President Félix Faure dies in office

Background. Félix Faure served as President of France from 1895 until his death in 1899. His presidency was marked by the Dreyfus affair, which he regarded as adjudicated. The Élysée Palace, the official residence of the president, contains the presidential office. Faure died suddenly at age 58 from a stroke in this office on 16 February 1899.

Circumstances of Death. Marguerite Steinheil was introduced to Faure in 1897 and became his mistress, regularly visiting the salon bleu in the private quarters of the Élysée Palace. On 16 February 1899, Faure called Steinheil to the palace. Unconfirmed rumors state he was engaged in sexual activities in his office on top of the presidential desk with her. One account reports that he then spent a few minutes with his mistress before fainting and returning to his office.

Aftermath and Rumors. Doctors recognized the case was hopeless, but the family was not informed until nearly 8 o'clock. Opponents of the government tried to make political capital of the affair, with anti-Semitic newspapers charging Steinheil with having poisoned President Faure. Steinheil later recorded in her Mémoires that a mysterious German guest reclaimed a manuscript of the president's memoirs she had kept.