Jules Bonnot

A difficult youth

Jules Joseph Bonnot was born with Bridge-with-Roide the October 14th 1876. His/her mother dies on January 23rd, 1887 in Besancon whereas it is only ten years old. The father of Jules, working founder, illiterate, must then assume only the education of the boy. The studies of this last occurring badly, it gives up the school quickly.

At fourteen years it enters in training. It is not very justified by this heavy work and often disputes with its successive owners. In 1891, to fifteen years, Bonnot is condemned for the first time for fishing with prohibited machine, then in 1895 following a brawl in a ball. It Marie after her military service in 1901 with a young dressmaker with whom he leaves for Geneva. His/her older brother commits suicide by hanging in 1903 following a disappointed love.

Anarchistic engagement

It is at that time that Bonnot starts to militate for the Anarchisme. It is made return railroads of Bellegarde following its political commitment and nobody any more accepts to engage it. It then decides to leave for the Suisse. It finds a post of mechanic with Geneva and his wife falls pregnant. But the child, Emilie, die a few days after the childbirth. Bonnot always militates for anarchism and acquires a reputation of agitator. It is then expelled of Switzerland.

Its gifts in mechanics however enable him to quickly find an employment in a large car manufacturer of Lyon. In February 1904 his wife is confined of a second child. The political convictions of Bonnot remain long-lived: denouncing the injustices and driving strikes, it attracts itself the lightnings of the owners. It then decides to leave Lyon for Saint-Etienne.

In Saint-Etienne he is mechanic in a recognized firm. He places with his family in the secretary of his trade union, Besson, which becomes the lover of his wife. To escape anger from Bonnot, Besson leaves for Switzerland with Sophie and her child. Its engagement is increasingly stronger. Its escape made him lose its employment and it becomes, like good of others at that time, an unemployed pauper. Of 1906 with 1907 it opens two workshops of mechanics in Lyon, while making some breakages with Platano, its right-hand man. In 1910 it goes to London and becomes driver of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, father of Sherlock Holmes, thanks to its talents of driver which will be more than useful for him in its adventure illegalist.

Beginnings of the band

At the end of 1910, Bonnot is of return to Lyon and uses the car like a criminal technique, an innovation. The police force seeks it and it leaves Lyon with Platano précipitemment. In the course of road, it kills Platano in circumstances which remain not very clear: according to the version which it will give to its future accomplices, Platano would have been seriously wounded with its revolver by accident, and it would have completed it to avoid to him suffering. Like notes it Alphonse Boudard, Bonnot could not give of another version, more especially as Platano was its guarantee near the Parisian anarchists. Bonnot having recovered a money large sum that Platano related to him, the assumption of a premeditated murder cannot be isolated.

At the end of November 1911, Bonnot meets with the seat of the newspaper Anarchy , directed by Victor Serge, several anarchistic sympathizers who will become his accomplices, whose the two principal ones, Octave Garnier and Raymond Callemin says “Raymond-the-science”, others which will play a less part in the business, Élie Monnier says “Simentoff” (or Symentoff), Edouard Carouy, André Soudy, like Eugene Dieudonné, of which the exact role forever really established. Followers of the individual Taken again , all already made menus larcenies, and burn to pass at the higher stage. The arrival of Bonnot plays a part of release. Although the idea of chief feels reluctant with the anarchists, Bonnot, older, more tested in the crime, virtually will play this part.

The steering of the General society

December 14th 1911, Bonnot, Garnier and Callemin steal a car which they intend to use for their projects. Using its knowledge of the various models, Bonnot chose a Delaunay-Belleville green and black of 12 CV, model 1910, mark of luxury which it knows reliable and fast.

December 21st, 1911, to 9:00, Street Ordener with Paris, Bonnot, Garnier, Callemin and perhaps a fourth man present to the meeting Ernest Caby, boy of receipt of the General society, and of its bodyguard, Alfred Peemans. When they see them, Garnier and Callemin precipitate out of the car, Bonnot remaining at the wheel. Garnier twice makes fire on the collector which crumbles, seriously wounded. Callemin collects its satchel, and both flee in direction of the car, in spite of the intervention of passers by that Bonnot tries to disperse while drawing in the air. Once Callemin and Garnier assembled inside, Bonnot start, but Callemin made fall the satchel in the gutter. It goes down to recover it, sees somebody who runs in his direction, on which it draws without the touch, then goes up in the car. According to several witnesses, a fourth man would have intervened at this time. Lastly, Bonnot starts, and the band escapes.

It is the first time that a car is used to make a steering, and the event has a considerable repercussion, increased by the serious wound of the collector. The following day the event does the one of the newspapers. The band déchante however by discovering the spoils which are only of some titles and 5000 francs. They give up their car with Dieppe then return to Paris. Callemin, left in Belgium to try in vain to negotiate the titles, joined them soon. During this time the police force discovers that the steering is related to the anarchistic medium, news which when it perspires in the press increases the repercussion of the business further.

Approximately one week after the steering of the General society, Garnier and Callemin find refuge a few days at Victor Serge and his mistress Rirette Maitrejean. Although not approving the methods of the band, they lodge them by solidarity. Shortly after the departure of Garnier and Callemin, the police force, always inquiring among the known anarchists, searches the residence of Victor Serge. The couple is stopped, officially for detention of weapons found in a package left by an anarchistic friend. The press introduces Victor Serge like the “brain” of the band, estimating that without him the capture of the others is imminent. The event has rather in fact the opposite effect: young anarchists like Rene Servant and Andre Soudy, revolted by this arrest, thereafter will join the illegalist group.

Other flights and steerings

The Band continues its tour; December 31st with Ghent, Bonnot, Garnier and Carouy try to steal a car. They are surprised by the driver but Garnier strikes this one, then keep silent from the revolver a night watchman alerted by the noise. January 3rd, 1912, with Thiais, Carouy, in company of Marius Metge, assassinates a shareholder and his chambermaid during a burgling. Nothing indicates that this double murder was concerted with Bonnot and its other accomplices, but because of participation of Carouy in the blow of Ghent, justice will confuse it with the other crimes of the band. February 27th, Bonnot, Callemin and Garnier steal a Delaunay-Belleville news. A policeman which tries to challenge them because of the dangerous driving of Bonnot in Paris is cut down by Garnier (coincidentally the agent was also called Garnier). This murder of a member of the police force further increases the fury of the press and the opinion, which require the capture of the band. The following day with Pontoise, the trio tries dévaliser the safe of a notary. Surprised by this one, they are constrained to flee by giving up the spoils.

During this time, Eugene Dieudonné is stopped. Dieudonné denies any participation in the criminal activities of the band, although he admits to know Bonnot and the others and recognizes his anarchistic sympathies. He is shown of participation in the steering of the street Ordener by the boy of receipts of the General society, which had initially recognized Carouy then Garnier on the photographs which had been presented to him.

March 19th, a letter published in the Morning creates sensation. In this one, Garnier causes the police force which it puts at the challenge to stop. It is however not made an illusion on its fate: I know that I will be overcome that I will be weakest , writes it, but I hope well to make expensive paid (sic) your victory . It innocent Dieudonné, affirming to be the author of the crimes of which this one is marked. The letter is signed by a digital fingerprint which the police force recognizes like authentic.

March 25th, the usual trio Bonnot, Garnier, Callemin, accompanied by Monnier, Callemin and Soudy, prepares to steal a limousine Of Dion-Button of which they learned that it was to be delivered on the Riviera. The attack occurs to Montgeron. Bonnot placed in the middle of the road agitates a handkerchief. When the car stops, the remainder of the band emerges. Believer whom the driver was going to leave a weapon, Garnier and Callemin cut down it, as well as the owner of the car. According to this one, which survives its wounds, Bonnot would have shouted in the middle of the shooting “Stop! You are insane! Stop! ”. In the tread, the band decides to go to the branch of the General society to Chantilly for an impromptu steering. Emerging in the bank, Garnier, Callemin, Valet and Monnier three employees cut down, pile up rollers of gold and banknotes in a bag, then regain the car that Bonnot promptly made start. The gendarmes are alerted, but having only of bicycles and horses, they must let the band flee.

Run-out in Bonnot

After this last steering, the police force gradually will put an end to the activities of the band. March 30th, Soudy is stopped. April 4th, it is the turn of Carouy. April 7th, the police officers capture Callemin, important result this one being one of the most important protagonists with Garnier and Bonnot. April 24th, Monnier is also stopped.

April 24th, Louis Jouin, number 2 of the national security which is charg3e d' affaires, searches with Ivry-sur-Seine in the residence of an anarchistic sympathizer. In a room, it with the surprise to recognize Bonnot, which kills it with blow of revolver then manages to flee. Wounded during the shooting, Bonnot goes in a pharmacist to be made look after. He explains to the pharmacist why he fell from a scale, but this one made the bringing together with the business of Ivry and prevents the authorities. The police force can thus have an approximate idea of the place where Bonnot is and passes the area to the fine comb. April 27th, it surprises it in its hiding-place of Choisy-the-King. Bonnot has time to be cut off in its house, and the chief of Safety prefers to make encircle the neighborhoods and await the reinforcements rather than to give the attack. A long seat starts, carried out in person by the prefect of police, Louis Lépine. More and more of various troops arrive (to a regiment of Zouaves with its machine-gun Hotchkiss very last thing), as well as many idlers come to attend the “spectacle”. Bonnot leaves from time to time on the perron to shoot at its enemies; it is obviously accommodated by salvos of shooting but each time manages to be left there unscathed. While time passes and that the police force tergiversates on the way of putting an end to the seat, it ignores its attackers little by little to start to write its will. Finally, Lépine decides to make jump the house to dynamite. Seriously wounded in the explosion, Bonnot still takes time to finish its will by affirming the innocence of several people of which Dieudonné. When the police officers taken along by Guichard give the attack, he still manages to accommodate them with blow of revolver before being wounded. He dies shortly after while arriving at the Hôtel-Dieu of Paris.

After Bonnot, the last two members of the band in freedom are Valet and especially Garnier, author of the majority of the murders. May 14th, they are localized in a house of Nogent-sur-Marne. The police officers hope to carry out an arrest “carefully”, but discretion lack, they are located by Valet and Garnier who are cut off in the house. A new seat starts, practically identical to that of Choisy, with a very great number of police officers and soldiers and a crowd of idlers come to follow the operations. During more than 9 hours, Servant and Garnier hold in respect a small army of police force. Finally, a regiment of dragons manages to make jump the villa. The police force gives the attack and completes the two men. The police officers must then fight to recover the bodies with the crowd which wants to reduce them out of pulp.

The lawsuit of the survivors

The lawsuit of the surviving members of the band with Bonnot takes place in February 1913. The principal defendants are Callemin, Carouy, Metge, Soudy, Monnier, Dieudonné, Victor Serge, to which are added various marked people to have helped the band with various titles. Callemin is the principal surviving member; it uses the court like a platform to express its revolt. He denies the facts which are reproached to him, but in such way that he hardly leaves doubt about his culpability. Carouy and Metge are especially judged for the double murder of Thiais; they deny but their digital fingerprints show them unambiguous. Monnier and Soudy their participation in the holdup of Chantilly is reproached, whose witnesses recognize them formally. Victor Serge is introduced to the beginning of the lawsuit like the thinking head of the band, which he denies vigorously, showing that he does not have at any time benefitted from their flights.

The only truly doubtful case is that of Dieudonné, shown participation in the steering of the street Ordener. Bonnot and Garnier affirmed its innocence before dying. Dieudonné lays out of more than one supported alibi of evidence, showing that it was with Nancy at the time of the facts. Against him testimonys of several witnesses weigh, of which that of the collector of receipts devalized by the band.

At the conclusion of the lawsuit, Callemin, Monnier, Soudy and Dieudonné are condemned to death. Carouy and Metge are condemned to the forced labors with perpetuity (Carouy will commit suicide thereafter in its cell). Victor Serge is condemned to 5 years of prison; he managed to clear himself of the charge to have been the “brain” of the band with Bonnot, but is condemned for the revolvers found to his residence during his arrest. With the advertisement of the verdict, Callemin speaks. Whereas during the debates he had denied to have taken part in the holdup of the street Ordener, he shows himself, and affirms that Dieudonné is innocent. This declaration will be used by the defender of Dieudonné, main Vincent de Moro Giafferi, to present a recourse in grace near the president Raymond Poincaré. This one commutes the sorrow of Dieudonné to forced labors with perpetuity. As for the three others condemned to the capital punishment, they are guillotines on April 21st, 1913, in front of the Prison of Health to Paris.

A little more than one half-century later, in May 1968, the Caillavès room of the Sorbonne was renamed room Jules Bonnot by the members the Committee occupation this building, " Enragés" , anarchists and situationnists for the majority. Mad cf and situationnists in the movement of the occupations , Paris, Gallimard, 1968; and International situationnist , n°12, 1969, p.22.

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