The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-22
THE panama SN|ND|ERS.
Charles De sSSepS, BlOndin and Bal.
haut Sentenced.
De LESSEPS MAKES A STRONG PLEA
Several OF the Accused Acquitted, One
Of whom Faints Away With Joy
Much Excitement Prevails In the
Court Room.

PARIS, March eat was an impressive
scene when the president of the assize
court asked the Panama canal scandal
prisoners at the bar If they had anything
to say in their behalf, before the jury re-
tired to deliberate on their fates Charles
DeLesseps arose with flushed face and, in
voice choked with indignation said:
II only desire to remind the jury that
my father, after the completion OF the
Suez canal, was urged TO undertake the
Panama canal construction for the aggran-
dizement Of France II was my duty as a
son to stand by my father and TO assist him
ss best could i'm his great undertaking.
have done my best conscientiously and
honestly Whatever expressions have
been brought TO bear against me TO dis
credit my actions in the eyes OF the world
were occasioned by circumstances over
which had no control. / never had any
thing else in my mind In connection with
this affair but the best interests of the
shareholders"
DeLesseps then reviewed the conduct of
the Panama Canal company, as brought
out at the trial. and said that no facts had
been concealed, but manyhad
Been Obscured and Distorted.
Concluding, he said: Now, gentlemen,
that you are about TO retire, please con-
slider that you are to sit in judgment on
man whose whole hfe has been spent
honestly, who has enveavored TO lead an
upright life and TO do his dnty con-
scientiously." DeLesseps' speech made
favorable impression.
NJ. Sans Leroy, the ex-deputy accused
of changing his vote in committee on the
II Ia Of lt~th h..rxr
arose amid great excitement and said:
IL protest against the accusation, for
am innocent of the charges brought
against me- and any unbiased person who
has followed the evidence must see that
am the victim of the Vaccinations of
cowardly enemies who resolved upon my
ruin"
The jury retired at 2 o'clock and at $50
returned with the following verdict.
The Verdict.
Charles DeLesseps and NJ Blondin,
charged with corrupting NJ. Baihaut, ex-
minister of public works, in the matter of
the Panama lottery bonds bill, guilty, with
extenuating circumstances.
NJ. Bahuit, guilty, without extenuating
circumstances.
Marquis Fontain Sans-Leroy, Senator
Beril and Deputies Dugue, Gobron and
Antoin Foust were acquitted
Tn court passed the following sentences;
DeLesseps one year imprisonment, which
sentence is to be merged into the fiveyears'
sentence imposed upon by the first trial.
Blondin, two years imprisonment.
Baihaut was condemned TO five years
Imprisonment and the loss of civil rights.
He must also restore 10 the Panama liqui-
dation fund 10000 francs The defend
ants are TO pay the cost of proceedings
Jointly.
Fontaine Painted.
De Lesseps, Blondin, Baihaut accepted
the situation with calmness. Fontaine,
although acquitted, lost coutrol of him
self entirely and tainted dead away. Sans
Leroy made no secret Of his joy and after
accepting the congratulations of his
friends, left the courtroom hurriedly
without even discharging the formalities
required by law after the verdict had been
given. The presumption of guilt had been
stronger against him than in the case of
his fellow defendants, and the verdict was
probably more or less of a surprise to him.
The counsel for the liquidation asked
the court to order that the sums con-
fiscated from De Lesseps, Blondin and
Baihaut should be paid to the liquidation
account at once. Counsel also demanded
restitution of the sums confiscated from
the persons who were acquitted. The
court took (. .ose motions under advise
ment.