Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-03-17
SUMS UP THE CASE
N. Barbour Says chadss deLss-
ssps Il innocent
he aIDIcuLEs THE MINISTRY


Paris. March l6--M. Barbour. coun-
vel FOR Charles deLesseps. summed up
for his client in the Panama trial today.
lie spoke II great length. always earn
estly and often cloqoentiy. At the be-
ginning II The trial be said his case VAS
30 strong that he was willing to try II
before q jury Of Panama stockholders
and today he again expressed the con-
siction that he could secure Charles
DeLesseps' acquittaL The courtroom
was well illcd when he began to speak.
and became crowded before he closed
In opening his address NJ. Barbour said
that the present trial had been begun
against the wishes Of tbs Panama stock
holders. Who. much as they had been mis-
represented in reality. opposed the ar
raignment in court Of either Ferdinand
or Charles DeIesseps. The stockholders
had disapprovcd u the plan TO place tho
burden Of the Panama scandal upon
men bearing ~ great names ~ there
was in France. They respected and
trusted DeIesscps. and felt that the
prosecution of him was not only unjust.
but blow at the revival Of the canal
enterprise. NJ. Barbour traced the his
tory Of the canal company after lssa
All the chambers of commerce in
France. he said. had favored the com
pletion Of the canal after the work bad
been advanced TO the point at which it
was tagging before the last attempts 10
raise q loan. The whole commercial
world that conferred in Paris wished
that the canal should DO completed.
Why single Out DeIc<scps?
To complete it there was no need Of
the lottery loan. To pass the bill there
was need Of submitting To the demands
IL NJ. Baihaut. and others like him. who
stood ready To kill the measure il they
were not conciliated- NJ. Baihaut had
informed DeLesseps that il he did not
receiv's an enormous sum OF hush money
he woald defeat the bill; he submitted
to the extortion. The charges that Nj.
DeI.esseps had wished to corrupt every
body, had searched Paris for men upon
whom he could lavish the money OF tho
shareholders. had not been proven.
Why had Charles deIesseps been Sc
lected to bear the blunt Of the charges
Of bribery when others. known To be
guilty. had been untouched. Why had
not iilanchet. who was understood 10
have sent a bride 10 Nj. Boirc. been
brought into courty Charges fully as
serious "a those against DcLesseps had
been made against dozen other men.
but they either had been ignored or the
accused had been permitted to escape.
Mr.. Barbour analysed the testimony
OF ex-Deputy Chantagrel who gave
evidence that NJ. Solignon. in the name
Of DeLesseps, tried TO buy his vote with
:30000 francs for the lottery loan bill.
That Chantagrels testimony. he said,
had been contradictory. The only
three persons who could have supplied
the missing evidence, although not to
the satisfaction Of the prosecution. were
Baron DeReinach. who was dead;
Cornelius Herr. who was absent on
account Of illness. and Arton. the lobby
list. the pretended search for whom had
excited the laughter OF all Europe.
GriIis the Ministry.
NJ. Clemenceau might have given
some conclusive testimony in this trial.
but he was restrained from doing 80.
The ministerp might have given the
most important information. but they
saw fit to withhold it. Why had they
not produced copies OF the menacing
telegram sent by Cornelius Herr!
The Advocate General-They are at
your disposal
Judge Dcsjardins- them be pro-
duced in court tomorrow.
Continuing. NJ. Barbour asked why
had Cornelius Herr been permitted to
flee the country: Why had he not been
placed among the prisonersg Merely be-
cause for ten years he had been the
broker Of the radical party. The pay
ment made 10 Baron DcRcinach. VI.
Bards,ux described as perfectly legiti
mate. They were given. he said. accord
ing 10 an agreement with the bankers
constituting the guarantee syndicate.
Who would be foolish enough TO believe
that such large sums were intended for
the Insignificant deputies and senator's
whom the jury had seen in the court
room? After the laughter following
this slur had subsidized. Judge Dcsjar.
dlns pleaded sickness as an excuse for
adlourning court