The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-27 00:00:00

The Trial of the Paris Conspirators.

FRIDAY, FEB. 26, 7 A.M.—The Assize Court of
Paris is the largest, or rather the one of which the
dimensions are the least limited of the other courts
which compose the Palais de Justice. It contains
about 200 people,' including judges, bar, members of
the other courts not on duty, jury, prisoners, bar.
risters, and the general public. Whatever be the
number it contains—one can hardly say accommo-
date—there was assembled yesterday morning, two
hours at least before the doors opened, a crowd
sufficient to fill it were it ten times as spacious. The
presiding Judge, who may admit whom he pleases,
was not very liberal, or perhaps strictly just, in
exercising his privilege. One cannot satisfy every-
body; but it seems to be a standing complaint
among the habitues of the Palais that on occasions
like the present the hall is generally packed with
police agents, and the space accorded to the public
is the smallest possible. A good many ladies, who
doubtless had the luck to belong to the families of
the officials or their friends, and who were provided
with the indispensable tickets, occupied the benches
in the reserved part of the court; and the mem
bers of the magistracy not on service for the day
stood or sat on the platform behind the Judges.
The jury were to the right of the Judges, of whom
there were three—the President, M. Devienne ;
and close to the jury was a table, on which were
placed the eight bombs found with the prisoners,
Six of them were whole; the two others in frag-
ments, as experiments had been made to ascertain
their explosive power. Four pistols, two revolvers,
one air gun ingeniously constructed, four poniards,
and a large dagger lay near the bombs. A 61=11 port-
manteau, a travelling clothes-bag of oil cloth, and a
horn and game pouch completed what are called
les pieces de conviction. After some preliminary
formalities the President ordered the accused to be
brought into court. The four entered one by one,
preceded and followei by gendarmes, and took the
places assigned them. Each was separated from
his companion by a gendarme, and five gendarmes
sat in a line immediately behind them. Their
counsel occupied seats on a bench under them, and
divided by a partition. The prisoners, who are of
the true Italian type—dark complexion and black
hair—presented themselves without any visible
embarrassment. They wore moustaches, but no
whiskers, and in bearing and manner are of the
most ordinary class. Their features, with perhaps
the exception of Greco, who has a rather intelligent
countenance, and seems superior to his companions,
are of the coarsest kind. Soaglioni, the youngest of
the four, is slight, and of a paler complexion than
the others. They answered the questions put by
the judge as to their name, age, and profession
without hesitation. The jury were sworn in the
usual form ; the right hand held up towards the
large picture of the Crucifixion, and repeating the
oath after the clerk of the Court. When this was
over the acts d'accusation, which you will have re-
ceived before this, was read. The reading of this
document occupied three quarters of an hour, when
the direct examination of the prisoners (the interro •
gation) commenced. Greco was the first, and his
examination lasted about 50 minutes. The acts
d'aecusation had been translated into Italian for the
prisoners, who speak but little French. The ques-
tions put the President were on the points set
forth in the indictment. Greco had some diffi-
culty in understanding these questions, or in re-
plying to them, and en interpreter had to be
employed for the whole four. There was no
attempt at denial or equivocation on the part of
Greco. He admitted all that is stated concerning
himself, his relations with Mazzini, and ;he object
for which he came to Paris —the object being the
assassination of the Emperor, which was phoned
between him and Mazzini. From Mazzini he lead
received the letters which were found concealed on
his person. From Mazzini he had received the
money to enable him to live in Paris until the deed
should be consummated ; and from Mazzini he had
received the weapons to be employed in it. No per-
son came between him and Mazzini. He had never
spoken with Mazzini's secretaries about the plot; it
was direbtly with Mazzini, and with him alone he
had to do. From Mazzini he had received the 3,000 f.
The first four shells he had received were sent to him
from London, and the other six he got from Mosto,
who was not in the secret. He had introduced him-
self into the house of Prince Murat, in order to
throw the police off their guard, as they never would
suppose that a man who frequented Prince Murat's
house could be engaged in a conspiracy against the
Emperor. Imperatori had never shown the least
desire to separate himself from the others; on the
contrary, he always appeared decided to follow them
to the last, He declared that his intention was to
throw the shells into or under the carriage of the
Emperor on his way to or from the Opera in the Rue
Lepelletier ; and the use be meant to put the re-
volvers, pistols, and poniards to was to defend him-
self ; or, if necessary, to complete the work of assas-
sination.

-----
After the examination of Greco that of Trabuco
commenced. Trabuco began by saying that all that
had been said by Greco about the conspiracy and
its object was the exact truth. To the question as
to whether he had not been convicted in London of
theft, he said it was not for theft, but for having
pawned a watch belonging to a friend ; and that his
imprisonment was only i;J: three months. He had
been engaged as n singer in ,a coffeehouse in Lon-
don. To the question as to whether on his arrival
in Paris he had not been condemnod for a similar
offence, be replied—
" Yes ; but I was in a wretched condition. I trio to gain
my living by teaching music, but I did not succeed. i have
been one of Garibaldi's soldiers; I have shed my blood :or
my country--for the country that I love. lam humane ;
but when I saw my unfortunate country given over to
brigands, and when I saw the Emperor of the French shut-
ting his eyes to the fact—and yet he is the father of a
family, the father of a nation—well, he shut his eyes—l
grew desperate. I have a ball for the service of my coun-
try, After that we had the immense misery of Asproloonte.
My beloved General (Garibaldi) was wounded and made
prisoner. I was very wretched. It was at that very mo-
ment I made the acquaintance of Greco. I was mad with
grief ; I could not advance or retire. Greco asked me to
dinner. He knew I was a man, and it is true that I was
esteemed at Naples. I gave a concert there which succeeded
admirably. I followed Greoo. I had not a farthing in my
pocket. Greco was very kind to me—kind as a brother.
We agreed to give concerts, but we earned no money. It
was then that he unfolded his plans, and my head was

on fire.
The Presidont—What were the newspapers that set your
head on are ?

Trahueo—All the papers in Italy.
lie was asked if he had sworn to take away the
Emperor's life. He said he had not " sworn," alld
that this part of the business did not belong to
him,

The examination of Trabuco lasted till a quarter
to 1 o'clock. He made no very Ltvourable impres-
sion on the public. His appearance wa: of the most
ordinary kind. He wore long black hair, i7retlY
and dirty, a thick black moustache, and board. ue

spoke very little French, with a decidedly Italian
accent, but in his manner of answering was far more
animated than tho others, He avowed all.

Imperatori was next examined. He appeared
more intelligent than Trabuco. He tried to speak
French a little better than Trabuco, and answered

with calmness all the questions put to him. He
threw all the blame on Greco, who, by little and

liitle, he said, had got him into the plot, so that it
was no longer in his power to draw back. It was
he who had introduced Scagliont to Greco, but he
denied that it was he .who bad incited him to join
in the plot. Ile seemed to look upon Greco with

the utmost contempt.
Scaglioni flatly contradicted Imperatori, who, he
said, was the first to speak to him about the plot.
He told Imperatori that he should take time to re-

fleet; and two days after he had made up his mind
to join them. His introduction to Greco was, there-
fore, a mere formality. Scaglioni admitted that he

was present when the bombs were
,loaded.
The impression produced by the examination of
:he prisoners may be unjust, but, as far as I could

perceive, it was that Greco had enticed the others
to join in the conspiracy with the intention of do.

no-analog them at the first favourable opportunity.

It was even rumoured that he had at one time

served as an agent in the secret police. What, per-
haps, led people to think so was the facility with
which ho accused Mazzini. It was chiefly on the

complicity o Nazzini that the inveNtigAtion seemed