection of drawings and prints from the time of the First French Empire.
