TERRORIST'S MISTAKE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 6

TERRORIST'S MISTAKE.

A strange story comes from LilU (France). A local factory manager, M. Mathieu Gilson, whoso body has just been buried at a place near Ronbaix, wei mistaken for another manager, and w; t shot by. a Polish Terrorist while on visit to Kussia. M. Gilson was the superintendent of the mills of Mote, Jioilasous, and Caulliot, of Roubaix. He went on a visit to various Russian factories, among others to those of Czcnstochoa, oud was cordially entertained by tho manager, M. Egersky. . One day ho was in the courtyard of the factory, with two French colleagues and SI. Egersky. They wero all four standing in a gvonp in friendly conversation. M. Egersky, though much older, bore a striking resemblance to 11. Gilson. It was six o clock in the evening, aud tho factorv hands, some 2000 in number, were leaving the workshops. At a moment when M. Gilson offered a cigarette to'his host, M. Egersky, a revolver shot was heard, and M. Gilson was struck in tho neck by a bullet which penetrated up through the brain and lodged in (ho skull. Ho was killed almost instantly. In tho excitement of the moment tho young man. a Pole, 26 years of age, who had fired the shot, made his escape. As ho ran away he fired several more shots to frighten any wonld-be pursuers. Ho was recognised, however, in a public square on the following day, and ■ was ■arrested. He had taken tho useless precaution of having his ljeard and moustache shaved off. It then turned out that ho had intended to shoot M. Egersky, but ho was deceived by the resemblance, and fired on M. Gilson by mistake. M. Egersky lmd received several threatening letters from, the Terrorist Committee at Czcnstochoa. After the outrage this secret committee had the .audacity to write to the manager of the factory to apologise for the mistake, saving that the bullet had.been intended for him. M. Egorsky, it is said, was advised to lc:ive Czciistochoft for tho present. Tho body of M. I Gilson was sent to Ronbaix.