The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-14
EXCITEMENT AT PARIS.
a CROWD IN COURT AT TIE PAN
ANA TRIAL.

AOOh Ol -hlLlb. OOLku Akhln
Put on the Stand.
PARIS, March l3.-The approaches TO the
palais de justice were thronged to-day by
excited crowds. There has not been such
excitement in Paris since the beginning OF
the Panama scandal The crowds were
composed Of all classes, from the militant
socialist to the wealthy merchant and flnan-
cier, and there were ominous murmurs OF
angry talk and mensolng frown on the
faces of the lower classes in the throng that
reminded people Of the days preceding the
commune.
The court room was thronged with as
many as could obtain admittance. The
prisoners seemed themselves revived by the
interest which their case had awakened and
some Thought that the features of Charles
de Lesseps bore a look of triumph, while
even NJ. Baihut looked less crushed than at
any time previous since his pitiful oonfes-
sion,
GoLIARD's STORY.
NJ Goliard testified that he knew the
| secretary Of Henri Cottu and IL was at the
initiative OF the secretary that he saw
| Police Commissary NicOlle, with the view
| of etfecting an arrangement between the
| government and the Panama directors.
This interview led to the discussion which
| took place between Nine. Cottu and
NJ. Solnoury, chief of the detective
department. The switness said that he
acted entirely on his own responsibility In
| bringing about the interviews.
NJ. Bourgeois, late minister OF justice
| next took the stand amid murmurs OF eX-
element on the part OF the audience. NJ.
| Bourgeois spoke with firmness and energy,
| and showed disposition not to reserve any
/ thingy that CnnlA awnIafn hfa vAnafkfav n
the Panama case and the defendants. He
emphatioally repudiated all the insinuations
| contained IN the evidence Of Nine. COttu
! He d0nied having authorized anybody to
act in his behalf. He said that he had only
permitted Nine. Cottu TO see her husband
| from motives Of humanity. II never heard
anything" exclaimed M. Bourgeois,
| Cottu and M. Soinoury until
the statements were made in court. "The
insinuatlons,n cried M. Bourgeois, earnestly.
''are simply Infamous falsehoods. / never
gave any order calculated Co induce Of
| hers Of justice to shirk their duty or 60 do
anything contrary TO law NJ. Bourgeois
| bold stand won loud applause. He said the
whole affair was the result Of a maneuver,
the author OF which he did not know.
NINE. ooTTU RECALLED.
Mime. Cottu was recalled and declared
| luhb III 1OAAhlu uhu ADAA Abi Ao WOulA ~
| and see M. Bourgeois in regard to her.
| M. Goiard followed Nine. Cottu on the
stand aud confirmed her statement 10 the
effect that he had told her he would see NJ
Bourgeois. but" he added, nobody
authorized me to say So"
NJ. Bourgeois arose and exclaimed: "Ii
| any one knows that / acted contrary to the
dictates Of nonOr, let him speak" At these
| words the upToar in the audience was re-
newed, many taking part with M. Bourgeois
and others with his acousers.
| Judge Desjardins concluded that the
most effective way TO allay the excitement
was to suspend the hearing. II took some
! time, however. for the excitement to sub
side. When the hearing was resumed M.
| Soinoury was recalled. lie made a long
| statement to the effect that neither NJ.
| Bourgeois nor any other minister was in
| any way responsible for bis interview with
| Mime. Cottu. He himself had originated
| the idea Of conference with her,
| and had arranged the meeting
without communicating with his superiors.
| For professional reasons he had deemed il
best to keep the matter secret. He believed
! that he was only doing his duty in trying
| to get to the center of the scandal. The
charges that he had threatened Mime Cottu
or had promised her any favor in return
for information which she might give him
were utterly false.
The Chamber of Deputies to-day by a
vote Of 297 to 22S declared its confidence in
and voted to support the government. The
! vote was taken after an exciting debate in
which NJ. Ribot, premier, and Nj. Bourgeois,
the late minister Of justice, took q leading
part as speakers in defense Of the course
pursued by the government Ia reference To
the prosecution OF the Panama canal de-
| fendants.
The session to-day In the chamber was
one OF the storniest since the beginning Of
! the Panama scandal Disorder prevailed
| almost constantly throughout all the
speeches. The president broke bis paper
knife in rappinR vainly for order, and
eventually was obliged to threaten the sus-
pension Of the sitting to obtain even
a semblance Of order
| AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE.
An hour before the opening OF the Cham
| Der Of Deputies to-day an excited crowd
had gathered at the Palais Bourbon. When
the proceedings began the strangers gal-
leries we're full, and hardly place on the
floor of the house was vacant The absence
OF M. Bourgeois, who was defending him
self on the witness stand IN the sssize court,
delayed the attack which the BoulanRists
and royalists were ready to make upon the
government Nobody, however, left the
chamber All sat patient and expectant,
awaiting the coming of the fallen minister
| from tne court fOOus hVeubuhllY M .
bourgeois entered the chamber, and
amid perfect silence took bis seat at
considerable distance from the ministerial
bench The business in hand was speedily
finished and Armand Despres, republican,
deputy for the Seine, made the interpella-
ton. OF which he had already given notice,
| concerning the governments knowledge OF
| a. Soinoury's interview with Mime. Cottu.
The necessity Of frank statement was ap-
parent to all Had or had not the govern
| ment instructed NJ. Soinoury In his course
with Nine. Cottul When NJ. Bourgeois,
pale although self-possessed, walked 20 the
| speakers tribune, the hush Of expectancy
was almost painful. He began huskily but
quickly clearing his throat shouted:
"Those charges are absolutely false.
| | have sbeen before the court
and have answered everything. / now
have a right TO hold up my head. There is
nobody to gainsay it, After the applause
aud cheers had subsided NJ Bourgeois re-
peated much Of the statement which he had
Just made IN court.
THE PREMIER TAKES THE FLOOR.
II. Ribot said that N. Bourgeois had
| vindicated his own honor. lie himself
| would now yindicate the honor Of the
government. The story told by Nine. Cottu,
| be said, when not false, was distorted. M.
| Loubet had told the premier that NJ. Soin-
curry had been requested by an intermedi-
| ary TO grant an Interview TO Nine Cottu.
! NJ. Soinoury had understood that Nine.
l Cottu wished only 70 ask that she might be