Carnot was near his most popular , when , on 24 June 1894 , he attended a public banquet in Lyon . Afterwards he was stabbed by an Italian anarchist named Sante Geronimo Caserio and died shortly after midnight on 25 June . Carnot was reaching the zenith of popularity , when , on 24 June 1894 , after delivering at a public banquet at Lyon a speech in which he appeared to imply that he nevertheless would not seek re-election , he was stabbed by an Italian anarchist named Sante Geronimo Caserio and died shortly after midnight on 25 June .