Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-22
How Napoleon was Decefved-An
Army Contractor Punished.

The trial at Lille OF the army con-
tractors, accused of defrauding the
French government, has terminated in
the conviction of three and the acquitAl
of four of their number. The persons
convicted are NJ. Fontaine Delaunoy,
who, however, did not appear at the
trial, but preferred to assist the intelli-
gence of the court by pamphlet en-
titled INA Defense" M. Gutfroy, son
of a merchant, and his partner; and M.
iowa, who acted as their agent. The
first part Of the trial was occupied with
the examinations of the ex-Mobilise
officers, who deposed to the quality of
the arms, clothing and equipments
served out to their troops. A M.
Dubreud who had been chef des-
carbon, deposed, that in November.
1870 his men had been supplied with
muskets manufactured in 1910. When,
as the men were starting for the scene
of action, these we're exchanged for
rifles, which neither their cartridges nor
CAPS would fit, he complained, and then
protested, for which acts his commission
was cancelled, and he was permitted to
serve as private to the end OF the cam
paign--, erw Q.E,,H "a 80
Everykind of rubbish appears to have
beeh offered to the French authorities,
and very much of it was accepted at en-
hanced prices when sufficient COM
mission was allowed to the examin-
ing officers. One day cartridges were
offered containing absolutely. no pow-
der; the next, others having the bullet
the wrong way towards the cap. Shoes,
of course, were palmed upon the Cow
ernment, the soles of which were stuffed
with felt, shavings, brown paper, or any
thing that was cheap. Twenty thou
sand old hint-locks OF the First Empire,
which had been converted into percus'
sion rifles, and which had been brought
back unsaleable from the West Coast Of
Africa. the negroes declined to look at
them and which had ultimately been
taken for bad debt, were bought at the
Prefecture at Lille for twenty francs
apiece. The price of arms, or what
could be made to pass as such, was
raised to an absurd figure by the compe-
tition of one town with another, and
one Government agency with another.
Some of the best arms available'in DC
tober and November, according to the
witnesses, were Chassepots picked up by
peasants, on the roads about Sedan, and
repaired in Belgium. But the number
which could be obtained of these was in.
snlSieient. Persons who had never sold
a gun before in their lives, besieged
the Government, Offering rifles; and
when Il had agreed to take 100000 at
100 Il would discover that every one
NJ the five contractors who had sold 1t
90 600 of the arms had the same parcel
in contemplation; that only the smaller
number, therefore, would be forthcom-
ing, and that only at greatly enhanced
price.
ner usual in French courts OF justice,
and was asked how it was that he
charged the government 2t zoe. for
aannel belts for which he had given only
Id zoe. he could only reply that on
booking back on the transaction as a
Frenchman and a patriot, he regretted
that he had charged so heavy proht;
but he acted as trader, not as
Frenchmau. Case after case was pFoVsd
AGAINST Gufroy who, however, sepa--
rated his defense altogether from that o.
Fontaine. He boaght ave Thousand
6relocks of dealer for LOT. oOe; each,
and made the vender invoice them to
tae government at 20f. 6Oc. each. his
own account was that FontainR used to
arrange all about invoices and act as
treasurer, while iowa was their agent.
M. Fontains, npon whom sentence
az five year3 Imprisonment has been
passed, Is said to Be in Englapd. CUT
row. who is in custody, is TO be imss's:-
oned for three yeArl, and iowa, their
agent, one year.