Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-10
FALL OF THE De LESSEPS
Sympathy for the Father, None
for the Son.
STILL A FEELING OF UNeAsINEss.

The Government VIII Call for a Vote of
Confidence Tomorrow Monday
The Greatest Excitement When the Sent
ences OF the Directors Were Announced.
PARIS, Feb. 10.-The worst feature of
the situation to-day is that the senten-
cling of the DeLesseps, Cottu, Eiffel and
Fontane has failed to dispel the suspic-
ious doubts of the people as to the hon.
esty of the Governments intentions.
The contrast as between the treatment
accorded NJ. Rouvier and that to which
the directors have been subjected is the
subject of much bitter criticism.
While the heavy sentences have vindi-
Gated the administration of justice they
have failed to restore confidence in the
political world. The immediate conse-
quence of the trial is likely to be the ces-
sation of investigation, while the panicky
feeling will continue.
Last evening the houses of the con-
victed directors were thronged with SYM
pathizing visitors and journalists. Ac-
cording to the French law, NJ. Eiffel and
M. Cottu need not surrender themselves
for several weeks.
The Government is expected to call for
a vote of confidence on Saturday or Mon
day. The prevalent opinion is that the
Ribot Cabinet will be permitted to re-
main in office until the budget shall have
been voted.
The excitement caused by the announce
ment of the sentences in the parliament
tary Hobbies, on the streets, and in the
cafes surpassed anything of the kind
since the opening of the Panama investi-
CATION.
The newspaper booths were besieged by
eroHvIC fohtincy for tho Of
editions.
Newspapers sold like wildfire, and as
fast as read were thrown to the paw ement
as the buyers FASTENED back to secure
copies containing later news.
The complete absence Of sympathy
for Charles de Lesseps is especially note
worthy. The popular verdict seems to
be that he has paid the penalty for with
holding the names of Royalist Deputies
who were implicated in the Panama
bribery.
Expectation that the sentences of the
prisoners in the Panama trial would be
delivered brought eager crowds to the
Court of Appeals building yesterday.
Fhe approaches to the court were filled
to the last niche by noon and five min
utes after the doors were thrown open
the room was packed to suffocation.
Presiding Judge Perivier read the de-
cision after having dismissed the prison
ers' plea that they should benefit by the
statute of limitations. Although the
bases of the judgments were given in ex-
ceptionally minute detail, the audience
listened from first to last with oppressive
intensity of interest.
The charge of fraudulent proceeding
against Ferdinand de Lesseps, Charles de
Lesseps, Henry Cottu and Marius Fontane
was held to be proved. On this point
the judgment referred to the company's
methods in issuing loans, the mendacious
official bulletins, and the persistent puff
fing done by the press at the instance of
the directors. These practices, the judg-
ment says, when not directly originated
Or endorsed by the directors, had been
connived at by them.
Ferdinand de Lesseps, aided and
abetted by his son, Charles, NJ. Cottu,
and M. Fontane, had persistently con,
cealed the operations of the canal COM
pany, in order that the quotation of
shares might not be affected unfavorably.
The plea of the defense that, despite
these fraudulent acts, the directors were
not amenable because the loan especially
in question had not succeeded, the de-
cision pronounced worthless, in view OF
the evidence that the directors had not
scrupled to expose the capital of the COM
pany to the risks involved in the fresh is,
sues, and even reiterated their promises
to complete the canal with the proceeds OF
the loan.
In dealing with Gustave Eiffel's breach
of trust, the decision said that NJ. Fife
had received 100, 900, 900 francs for the
construction of ten locks and had prom.
Used to complete them by 1890. The evil
dence had shown that he had not even
purchased the specified materials neces
sary in the construction of these locks
in fact, he had bought in France all tolC
but 1, 223, 900 francs worth of material
He bad pretended furthermore to fulfil
the obligations he had undertaken, while
in reality he was really misappropriating
the funds.
sentences:
Ferdinand de Lesseps, five years i'm
prisonment and 5000 francs fine.
Charles de Lesseps, five years and 8, 00(
francs fine.
Marius Fontane, two years and 3,00(
francs fine.
Henry Cottu, two years and 5000
francs fine.
Gustave Eiffel, two years and 0,O0(
francs fine.
Immediately after the reading of thu
sentences NJ Eiffel left the courtroom
with his counsel, whom he has instructed
to appeal to the High Court of Cessation
Charles de Lesseps and Marius Fontant
remained under arrest. Both looked bag
gard and disheartened as they departed
with Henry Cottu for the Office of thu
Public Prosecutor.