The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-14
Fourth Day of the Panama Trial.

| PARIS. Jan. l3.-Thera is no aba te-
ment whatever in the interest excited
| by the developments i'm the Panama case
! that have been brought To light by the
| skillful questioning of President Perevicr,
of the court Of appeals. before whom
the accused are being tried. To-day was
| the fourth cay of the trial OF Charles de
| Lessons, Cottu, Fontane and Eiffel. and.
as on the preceding days. the court
| room WAS crowded. A number OF wit
| nesses were called 10 show that at the
| time the rosy reports were being made
| by the Canal Company the officials had
| full knowledge that the reports were
| untrue, and that the difficulties that
| were brushed aside on paper as though
| they were nothing were known by De
| Lesscps and others to be insurmountable
| The first witness to prove this condition
| of affairs was Captain Fraysse. who has
| acted in the capacity Of superintendent
| of the canal works. He testified that he
had many conversations VITA Ferdinand
| de Lesseps In regard TO how matters were
proceeding on the isthmus, and that he
had often told De Lesseps that the Sc
riousness Of the difficulties that were
being met with were hind ring the exc
cution of the enterprise.
Retault, a shsre holder i'm the canal
company, testified that he formerly had
untC unded conhderce in De Lesseps, and
tnlS commence ndu Itu MN 10 iidht
large Investments In Panama stock. Re
tault desired to read a number Of docu-
ments 10 show that the newspapers and
members Of the Chamber Of Deputies
had deceived the public as 20 the real
condition of the company, though they
knew that il was "A swndle.
President Perevier stopped him, saying
that the court wanted personal and not
hearsay evidence.
The next person TO be examined was NJ.
Hyeronimus, the chief accountant Of the
Parama Canal Company. He was lues-
toned at length by President Terevier in
regard TO the Bonds Anonymes.
NJ HyerOnimus declared the course fol-
lowed in the matter OF these bonds was
adopted In order 10 keep the names OF
those who received them from the officials
of the committee. Upon review President
Perevier remarked: when people are
acting uprightly their pledges are not
surroI ndcd by srch mystery
Further questions were put 10 the wit
less but he gave evasive answers. and
II was evident that he was determined
TO say nothing that would compromise
Tie company He insisted that he knew
nothing OF the company's operations.
Though both President Perevier and Nj.
Tanon, the public procureur, piled him
with questions they failed to elicit any
information tfat WOulu throw llSht Oh
the methods pursued by the company.
The evidence so far in the Panama
trial is regarded as assuring conviction.
The report OF NJ. Flory. the Government |
accountant. contends that the response |
bility for the Panama frauds and decep- |
tion rests upon the whole board or Pana- |
ma directors because having squandered |
the capital, they concealed the real situa-
tion by false statements in order 10 OBJ
tain subscriptions and protect their own
NJ Flory's report leaves no
doubt as TO the deliberate character OF
tbe deception practiced upon the public
The public are already beginning TO
discuss the sentences that will be passed
upon the De Lesseps and other associates
In the event of conviction, III is beheVea
hat president Perevier win pronounce
severe penalty, as from the first he ex- J