The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-12-17
SWINDLERS IN THE TOLLS
Directors of the Panama Canal Com.
paDy Arrested and Sent to Prison.
Charles De Lesseps One of the Number-Depu
ty San-Lsroy Also Charged with Fraud
Hawaii's Big Volcano Spouting Fire.


Charles De Lesseps and Other Panau . Canal
Directors in tho Laws Clutches
PARIS. Dec. 16-M. Charles de Lesseps.
NJ. Marius Etienne Fontaine and M. San
Leroy have been arrested. by direction of
the Minister of Justice, NJ. Bourgeois. for
their alleged connection with the Panama
canal frauds. NJ. Henri Louis Felix Cottu,
for whose arrest an order was
also issued, has fled. San-Leroy is
charged with having accepted q bribe
as q member of the Chamber of Deputies.
The charges against the officers of the COM
pany, on whom summonses were previously
served, and on which they have now been
arrested. are that they have jointly made
up fraudulent, Imaginary credit; that they
have dissipated capital intrusted to them
for a specific pnrpose, and that they have
swindled others ont of part or all of their
means of living. or their fortunes. These
offenses come within the reach OF seven
articles Vt the penal code.
NJ. San-Leroy 10 said to be badly impll-
brought to light. lie was not on the
Panama board. Suspicion was always at
tached to him on account of his sudden
change of front in the lottery committee OF
the Chamber of Deputies whom the lottery
hearing before tho Panama investiga-
ton committee q few days ago. NJ.
San-Leroy stated that he changed his
vote in obedience to the wishes OF
Deputy. testified before the commission
that he drafted the frat report of the lot
terry committee Of the Chamber against the
lottery bill, and was SO amazed when the
committee rejected the report owing 10 NJ.
San-Leroy's change of front that he re-
signed the ~chairmanshtp OF the committee.
IL is understood that the government has
documentary evidence showing the exact
amount paid to NJ. San-Leroy for his
change or front.
ties have searched the residences of De
Lesseps, FontaIne. Cottu and San-Leroy,
and secured q mass of documents thro wing
new and important light on the Panama
fraudsand~ corruption. The arrest of Charles
de Lesseps was so quietly effected that
even his wife was not aware OF 1t until the
coacbman returned home. Ii 10 supposed
that M. Cottu has gone to Turkey. where
he has estates and great industrial inter-
ests. he has a tine residence at Constants
nople. The prisoners, after being lodged
In jail. were permitted TO obtain cheap
meals from a neighboring restaurant. 1t is
reported that M. Brisson will prosecute
some of the members of the Reinach fam
lily. Charles de Lesseps cannot be regard
ed as q vulgar swindler. Yet from his
technical training ae al engineer
he ought to have known better than his
father. He was deceivedsby the belief that
the ReiDachs controlled Parliament. the
press and the ju%dicature, and also by the
hope that the European powers would a k
over the plant and cooperate with America
in finishing the canal"
The Panama investigating commission met
to-day. and after a lengthy discussion of
the situation unanimously decided not TO
resign.
AS yet no warrant has been issued for the
arrest of NJ. Ferdinand de Lesseps. 1t was
decided to make the arrests above men.
the Minister of Justice, the Procureur-gen-
eral and the head of tho Criminal Depart
ment were present.