St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-12-21
WILL Be PROSECUTED.
French Deputies and Senators
Must Answer Charges Of
Bribe Taking.
Two Ex-MinisterS Included in
the List Of Those Inn
plicated.
Wild and Tumultuous Scenes
in the Chamber Of
Deputies.
Members Pour Forth Torrents
Of Abuse and Pandemo-
mum Reigns.

PARIS, Dec. 20.-M. Floquet, presi-
dent of the chamber of. deputies, an
nounced to the house today that he had
received an application for authority to
prosecute M. Rouvier, eX-minister OF
finance; NJ. Jules Roche. ex-minster of
commerce.; Emmanuel Arene, member
for Corsica; Antoin Proust, member for
DeuX Sevres; Baron Jean De Soubey-
ran, member for London, and Joseph
Dugue De La Fauconnerie, member
for Orne. This letter, M. Flo
Quet said, was from the pro-
curer general. 1t stated that the
application was made on the ground
that the examining magistrate OF the
Panama canal case had received many
check stubs on which appeared the
initials of deputies, and that cOmprC-
missing evidence against the individuals
in question had been laid before the
parliamentary investigating commits
sion. especially as to the part they took
in the lottery issue. The application
could not be granted without the con-
sent of the hosue, as the deputies, under
the law, were exempt from certain legal
proceedings. The chamber decided that
the standing committees should meet
and consider the application. The sit
ting was then adjourned.
The Implicated Senators.
In the senate NJ. LIE Roger, the presi-
dent. stated that he received a demand
for the prosecution of Senators Repault.
Albert Greyy, Beral, TheyeDot and
Deves for the part they had taken in
the affairs of the canal company. The
matter was referred, as i'll the lower
chamber, to the standing committees.
In the senate and the lower chamber
special committees were appointed to
consider the applications Of the procurer
general, and both were understood to
favor the prosecution of eX-MiniSter
ROuyier.
M. Rouvier appeared before the stand
ing committee, of which he is mem-
Der, in his own defense. He was glad,
he said, of all opportunity to explain his
position. There was nothing in the
document seized to prove that he had
ever received a check from anybody in
the interest of the Panama Canal COM
pany. He had served the state in high
office for several years. and he mad
always deemed it his duty to preserve
silence as regards certain facts. The
accusations made against his honor and
integrity had relieved him of such OBJ
legation. and he would now speak out in
the chamber without reserve. a
ROuvier's Statement.
Before the chamber resumed business
this statement had gone abroad, and
caused intense excitement in the lob
bleS. M. ROuvier was expected to re-
fute in detail that Clemenceau'S charges
as to the call at Baron de Reinacn's
house Oh the evening before the latter's
death and the statement of La Libre
Parole that his initials were on the stub
of one of Thierree's checks The gal
leries were packed. Deputies who
had intended to absent them
selves from the sitting hurried
back to the chamber. Not
dozen seats in the whole auditorium
was vacant. The report of the special
committee was read by Chairman Alex
andre Mlllerand, favoring the granting
of the application for authority to prose-
| cute, but in the intense anxiety of the
moment it was hardly noticed. All
waited impatiently for the explanations
| of the accused members. Deputy
Arene, charged by M. AndroeuX, late
| prefect of police, with corruption in
connection with the loan of 1888, was
| the first one to protest his innocence.
| He made merely general denial.
| AS M. Rouvier assembled the speakers
| tribune every deputy leaned forward in
an attitude Of close attention, and the
| first words of his defense were deiv-
cred amid oppressive stiffness. After
reminding the chamber of his long pub
| lie service, his hitherto uneXceptionable
record and the obligations to official
| secrecy which had previously closed his
mouth, he made an
Emphatic General Denial
that he had accepted checks from the
| Panama Canal company OF its agents, or
had had any discreditable connection of
any sort with the company'S enterprise.
| Present circumstances had relieved his
tongue Of the gag imposed upon it by
ministerial duty and he was ready to
tell the whole truth. When he came
into power he found that the secret
service fund was entirely inadequate for
| the defense of the republic. AS, in
order to govern well, he and his col
leagues must have the money which the
secret service fund lacked. he lad re-
course to his personal friends for suffi-
cient money to tide over the temporary
difficulty.
The confusion grew steadily in the
chamber as the deputies became con-
vinced that M. ROuvier was evading the
issue. Loud murmurS of protest greeted
his first statement as to the secret Serv-
ice fund, and when he suggested that
the suspicious checks were contribu-
tionS of his personal friends to the sup
port of the government there was an
outbreak of hoWlS and derisive laugh
ter. Raising his voice so as to be heard
above the uproar, M. Rouvier shouted
"What | did all public men have done. &:
Had | not adopted that course the men
now interrupting me would not be
seated on those benches"
BedIam Broke Loose
the moment the words were uttered.
The deputies rose and shouted back to
the speaker, and others shouted for the
name OF the friends. M. Rouvier made
three attempts to be heard, but his
voice was inaudible. After the demon
stratlon had spent itself, be continued
81 am perfectly ready togo before any
tribunal. | have nothing to fear. /
never derived the slightest benefit from
the Panama Canal company. | never
defended its interests. l challenge in,
vestigation,"
rhis preroration provoked another
hostile demonstration. When order had
been restored the report of the special
committee in favor of prosecution was
adopted. NJ. Paul DerouIede then asked
what action the disciplinary council o!
the Legion of Honor had decided
to take against Dr.. Cornelius Herr
''This man." M. Deroulede said, "is not
to be left with the insignia of the legi0I