Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-21

Rouvfer Defends Himself-The Lie Passed
Many Dueis Looked For.

N. Fioquet, president Of the French chamber
Of deputies announced to the chamber yester
day that he had received an application 70,
authority to prosecute NJ. Rouvier. ex-ministel
Of finance; NJ. Jules Roche. ex-minister Of COM
merce; Emmanuel Arene, member FOR Corsica
Antoine Proust, member for Deux Sevres
Baron Jean de Soubeyran, member for Lou
don. and Joseph Dugue de Ia Fauconnerie,
member for Orne. This letter, NJ. Floqust
said, was from the procureur 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 in
which appeared the initials of deputies and that
| compromising evidence against the individuals
in question had been laid before the parlia-
mentary investigating commission as to the part
they took in the lottery issues.
| The application could not be granted without
| the consent of the house. as the deputies under
! the Law were exempt from certain legal pro-
ceedings. The chamber decided that the stand
/ ing committees should meet and consider the
application. The sitting then adjourned
/ In the senate NJ. Leroyer, the president,
stated that he had received a demand for the
prosecution of Senators Renaultt, Albert Grevy,
Beral, Thevenot and Deves for the part they
had taken IN the Affairs of the canal company.
The matter was referred in the lower cham
ber to the standing committees. In the senate
and the lower chamber special committees were
elected to consider applications of the
cureur general, and both were understood to
favor the prosecution of ex-Minister Rouvier
RoUvIER IN HIS OWN DEFENSE.
NJ. Rouvier appeared before the standing
committee, of which he is a member, in his own
defense. He glad. he said, of an oppor-
tunity to explain his position. There
nothing in the documents seized to prove that
he Ind ever received check from anybody in
no rnta raatO - h. a,,. H.
had served the state in high Office for several
years and ne had always deemed it his duty to
preserve silence as regards certain facts. The
accusations made against his honor and integ
rity had relieved him of such obligation and he
would now speak out in the chamber without
reserve.
IN THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.
Before the chamber resumed business this
statement had gone abroad and caused in
tense excitement in the Hobbies.
The galleries we're packed Deputies who
had intended to absent themselves from the
sitting hurried back to the chamber. Not a
dozen seats III the whole auditorium were va
can't
NJ. Rouv1er was expected to refute In detail
NJ CIemenceaus charges rs to the call az Baron
dc heinachs house on the evening before the
latters death and the statement of La Li6re
Parole that his initials were on the stub Of one
OF the 1hierree checks.
As NJ. HouvieT assembled the speakers tribune
every deputy leaned forward in an attitude OF
close attention. and the first words of bis de-
tense were delivered amid oppressive stiffness
After reminding the chamber of his long public
services, 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 accented
checks from the Panama Canal Company or
their agents, or had had auv discreditable con-
nection OF any sort with the company's enter
prise. Present circumstances had relieved his
tongue OF the gag imposed upon it by minis
terlai duty, and he 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. ne ard his colleagues must have
the money WHICH the secre. service fund lacked
he had recourse to his personal friends for
sufficient money 70 tide the temporary
difficulty.
The confusion grew steadily in the chamber
as the deputies became convinced that NJ
RouvieT was eYading the ISSUE Loud murmurs
of protest greeted his first statement as to the
secret service fund, and when he suggested
that the suspicious checks were contributions
OF his personal friends to the support of the
government there was an outbreak of howis and
derisive laughter.
Raising his voice so as to be heard above the
uprOar VI. Rouvier shouted:
What did all public men have done Had
l not adopted tina, course the men now inter-
rupting me would not be seated on these
benches"
CHAMBERS IN CONFUSION.
Bedam broke loose The moment the words
were uttered. Deputies rose and shouted back
TO the speaker, and others shouted for the
names of their friends. NJ. Ropvier made
three attempts to be heard, but his voice was
inaudible. After the demonstration had spent
itself he continued:
Il am perfectly ready to go before any
tribunal; L have nothing TO fear. l never de-
rived the slightest benefit from the Panama
Canal Company; | never defended its interests
challenge investigation"
This peroration provoked another hostile
demonstration. When order had been re-
stored tine report of the special committee n
favor OF the prosecution was adopted.
DERoULEDE's INQUIRY.
NJ. Paul Deroulede then asked what &C ton the
disciplinary council of the Legion of Honor
had decided to take against DR.. Cornelius Herr
This man" N. Deroulede said. lis not to be
left with the insignia of the legion in his pos
session. although, l grant, he is a mos. I'M
portant man to the state. for he truly holds the
reins OF the government"
". Deroulede paused for several minutes while
the right cheered this taunt and the left tried
to drown the cheers with shouted protests
Then he proceeded, with perfect GOODNESS to
make = most ylruIent personal attack upon NJ
Ciemeuceau, whose relations TO NJ. Herr :" he
said. ''are too well known TO need detailed de-
scription."
Amid renewed cheers from the right and
ieers from the left, he declared tina: H. Herr
tried TO buy The Boulangsts with Panama canal
money, but they had refused to touch it, Des.
pite, ID. Fiouquets repeated protests. cries of
dissolution and general tumult which ex-
tended to the topmost gallery VI. Deroulede
again addressed himself to NJ Clemenceau.
why did this Herr give 200 900 francs to La
Justice?" he shouted
NJ. Clemenceau white with rage, sprany to
his feet, and, shaking both fists toward NJ De-
roulde, shouted back an answer which nobody
could hear in the general confusion
". Deroulede closed with an attack on the
mutual benefit association. not of socialists
and revolutionaries, but of rich men and of
rich men pamperers."
CtEMENcEAU's ANGRY DENIAL
Nj. Ciemenceau replied that M Derouiedes
attacks were perncious, shameless and without
foundation. Although he had no written proofs
of his innocence, he defed NJ Deroulede to sub
stantiate the charges just made. lie would not
| answer these brazen ISLANDERS in the chamber
but would demand personal satisfaction ifnme-
diately after the adjournment. The attacks of
the last speaker upon VI. Herr were based on
| falsehood and imagination. DIR. Herr had
served France faithfully as a soldier and physi-
clan. Boulanger himself had not a more de-
/ voted friend than DIR Herr NJ Etav,a,oa., -.