Daniel Mérillon

Daniel Mérillon became a lawyer in Bordeaux. There, was a municipal councillor from 1878-84, deputy mayor from 1881-84 and eventually general councillor. He represented the Gironde constituency in the Assemblée Nationale (French parliament) from 1885-89 as a member of the Republican Union. During this time, he married Cécile Marcilhaud de Bussac, the daughter of the president of the court in Bordeaux.

After losing the next election, Mérillon became a magistrate and deputy general in Paris from 1890-93. For the following four years he was attorney general and then joined the Court of Cassation as public prosecutor. From 1917-22 he acted as president of the Chamber of Requests and then again as attorney general for another year. He held the position of attorney general at the High Court of Justice. For his services, he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour in 1923.

Mérillon was elected president of the National Union of Shooting Societies in 1886. At the 1900 World’s Fair he was responsible for the sports competitions including the programme of sports events at the 1900 Olympic Games. In this position, he later edited the Official Report. 1907-25 he acted as president of the International Union of Shooting Societies.

He represented France in shooting events at the 1900, 1908 and 1912 Olympic Games, in 1900 only in non-Olympic events. His best result was a fourth place in the 1908 team event with the military rifle. In the evenings, he was an avid bridge player.