St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-13
De LESSEPS' FAITH.
All Warnings Of Failure Of
the Canal Enterprise Dis
regarded.
He Had Supreme Direction
Of the Work on the
Canal.
Charles de Lesseps Severely
Scored by the Examin-
ing Judge.
Confidence in the New Min
istry Voted by the
Deputies.

PARIS, Jan. -. The court room was
thronged again today at the resumption
of the trial of the Panama defendants.
NJ. RoSsignol, accountant for the Pana-
ma company, was examined as wit
ness. President Perivier remarked that
the accounts must have been recast
before being submitted to expert eX-
animation. NJ. Monchicourt, liquidator
for the Panama company, depoSed that
NJ. de LeSSepS had diSregarded all
warnings and insisted on proceed
ing with the Panama enterprise re-
CARELESS of cost. The expenses. NJ. Mon
chicourt stated, were excessive through
out. NJ. AIonchicourt added that Baron
Reinach and MesSieurS Levy and Gre
mieuX were depuGed to pay for certain
support to De given to the company in
its schemes, but he was certain that
Reinach retained the greater part of the
funds entrusted to him for this purpose.
President Perivier turned TO Nj. Charles
de LeSseps and reprOached him severely
for having permitted this.
Engineer kOSsignol next described his
method of inspecting the canal, on
which he had based the famous report
which was in part suppressed. He
stated that Ferdinand de Lesseps had
blind faith in his own good fortune. and
had supreme influence and direction in
the management of
The Work on the Canal
in all its branches. Judge Perivier re-
ceiYed with evident suspicion some of
NJ. Rossignol's statements. When
Rossignul said that NJ. Eiffel'S books
were we'll kept, Judge Perjvier inter
rupted, and said:
But Nj. EitfePs accounts were manip-
ulated. Figures were added to the
working columns with view to minlm-
ize the total profit.
NJ. RoSSlgnol began to explain his
statement, but Judge Perlyier cut him
short with the adm0nitiOn:
"Conhne yourself to plain statement
Of facts instead of arguing the matter"
The presiding judge was still more
severe in his treatment of Charles de
Lesseps. NJ. Monchicourt had stated
that Baron Reinach sucked the blood Of
the company by Obtaining enormous
sums with which to bride senators and
deputies and other influential men.
You have no confidence in his NOR
ality?" asked Judge Periyer.
mo; but he was very clever" re-
piled NJ. MOnchicOurt.
Turning to Charles de LessepS, Judge
Perivier inquired sharply:
And how did you understand Baron
de Reinach used these enormous
sums?''
bid the Dirty work.
an remuneratng tinanciers," an
swered Charles de Lesseps, land, with
out doubt, senators. deputies and min
listers. A number of persons, however,
otfeIed assistance to Baron de Reinach
and NJ. ComiouX,WhO were first charged
with the distribution Of money"
That IS, you gave them the dirty job
which you preferred not to do yourself,
but furnished the means for SO doing"
Charles de Lesseps WINGED and
looked down, but made no reply. The
first words spoken at the trial in his
favor came from Sir John Stokes, Great
Britain'S representative on the Suez
board, who testified later. Sir John said
he regarded Charles de LesseDs as
loyal, upright and incapable of IL dis
honest act. Engineer Dingler estimated
that the cutting of the Panama canal
COgld have been done for less than
2000,000,0O0 francs or i'll fewer than
fifteen OF twenty years. Search was
made this evening i'll the office of NJ
Proper, formerly partner of Baron
de Reinach. 1t is reported that papers
concerning the lobbying done by the
notorious intermediary, NJ. Arton, were
seized.