Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-21
PANDEMON|UM IN PARIS,
Bedlam Has Broken Loose in
Official Circles.
Corruption Has Run Riot in
High Places.
And Now the Day of Reckoning Is
at Hand.
Authority Granted for the PROSECUTION
OF Prominent Statesmen in Com
nection With tho Panama
Canal Scheme.

| Oanal Schem6s
BY the Associated Press
PARIS, Dec. 20.-Floquet, president OF
the chamber oil deputies, announced tc
the house today that he had received ar
application for authority to prosecute
Rouvier, ex-minister of finance; Jules
Roche, ex-minister of commerce; Eman
uel Arene, member for Corsica; Antoine
Proust, member for Deux Sevres Baron
Jean de Loubeyran, member for Lou
dun, and Joseph Dugugne de la Fau-
connerie, member for Orne. This letter
Floquet said was from the procurator
general. 1t stated that the application
was made on the ground that the exam
lining magistrate of the Panama canal
case had received many check stubs on
which appeared the initials OF the depa-
ties, and that compromising evidence
appeared against the individuals In
question had been laid before the parli.
amentarv investigating commission,
especially as to the part they took in
the lottery issue. rhe application could
not be granted without the consent of
the house, az deputies under the law
were exempt from certain legal proceed
ings.
The chamber decided that the stand
| ing committee should meet and con-
slider the application. The sitting was
then adjourned.
In the senate, NJ Leroyer, president,
stated that he had received demand
for the prosecution of senators Reinault,
Alhorr
Deves. The matter was similarly re-
ferred.
Rouvier appeared before the standing
committee, of which he ia a member, in
his own defense. He was glad, he said,
of an opportunity to explain his posi-
tion. There was moth ng in the docu-
ments seized to prove he had ever ,e-
ceived check from anybody in the in
terest of the Panama Canal COMPANY
He had served the state in high office
for several years and had Away deemed
it his duty to preserve silence as re-
CARDS certain facts. The accusations
against his honor and integrity re-
lieved him OF the slightest obligation.
and he would now speak out in tho
chamber without reserve.
| Before the chamber resumed business
| this statement had gone abroad and
caused intense excitement. The gal
leries were packed. The report of the
special committee was read by Chair
man Miller. II favored 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 was the first one to pro-
test his innocence.
Then Rouvier made general emphatic
denial that he accepted checks from the
Panama Canal company or agents, or
had any discreditable connection of any
sort with the company's enterprise.
When he came into power he found the
secret serv:.e fund inadequate for the
defense of the republic. As in order to
govern well he and his colleagues must
have the money which the secret service
funds lacked, he had recourse to per-
sonal friends for sufficient money to
tide over the temporary difficulty.
Confusion was great in the chamber
as the deputies became convinced that
was an outbreak of howls and derisive
laughter. Rouvier shouted "What
did, all public men have done. Had I
not adopted that course the men now
interrupting me would not now be
seated on these bepches."
Bedlam broke loose the moment the
words were Issued. After the demon
stration had spent itself Rouvier con.
tinued: II am perfectly ready to 60 be
fore any tribune; never derived the
slightest benefit from the Panama Canal
company. / challenge an investiga-
tioD."
This provoked another hostile demon
stration. When order was restored the
report of the special committee in favor
OF prosecution was adopted
De Roulede then asked what action the
disciplinary council of the Legion of
Honor had decided to take against Herr
Then De Roulede made a most viru-
lent personal attack upon Clemenceau.
He declared that Herr tried to bribe
BoulaDgists with Panama canal money,
but they refused to touch it. De
Roulede shouted to Clemepceau
why did this Herr give 900, ,0OO
francs to la Justices ~
Clemenceau, white with rage, sprapg
to his feet and shaking both fists to-
ward De Roulede shouted back an an
swer which nobody could hear in the
general confueeion.
De Roulede closed with an attack on
the Mutual Benefit association. not Of
socialists and revolutionaries, but Of
rich mems pamperere.
Clemenceau replied that De Roulede's
attacks were pernicious. shameless and
without foundation. Although he had
not written proofs Of his innocence, he
defed De Roulede to substantiate the
charges just made. He would not an
wer.these brazen slanderers in the
chamber, but would demand personal
satisfaction Immediately after adjourn
ment. The attacks OF the last speaker
on Herr were based on falsehood and
imagination. .Boulanger had no more
devoted friend than DR.. Herr.
In conclusion Clemenceau cried out ::
DE Roulede has accused me Of betraying
my country bv Introducing foreign infin-
ence. De Roulede lies I"
After another scene of wild disorder,
Luciene Millevoye, BoulaDgist deputy
for Somme, rose to defend, as he said !,
the memory Of BoulsDger agsintt srper-
sions cast on it by Cltmenceau's state
ment concerning the friendship between
Herr and the great man. He then let
loose torrent Of abuse on Clemenceau,