Calmette, Gaston

(1858-1914)

   journalist

   Born in Montpellier, Gaston Calmette studied law in Paris and, in 1883, joined the staff of Le Figaro. His reporting caused a sensation in December 1892, at the height of the panama affair, when one of his interviews led to the resignation of the minister of finance. In 1894, he was named an editor, and soon (1896-97) wrote articles on the Dreyfus affair that were widely read. Made director of Le Figaro in 1903, he increased the paper's circulation over the next decade. In 1914, he began an intense campaign against joseph caillaux, minister of finance, accusing him and others of improper political activity. Consequently, on March 16 of that year, he was assassinated in his office by Caillaux's wife, and Caillaux subsequently resigned. Her trial caused a sensation in France.