The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-11
NEW FRENCH CABINET
Loubet and De Freycinet Are
Dropped From Office.
ORDER MAINTAINED IN PARIS.
Panama Swindiers Arraigned-Charles
de Lesseps Placed on the Stand
How Americans Were Bribed.

| Public Works Baihut and other matters.
President Garnet charged Ribot with the
duty OF forming 4 new ministry, which
Rlbot organized as follows: Ribot, pre-
mler and minister OF the interior; Devell,
minister OF foreign affairs; Tirard, minis
ter of finance; Bourgeois, minister of
Justice; Loizil.on, minister of war; Bur-
deau, minister of colonies and marine;
Dupuy. minister of instruction; Viger,
minister of agriculture; Siegfried. minis
ter OF commerce; Eiette. minister OF works.
Loubet and DeFreycinet are dropped.
Although the resignation of the ministry
| caused widespread excitement there was
no attempt to create disorder. The order
prevailing throughout the city may be
and no doubt is due TO the fact that the
iawless element well know that any dis
turbance will be put down with the strong
hand of the military.
1t Is openly charged that Rihot and
Carnot are not in earnest in the Panama
prosecutions and have no intention of
bringing the bribe-takers to trial. and that
the prosecution OF De Lesseps. Fontalne,
Cottu and Eiffel will be nothing more than
farce. Il is also charged that efforts are
being made 10 postpone the exposure of
certain guilty parties until the law OF pro-
bA4DH lbs LSheH
The recess Of the chamber of deputies
ended today and the house resumed its
sitting. After the usual formalities of
opening had been complied with FloqUet
was presented for reelection to the presi-
dency of the chamber. This evoked
somewhat unexpected and vehement op-
position, and FloqUet withdrew his can
didscy. The Republican group then
nominated N h.,
elected By majority of I55 During the
proceedings Of the chamber group of
thirteen men, proclaiming themselves an
archists, gathered in front Of the building.
and refusing 20 move on when ordered by
the police, were arrested
Ferdinand de Lesseps, although absent
on account of the state Of his health. was
included today as one of the defendants
with Charles de Lesseps, Fon;aine, Cottu
and Eiffel, accused of completely in the
Panama canal frauds. The trial opened
In the first chamber of the court of casa
ton, as the court OF appeals is called,
| Perivier presiding. Procurer General
| Tanon conducted the prosecution. Advo-
| cate General Pau is assisting Tanon in the
| prosecution. Maitre Barbour, Waldec1.
Rousseau and Dubuoit are among the
counsel for the accused. Maitre Barbour
is acting for both Ferdinand and Charles
| de Lesseps.
The name OF Count Ferdinand de les
| seps was called with profound silence
| Alter short pause physicians certificate
that the count was physically unable to be
| present was submitted TO the court The
| procureur-general asked nevertheless that
| Judgment by default be given. and the
! court granted the motion. Charles de Les
| seps made a long statement as TO the or
! ganiZation Of the Panama company. His
| father. he acknowledged, had sold his
| founders shares in the canal, but not for
the purpose OF Withdrawing money from the
enterprise. In every case Count de Les
| seps turned such shares into money merely
| that he might subscribe for new issues.
| On the whole Count de Lesseps had in
| vested much more money in the enterprise
| than he had withdrawn.
The prisoner was then questioned closely
| as TO the relations of the American Pan
anna committee to the company. He said
| 100000 francs had been placed at the
| disposal Of the American committeeman
and used by them for the best interests of
the company. When asked if this sum
was not large for the purpose for which it
| was applied, he said: Their assistance
| was valuable. and they would have ar
| ranged an expenditure of still larger
amount"
The prosecuting counsel asked several
| questions to draw out admissions that the
/ feasibility of the canal plan was doubted
by the directors before the last loan was
| applied for. De Lesseps replied that NJ.
| Rosseau. a competent engineer who exam
| ined the work on the Isthmus in 1856, ex-
| unA .iNtt< bot .. l.
| pleted provided certain notifications of
the original plan be made.
But Boyer and Jacquet, both cof..re-
| tent engineers, declared that a canal with
| locks would cost from zoo. O0O. 900 10
| $4,000 ono francs" interpolated the pre-
siding judge.
| "Our consulting committee of works -
replied II. De Lesseps, gave an estimate
of 600, 600 900 francs for the completion of
the works, and these, consequently, are
the only figures we could publish"
De Lesseps was asked to explain what
became OF 2.5, 900 francs in bonds. PAYABLE
10 bearer, which were not accounted Tor in
the ccmpany's books. He eyaded the
| question by referring 20 the bonds '.au
! porteUr," AS the Company's secret service
| fund. When pressed by cOunse! he re-
! AN'ASNa ~ 'isN ~ tttNAAA "a NNA+lr VH'.ihFU
francs 10 Herr. with whom the comuanv
could not possibly afford TO ia, out. After
3 third question IS 10 the recp ient OF the
2-5 900 francs he said. after d painful
| silence:
when the lottery bill was laid on the
table, Bl,hut asked for / 100. 000 francs. 10
| lie paid hum III In>tallneuts between the
! Introduction and adoption Of the bill. OF
this sum 20 go francs were paid - Raj
hut. Then the bill was withdrawn and
| nothing more was paid him"
After the recess tho presiding iud "a
| questioned De Lcsseps as to the bogus
| petitions presented IN the chamber. AM
the enormous payments made uy The com.
| pauy to Synulcates which assisted the
! boating Of loans DE Iessers answered:
MucA as ! regretted it, La,l necessity com.
| PEELED IL t. resort 10 such measures 10 insure
sae success, Of oar plans Millions were given,
tbeuaoseer. The taaker. re olyed 2ulorpl
/ francs Tor Swing Inc CouYsuy the IDEA
/ o: the lottery loan IL payment OF as
/ suggestion Of siuY.e plan. j. rehoovet
! Us 10 b amor such s,e&; banker. and even rst
Gltscu.Iy ~ limiting the >ln uarruN.ye 49, ...a.
Ike slt great banse-s haToa keinaca Was ke--,
{ a.;ur lfHHL lie Was exceptional. havrvar ~,
MS Willingness 80 rlsk IS capital tu- tie f.g-.
( %, 50 o. rtat@lug tie p-aH ~ the cam,
I lie was the maa Who formed too inst
+ Sac.ete Az q, with his own capital. assisted .y