The morning call., 1893-01-12
RATHER COOL.
Eiffel Tells How He Took Everything
in Sight.

III SIgHt.
PARIS, Jan. 1.-THE trial of Charles: de
Lesseps. Fontane, Cottu and Eiffel. accused
OF completely in the Panama canal frauds,
was continued in the Court Of Appeals to-
day. Long before the hour set for the Open
ing of the court the room was filed to its
utmost capacity with crowd of interested
spectators, to most Of whom the prisoners
are we'll known. The audience discussed
the evidence given by De Lesseps yesser-
day. and the general opinion seemed to be
that he has not bettered his case by state
ments regarding the transactions between
himself and the late Baron Reinach. Little
confidence is placed in his declaration mat
he had no knowledge as to the uses TO which
the large sums OF money he handed the
Baron were to be put beyond the fact that
they were y 10 expended for the canal COM
pany.
When the court was solemnly convened
President Perivier proceeded 10 examine
Fontane. who said shortly after the forma-
ton of the Panama Canal Company he was
placed in charge of the cOmpany's business
with the press. lie detailed at length what
his duties were, and gave much valuable
Information regarding the bribery OF news
papers to prevent hostile attacks upon the
company and to prevent the publication OF
matter that would have shown the true
condition OF affairs on the Isthmus OF
Panama. Fontane stated that he had held
his position as manager of the company's
press affairs until 1885, wien the exaetions
Of the newspapers became so heavy that he
was compelled TO abandon the position.
Since that time he had been merely the
private secretary of De Lesseps. lie had
distributed TO The press only 60.000 flames
in drafts payable TO bearer.
In the examination Of NJ. L ffe he ad-
mitted that lie had cashed checks for 12.-
oO0,000 francs which were ostensibly drawn
10 pay for machinery, while be actually ex-
pended only 1,500000 francs for that pur-
pose. He gave 100000 francs to Nj. Heb
rard to secure contracts with the company,
and 2.000 0O0 francs to De Reinach to secure
the latteT's influence in his favor with the
Government Two million francs were also
paid by him to certain contractor, whose
favor. like that of Hebrard and Reiuaeh,
was indispensable.
All Of these admissions were made only
after severe course OF questioning. The
presiding Judge then asked Eiffel what he
did with the G. .0O0, COO francs received by him
for taking to pieces, shipping 10 the isthInus
and reeonstructing machinery. which. as a
matter If faci, he never even supplied In
this country.
81 kept that sum-" replied EiffeI calmly.
because 1t formed part Of my semanef 81 L
for the risk | was undertaking"
"Your contract" said the Judge. "pro-
vided that you were TO receive 80 per cent
to be paid within thirty days OF the date OF
sending the orders. Now, you took 2,S75.-
600 francs from one firm as a percentage.
although your orders were never executed"
Eiffel replied that IL was not his fault
that the order was not executed He him
self had often paid on contracts which we're
never executed. Besides this, there was the
contingency contemplated by the general
condition OF The transaction.
II consider such transaction as void"
said tie Judge. severely, ''since it was the
result OF an error, to call it nothing worse.
The Prosecutor General will tell you more
about this tomorrow and at the subsequent
sittings."
Effel quailed yisibly under these words.