Octave Garnier

 

 

Paris, March 19, 1912. 4:25 in the afternoon.

Monsieur Editor in chief,

Please print the following:

To Messieurs Gilbert, Guichard and Co.

Since the time that you interfered and made the press put the spotlight on me to the great joy of all the doormen and caretakers in the capital, you have been saying that my capture is imminent, but, believe me, all this hullabaloo has not prevented me from enjoying the pleasures of life in peace.

As you yourselves have admitted on several occasions, it is not through your smarts that you were able to found out about, but through a stool pigeon who infiltrated us. You can be sure that I and my friends know how to give him the reward he deserves, just as we have to a few people who were too talkative.

And your reward of 10,000 francs offered to my companion if she sold me out — what a pittance for you who can be so lavish with public funds. Sirs, multiply it by ten and I will deliver myself bound hand and foot, bag and baggage, to your Mercy!

Will I confess to you? Your incompetence in the noble occupation that you exercise is so obvious that a few days ago I wanted to show up in your office to give you some extra information and correct some errors, whether they were deliberate or not.

Like: I tell you that Dieudonné is innocent of the crime that you know very well I committed. And I deny the allegations of Rodriguez: I alone am guilty.

I know that there will be an end to this fight between the formidable arsenal of the State and me. I know that I will be vanquished, I will be the weaker,but I hope I can make you pay dearly for the victory.

Meanwhile, it was a pleasure to meet you,

Garnier

From “Le Matin”, March 21, 1912
Octave Garnier was one of the founding members of the Bonnot Gang, anarchists and illegalists. This letter was written 7 weeks before he was killed in a shootout with police.