Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-12-22

arrest an order was also issued had fled to
Vienna.
1t is now known that the accused parties
| in this case are not to be tried for lnfrac-
! tons of the laws regulating financial and
industrial companies, but under the COM
| mon law.
1t s understood that the government has
documentary evidence showing Just the
exact amount paid to NJ. San -LeroyIfor his
change of front in the chamber in favor of
the Lottery bill.
PARIS, Dec. 20.-M. Floquet, presi-
dent of the chamber of deputies, an
nounced to the house to-day that he
had received an application for authority
to prosecute NJ. Rouvier, ex-minister Of
finance; M. Jules Roche, ex-minister of
commerce.; Emmanuel Arene, member
for Corsica Antoin Proust, member for
Deux Sevres; Baron Jean de Soubeyran,
member for Louden, and Joseph Dugue
dc la Fauconnerie, member for Orne.
This letter, NJ. Floquet 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 compro-
missing evidence against the individuals
in question had been laid before the
parliamentary investigating commission,
especially as to the part they took in the
lottery issue.
The application could not be granted
without the consent of the house, as the
deputies, under the law, were exempt
from certain legal proceedings. The
chamber decided that the standing COM
mittces should meet and consider the
application.
The sitting then adjourned.
In the senate NJ. lie Roger, the presi-
dent, stated that he had received de-
mand for the prosecution of Senators
Renault, Albert, Grevy, Bcral, Thevrnot
and Deves for the part. they had taken
in the affairs of the canal company.
The matter was referred, as in the lower
chamber, to the standing committees.
In the senate and the lower chamber
special committees were elected to con-
slider applications Of the procureur-
general, and both were understood to
favor the prosecution of eX-Minister
Rouyier.
NJ. RoUvIER IN HIS OWN DEFENCE.
NJ. Rouvier appeared before the stand
ing committee, of which he is mem
Der, III his own defence He was glad,
he said, OF an opportunity to explain
his position. There was nothing in the
documents seized to prove that he had
ever received a check from anybody in
the interest of the Panama Canal Com
pany. lie had served the state in high
office for several years, and he had
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 obli-
CATION, and he would now speak in the
chamber without reserve.
Before the chamber resumed business
this statement had gone abroad and
caused intense excitement in the lob
bles. Nj. Rouvier was expected to refute
IN detail NJ. Clemenceau's charges as to
the call at Baron DE Rcinach's house on
the evening before the latter's death,
and the statement of In Lt6re P0yOLe
that his initials were on the stub Of one
Of the There checks. The galleries
were packed Deputies who mad in
tended to absent themselves from the
sitting hurried back to the chamber. Not
q dozen seats i'll the whole auditorium
were vacant.
GENERAL DENIAL.
S
tribune every deputy leaned forward in
an attitude Gf close attention, and the
first words of his defence were delivered
amid oppressive stiffness. After re-
minding the chamber of his long public
services, his hitherto unexceptionable
record and the obligations 10 official
secrecy which had previously closed his
mouth, he made an emphatic general
m ha I.1 ,,I,
the Panama Canal Company or their
agents, or had had any discreditable
connection of any sort with the com
pany'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.
IIowLs AND DERIsIvE LAUGHTER.
When he came into power lie found
that the secret service fund was entirely
inadequate for the defence Of the re-
public. As, in order to govern well, lie |
and his colleagues must have the money
which the secret service fund lacked, he |
had recourse to his personal friends for |
sufficient money to tide over the tenn
porary difficulty.
The confusion grew steadily in the
chamber US the Deputies became con- |
yinced that NJ. Rouvier was evading the |
issue. Loud muTmurs of protest greeted |
his tirst statement as to the secret SER
vice 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 howls and dcrisiyc laughter. Raising
his voice so as to be heard above the APP
roar. NJ. Rouyier shouted:
"What | did, all public men have
done. Had | not adopted that course,
the men now lnterupting me would not
be seated on these benches.'
\ SCENE OF EXCITEMENT.
Bedlam 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.
M. ROuvier made three attempts to be
heard, but his voice was inaudtble.
After the demonstration had spent itself
he continued:
II am perfectly ready to 60 before any
tribunal. have nothing to fear. /
never derived the slightest benefit from
The Panama Canal Company. | never
defended its interests. | challenge in
vestigation."
REPORT FAvoRING PROSECUTION
ADOPTED.
This peroration provoked another
hostile demonstration. When order had
been restored, the report of the special
in favor of the prosecution
was adopted.
AN ATTACK UPON VI. cLEMEScEAU.