The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-12-20
UNDER ARREST
Members Of the Chamber Charged
with Fraud.
-. P...t,,.. % which the Heads g sns
p..s-s company Bsys Mads anem
.-ivs. Laabls b From ons q -
49,, Imprisonmsnt ard kine.

pAnm Dee. I'm. Charles Alne
.r.rIe peLessep1 N. Marius Etlenne
rort.ns ana II. San-Leroy have been
.s-..,ed b. direction Of the minister q
1870 N Bourgeois. for their alleged
srrnert,on with the Panama canal
fFaudA ,.
.yyr.t a order was also issued, has ned
g Vienna San-Leroy Is charged win
having accepted Q bribe a. . member o.
~ chamber Of deputies
The charges against the officers Of the
company Cd which summonses were pre-
yiooaiv served, and on which they have
49, crested. are that they have Joint
Il made use OF fraudulent imaginary
credit thai they have dissipated capital
.ntrusted 70 them for aspecifc purpose,
.nd thst they have swindled Others out
= nart or ali OF their means Of living on
their fortunes These offenses come
within the reach Of seven articles OF the
penal code.
The penalties 70 which the heads Of
the Panama Co. have made themselves
liabia. should the theory Of the prosecu-
lion b esta blished, are thus laid down;
.sWhosoever, by making use Of false
name, or quality, or resorting TO fraud
uient devices 70 persuade another or
others OF tie reality Of imaginary enter
prises or Of power or credit, or 70 give
rise 70 the hope or fear Of a chimerical
event or undertaking. attempts 70 OBJ
tain money or any other property or
receipts or discharges, is liable TO one
years imprisonment At least and i've
years at most, and fine OF from 81 TO
Rt2A"
The convict may also be deprived Of
eivii riahts from the day on which he
leaves the prison for Eve years. ut least.
and ten ut most, and be, moreover, for
bidden 70 vote Of Legislative, municipal,
or other elections. or 70 carry arms or
70 act O. guardian The accomplish Is
liable 70 the same penalties
II II noteworthy that the accused
parties In this case are not 70 be tried
Tor infractions of the laws regulating
financial and Industrial companies, but
under articles Of the common law.
The theory, therefore, Of the prosecu-
tion b that the Panama affair was .
swindle from the beginning. The orig
inai concessionaires are sheltered BY
prescription
Ean-Leroy Is expected 70 be badly
implicated by documents and other evil
dcnca San-Leroy was not on the Pam
anna board. Suspicion was always at-
tached 70 him on account Of his sudden
change Of front in the lottery commit :
tee Of the chamber Of deputies. when
the lottery loan was being voted on.
Az frst he opposed the loan, but he
turned the scale at the last moment by
voting In its favor In the hearing
before the Panama investigating com
mittee, few days ago. Mr.. San-Leroy
stated that he changed his vote In
obedience 70 the wishes Of his consti
tuentA =
n Rondeleux. another former depu
v, testified before the commission thai
he drafted the first report OF the LOTTERY
committee OF the chamber against the
lottery bill, and was so amazed when
the committee rejected the report, ow-
Ing 70 NJ San-Leroy's change of front,
that he resigned the craftsmanship OF
the committee. II Is understood that
the government has documentary evil
dence, showing the exact amount
paid 70 IL San-Leroy for his change OF
front
Besides making the arrests the au-
thorities have searched the residences
Of De Lesseps, Fontane, Cottu and San
Leroy, and seized mass Of docn,nents
throwing new and important light on
the Panama fraudA