Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-17
An Earnest Appeal in Behalf Of the
Panama Prisoners.
A SLUR UPON THE WITNESSES
Who Appeared in Court for the
Prosecution-The Initial Move
ment in the Bribery Matter
Must Have Come From Those
Who Were the Benehciaries.
The Panama Stockholders
Were Against the Prosecutions.

PARIS, March 16-M. Harbour,
counsel for Charles DeLesseps, summed
up for his clientin in the Panama trial to-
day. He spoke at great length, always
earnestly and often eoquently.
In opening his address Nj. Barooux
said that the present trial had begun
against the wishes OF the Panama stock
holders who,' much as they had been
misreprepresented, in reality had
been opposed to the arraignment
In court of either Ferdinand or Charles
DeLesseps. The stockholders had dis
approved of the plan TO place the bur-
den of the Panama scandal upon men
bearing as great a name as there was in
France. They respected and trusted
Charles DeLesseps and felt that the
prosecution Of him was not only unjust
but revival Of the canal enterprise.
M. Barbour analyzed the testimony
of ex-Deputy Chantagrel, who gave evil
dence that NJ. Seligon, in the name OF
Charles DeLesseps, tried 10 buy his vote
with 300, 600 francs for the lottery loan
bill. NJ. Chantagrel's testimony, he
said, had been contradictory and lncon-
sistent with the date mentioned by him,
and apparently proceeded from a de-
fective memory. The prosecution was
bound TO produce in court testimony
connecting the so-called bribe gi7ers
and broe takers. This 1t had utterly
failed TO do. The only three persons
who could have supplied the missing
evidence, though not to the satisfaction
of the prosecution, was Baron De Rein
ach, who was dead, Cornelius Herr, who
was absent on account of Illness, and
Artu, the lobbyist, the pretended search
for whom had excited the laughter OF
all Europe.
NJ. Clemenceau might have given
some conclusive testimony in this trial,
but he was restrained from doing so.
The ministers might have given the
best information but they withheld 1t.
Why had they not produced copies OF
the menacing kilograms sent by Corne-
Illus Herr?
The Advocate General-"They are at
your disposal"
Judge Desjardins-"Let them be pro-
duced in court tomorrow.
Continuing, NJ. Barbour asked why
had Cornelius Herr been permitted to
fee the country. Why had he not
been seated among the prisoners, or at
least named among the accused. Mere
ly because for ten years be had been
the broker Of the Radical party. In
this matter politics had devoured both
their men and their millions. Radicals
held the power of the government, had
taken the money they needed TO defend
their ideas and enrich their supporters.
Whether this were called mendacity,
aims giving or brigandage, mattered
little.
But who could believe the initial in
all these attractions came from the
men who had TO do with the paying in
stead of those who did the receiving.
The payments made to Baron DeRein-
ach aud NJ. Barbour are described as
perfectly legitimate. They were given,
he said, according to an agreement with
the bankers constituting the guarantee
syndicate. Who would be foolish
enough TO believe that such large sums
were intended for the Insignificant
Deputies and Senators whom the jury
had seen in the court room.
After the laughter following this
sur had subsidized Judge Desjsrdins
pleaded fatigue as an excuse for ad-
jOurnment Of court.