The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-01 00:00:00

PRICE.... V.
STAMPED sd.

Trial of /tisk Allah Bey on the Charges of
Assassination and Forgery.

BRussErs, Oct. 31.

By the time this letter is in print Risk Allah will in all
probability be made acquainted with his fate. Yesterday
(being the eighth day of the inquiry) was dedicated to the
replies, of the leading counsel for the accused. For about
three hours X. Lachaud, the eminent advocate of the
French Bar, riveted the attention of an immense auditory
by an able and eloquent speech on behalf of the accused,
in reply to the powerful argumentative and persuasive dis-
course of the Procureur-General. Although the forensic
powers displayed by M. Lachaud appeared to fall short of
the anticipations of his hearers, there is very little doubt
of the fact that he had enlisted the sympathies of the vast
majority of the people present, as was manifested by the
loud expressions of approval which, in the warmth of their
enthusiasm, occasionally escaped from his auditory, in
violation of the rules laid down for the preservation of
order and decorum in the proceedings of the court.
Shortly after the legal functionaries had taken their re-
spective seats considerable confusion was created by the
pressure and intrusion of many persons into the places
generally reserved for the professional attendants.
The Procureur-General called the attention of the presi-
dent to the fact that there were many persons within the
space appropi iated to the members of the bar who had no
right to be there.

The President having requested the trespassers to retire,
The Procureur-General expm4sed a wish that the bailiff
Skidint OPRte4ttuittitteo door:in4l,ler to prevent
persons entering within the precincts reserved to the mem-
bers of the bar who did not belong to that profession.
Effectual arrangements having hem taken for the resto-
ration of order, M. Graux resumed his arguments, which
were interrupted by the rising of the court on the previous
day. On concluding his speech,
M. Lachand, in answer to the call of the president, rose
to address the court and the jury on behalf of the accused.
He spoke as follows:—Gentlemen of the jury, after a
course of pleading so complete, so loyal, and so decisive as
that which you have, just heard from my learned brother
(M. Graux), it may be supposed that all had been said that
could be uttered in relation to this affair. I should not
think of trespassing upon your attention if I did not feel
that I have a duty to fulfil towards my unfortunate client,
and that duty impels me to address you on his behalf. I
can, however, assure you that 1 will not re-enter into all
the details of this truly sad and prolonged case. I wish,
in resuming the arguments in favour of the accused, to
reply to the Procureur-General, and to that powerful ap-
peal he has made, in which I believe the minutest detail
has not been forgotten. I wish also to appeal to your
good sense, and I am very much mistaken if already your
enlighted intelligence has not satisfied your consciences of
the innocence of my client. I appeal to that intelligence
to say, with me, that this man who stands before you is
innocent of the charges brought against him. Gentle-
men, I knew Risk Allah at Paris at the time that Belgian
justice had taken cognisance of this matter. I have con-
soled him for a period of three months. I knew then but
little of this matter ; but I saw before me an unfortunate
man whose unmerited sufferings inspired me with pity.
This man was charged with grievous crimes, but I read his
innocence in his soul. He wished that I should come to
Brussels as his advocate. lat once acquiesced in his de-
sire. I have come to Brussels as his advocate. lam too
happy at being able to serve him here to-day. I am now
assisting—l believe it in my conscience—to the complete
restoration of Risk Allah to all his former rights. The long
train of base calumnies which accompanied him is annihi-
lated. There is not only a full acquittal awaiting him, but
likewise a reparation for the injuries done him, and I am
most happy to associate myself with him to-day in demand-
ing such reparation at your hands. lam also happy to see
how well the right of the accused is recognised in this
noble country. If I allow my heart and my conscience to
speak, I must express my immense esteem for the president
of this court, a gentleman who has directed its proceedings
on so elevated, so loyal, and so impartial a scale as to ex-
cite my unmeasured admiration during the ten days I have
had the honour of a seat at this bar. It may indeed bo a
proud boast with you, gentlemen, that you have presiding
in this court one of those justices whom other bars may
envy you the possession of. With you, gentlemen, the ac-
cusation and the accused are placed upon the same broad
footing of justice. Between the procureur and the defence,
apart from 'the talent which I willingly concede to him, the
truth alene is the only thing sought for on all sides. Gen-
tlemen, I shall ever preserve the remembrance of this spec-
tacle, which is deeply impressed upon me. Is theraa-man,
I ask, who can bring forwar' for his defence more hoe:
ourable testimonials than the accused ? Risk Allah was
born in Syria. His family occupied an elevated position
there. Has he preserved the esteem oh the authorities and
populations with whom ho has beau associated ? Who
will answer you that question ? The witness you have
already heard. Mr. ()Mimed, a magistrate of an Irish
county, told you thathe had travelled with Risk Allah, and
had seen him everywhere treated with the highest respect.
That witness has given us some striking examples of the
fact. He told us, when Risk Allah was travelling upon
the Nile, the Pasha offered to place his own boat at his
service. When he wished to go into the mountains to visit
a certain convent, it was the Bishop of Cairo who specially
recommended hien What more do you want ? In your
own country what would you think of a man who had
come recommended by the head of your Government, and
to whom your cardinal had given free access ? You see
ihat Risk Allah was in Syria. That is a fact that cannot
be disputed, and must be accepted. ID subsequently
came to Europe, he studied medicine, and became a doctor
in Turkey. He is a man of science, he is a man of honour.
Do you wish the proof of that ? When Omar Pasha found
it necessary to place a medical director at the head of his
army, who was chosen for the office ? Risk Allah. Do
you require other certificates? His conduct has been
perfect in every position. He returned from that war with
the recompenses which he had gained, and of which he
has every reason to be proud. Ho carries six decorations
upon his breast. It is true the Procureur-General has
criticised one of them, and, no doubt, with some show of
reason, but there still remain five decorations which are
irreproachable. Five decorations for a single man speaks
eloquently for his fame. You have heard the testimonies
that have been given in his favour ; you have heard the
most honourable persons proclaim Risk Allah their friend,
and solemnly declare that they consider him a loyal man
and incapable of an improper action. After the testimony
given by gentlemen of undoubted morality, shall you be-
lieve the reports of the police—the information of one of
their agents, who seeks to gather from the mire I know not
what base aspersions. But it is not in Belgium that these
things are possible, all countries would repudiate them, and
a land of liberty like this despises them. (Loud applause
from the public, which was repressed by the President.)
And what are the reports of the police? What do they say?
What does this note they have produced express, the
handwriting of which you know not, and to which there
is no signature? The words of this note are—" We must
beware of Risk Allah as well as of Osman." Como now,
let us see whether it is an employe who wished to attach
importance to these words. Yes, he was a man who was
engaged to do a certain duty in connection with this affair
for a consideration, and he was determined to perform it
anyhow. Will you have a sample of a police report? Hera
is one—it accuses Risk Allah of having stolen a cloak in
1839. Why, Risk Allah was only 14 years of age at that
time ; and who did he rob of this cloak ? A colonel they
stated at first, but it was proved that no such colonel had
ever any existence. It was said subsequently that it was
a general he had robbed. Now, the utter falsehood of the
charge is proved from the fact that at the epoch in question
the supposed general was in the East, whilst Risk Allah
was residing-in Europe. Tho whole story has but emanated
from the fertile imagination of an officious polioceriisk
men, you know all that has passed in respectatheen
framedAiln
in England. A calumnious insinuation
acknowledged against the
to
haen
ad
lie.the
Theutho authors
dor
of
vrlheoi audpi.;sfilsebenscoeult subsequently
toldntthlye
us that if the case were his he wouhl
calumniator.
tenriwataorrd.
lied
I am bound to drag
think that to maintain my
s tells me sthhaatllhao Lirbseto c
d insult me,
wretcalin,ddwo you
fthiseet ignoblepplfcatbiehign gpabredfoonre? the vlia
his calumny, than to
calumniator publicly fic=
bench
of
'would prefer to see the
t is true
cal him dragged before
of Ms own dignity. I confess
justice,evne every
found
dni sdh,tinhpleerajhutadipngsy
gravity of his position, to persist iu the
tempted by the
id the baseness to utter. M. Lachaud
calumny
e
Having argued against the
chargethen
aehir.dga considerable
dissect length
minutelyt
dence bearing on t charge.
culpability of thop riHsoeneir:evliieowepdassaeldl
theon etiorethhmestlineoesr
charges of forgery
connected with the forgeries committed against,M. Blacques
and the Messrs. Robarts in London, and demon-
sattraFtieudis;hat Osman was the really guilty party, and that if
Risk Allah had not come forward immediately to denounce
the author of those fcrgeries, the name of Osman would
not have been made known to the police authorities. He
also reminded the jury that, according to English law, it
had been declared that Risk Allah was not an accomplice
of Osman. It did not therefore become the province of the
Procureur General to adjudicate himself upon the English
law. The learned advocate then proceeded to argue that,
according to the date of the letters relative to the forgery
on Messrs. Robarts, that it could not be considered to ne-
cessarily open the eyes of Risk Allah to the character of
Osman. Ido not wish, said M. Lachaud, that Risk Allah
should go out of this inquiry by the back door, or that ho
should owe his acquittal to the absence of sufficient proof
and to the principle that juries are bound to acquit at' all
times when the condemnation of the prisoner is not impe-