Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-03-09
A CLEAN BREAST OFT.
NJ. De Lesseps Admits Having Paid Out
Immense sums of Money to Push Pan
anna Bills Through.

VI. dc LesSepS ADMITS hhVlDR Iatu Out
Immense sums of Money to Push Pan
anna Bills Through.
PARIS, March SIN the Assize court
to-day, at the trial Of DeLesseps and
others for corruption in connection
with the Panama bonds bills, the large
crowd attested that interest has not
tagged.
In replying to the questions OF Judge
Desjardins, Charles DeLessep sketched
briefly his duties in the Panama Canal
Company. He managed most of the
business connected with the advertising
and the guarantee syndicate.
He was employed for these purposes
by his father. As Secretary General he
had given regular reports OF the COM
pany's proceedings to his father.
SIN 1885 you asked the government
to Introduce in the Chambers bill au-
thorizing an issue OF lottery bonds,"
said Judge Desjardins. "Why did you
then pay 100000 francs to Cornelius
HerZ?"
IN. Herr came to my father and me
and told US he had great influence
with the government" replied M. De
Lesseps. "His proposals greatly en-
barrassed US, but we did not feel that
we could afford to ignore or offend him
he was too powerful. 1t was better to
have him for an ally instead of
our enemy. 1 went with him and found
that he was received as friend Of M.
Jules Grevy's family. l was then con-
vinced that here was man we must
reckon with"
"Your duty as man OF honor was to
show such fellow the door," interpo-
lated Judge Desjardins.
But we could not make an enemy OF
the sleeping partner OF La Justice" re-
piled M. DeLesseps. "If we appealed
to the law we should have come to grief.
The financier said, Unless you pay
money to all the banks under the influ
ence of Girardin you will have all the
newspapers in Paris against you We
still held out against such methods, the
newspapers attacked US and we were
finally driven to paying out enormous
sums right and left and were encour-
aged by the government"
Leave the government Alone" called
Judge nesjardins sharply.
After rcproaching M. DeLesseps for
having paid so much money belonging
to subscribers TO Cornelius Herr with
out shadow Of justification, Judge
Desjarnins said:
"How did you come to be introduced
to NJ Baihut?"
IA friend OF the Minister Of Works
told NJ. Fontaine that the Minister was
ready to introduce the lottery loan
L OF
sum to defray expenses. We feared
that NJ. Fontane was only pretending
that he came from the government"
resumed M. DeLesseps, land so / ad-
vised NJ. Baihaut not to deal with him.
Afterward NJ. Fontane saw M. Baihaut,
who said he was against the measure.
When 1 learned of this said to NJ.
Fontane: We'll, send for this gentle
man then
lyon remember giving that order"
asked the judge.
81 never denied it. The gentleman
was M. Blondin. He demanded for M.
Baihaut 1000, 900 francs, and $500
were paid down. The bill was then In
troduced."
Then the fact of corruption is es-
tablished?" said the judge.
''It was extortion," protested NJ. De-
Lesseps. IN. Baihsut toln me he had
been charged by the cabinet with the
task OF Studying the Panama canal
matter, and that the introduction OF the
bill depended entirely upon him."
When questioned as TO his dealings
with Baron OeReinaeh, NJ. De Lesseps
said: 81 paid him large sums TO meet
the expenses OF the issue. All the finan-
ciers imposed heavy demands upon US.
Reinaeh was one of them"