The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-22
They Profess to See in the Political Excitement
Over the Panama Canal Disclosures O
Chance to Further Their Interests.
All Their Movements Closely Watched
by Agents of the Government.
The Proposed Duel Between Clemencsau and
Deroulede Off-The Ministers Called
Scoundrels by Jules Roche.
FEARS OF FRENCHMEN.


PARIS, Dec. 21.-The excitemept over the
day, and there are now fears among cer-
tain classes that the royalists may take
advantage of the political situation TO
foment disorders and possibly revolution.
Some of the deputies are not quite so hot
headed to-day as they were yesterday.
The morning papers announced that the
proposed duel between NJ. Clemenceau,
editor of La Justice, and NJ. Deroulede. who
assailed NJ. Clemenceau In the Chamber OF
Deputies. yesterday. the latter retorting
that Deroulede lied. would be fought with
pistols. The friends of NJ. Clemen-
ceau said that he intended duel TO
the death. and would be satisfied with
nothing short of this On the other hand.
NJ. Deroulede's friends averred that he also
was of q deadly mind. and meant to kill
Clemenceau or be killed himself. In order
to prevent La Justice from having an ex-
elusive report of the duel, and thereby
making enormous sales. which would be
especially narrowing to Deroulede's friends
in case of his defeat, the latter, 1t was said,
promised to keep other newspapers fully
and promptly posted on the subject Ii
was also said that the conditions agreed
upon would show the two to be remarkably
lacking in nerve il there was not fatal re-
suit. The two combatants were to be sta
toned twenty-five yards apart but with
the privilege of advancing to five PAGES
apart. As both men are considered good
shots. it was generally believed that one
or the other would be killed. ALI these pre-
dictions and surmises were spoiled to-
night, when IL was announced the duel has
not yet been arranged. Deroulede, al
though accepting NJ. Clemenceau's condi-
tions, desires to have the affair referred TO
q court of arbitration. which shall decide
who was the offender. The duel, conse-
quently, has been POSTPONED indefinitely.
ROCHE DENoUNCEs THE MINISTERS.
Immediately after the opening OF the
Chamber of Deputies, to-day. Jules Roche,
ex-Minister of Commerce. whom the Pro-
cureuer- general yesterday was authorized
to prosecute for sustaining corrupt rela-
tions with the Panama Canal Company,
assembled the speakers tribune to make
his defense. He was lab0rlng under in
tense excitement, and swung his arms vio-
lently as he walked up the alsle. AS he
passed the ministerial bench he faced about
suddenly and exclaimed:
"Oh, you hypocrites and scoundrels."
Several Ministers retorteo hotiy. In the
confusion of the House the incident was
noticed only by Deputies on the front
benchaA AS he began his defense M.
Roches voice was sharp and unsteady, and
from beginning to end his manner was
nervous and strained. He said he did
9Ss sse kno% nor "dss da he care for h
conscience was clear. He had nothing
with which to reproach himself His most
ven0mOus enemy could not connect him
with the lottery bond affair. as he did not
even vote on the bill. He denounced the
Pr0curour.general for proceeding against
Deputies on insufficient evidence. and de-
Clared that In bis case, at least, this gen.
tleman would be found to be sadly in
error. While passing back to his seat M.
Roche received many congratulations from
In the SenaFe to-day the special commit
tee chosen yesterday by the standing CON-
nlittee reported in favor of authorizing the
Procureur-general to proceed against Sem
ators Renault Albert Grevy. Beral. Theve-
net and Deves. NJ. Thevenet, who is ex-
Minister of Justice, solemnly affirmed that
be had never received a centime from the
Panama Canal Company. either directly or
indirectly.
The widest reports are aflost of plots
and coming arrests It IL asserted that
Herr has been in communication in London
with agents of the Count of Paris. and
that the exposure of the Thieree checks is
directly attributable to roy alist lniiuence.
Another rumor Is that the officials and
Deputies, as well civilians. connected
with the Panama canal scandal have hadit
Intimated to them that their salvation lies
in an espousal of royalist schemes and
that all their offensee will be condoDed If
they will consent TO betray the republic.
Some confidence Is placed by well-informed
people III both these rumors. and 1t Is APP
parent that r0yslist agents have assumed
an activity they had not displayed for
years, and there is also evidence that roy
alist money is again ahoat. Should af-
fairs take turn favorable to q coup
d'etat in behalf of royalty. it is probable,
according to current report. that the eyoung
Duke of Orleans would be selected to lead
the attack. The young Duke is more pop
ular than any other member Of his family.
and his offer to serve in the army as q con-
script when he came OF age, made wide
ly favorable impression.
THE ARMY LOYAL.
The great difficulty in the way of royal
ist coup d'etat is that there are no signs of
disloyalty in the army. NJ. De Freycinet
the Minister of War. is untouched by the
scandals that have besmirched his col
league. Rouvier. and ne has the devoted
and loyal attachment of the generals in
higher command. The military forces in
the neighborhood of Paris have been kept
under the strictest discipline and the
greatest vigilance is exercised TO prevent
any tampering with the troops. The off,
GERS OF the army are, as rule, OF republic.
an sympatbies. the royalist and Bonapart-
ist elements. and especially the former,
having been relegated, on varions pretexts.
to innocuous positions. The government. it
Is said has no doubt whatever of the fidel-
ity of the troops. and would at once call
upon the garrison of Paris in case of an
outbreak on the part of the roy alists. The
zeal of the enemies of the republic is also
checked by the report made current unoili-
cially, but not doubted by any body. that
in tho event of an insurrection. martial
law would at once be proclaimed, and every
insureent captured in arms either shot on
the spot or executed after q summary
court-parfial.
1t is known that the officers of the navy
are much more roy aiist in their tendency
than those of the army. but no danger to
the republic Is expected from the navy. as
il is believed that the officers In command
however ardently some of them might well
como the re-estabiishment of the mon
arcby, would hesitate long before risking
their desirable positions. The movemer ts
of the mon archist agitators arc being are
fully watched by agents of the govern
ment In France, in England and in Spaia
and Q special watch Is being kept at tile