The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-14
NJ. Bourgeois Answers His Accusers in
Courtand in the Chamber of Deputies.
Both the Palais De Justice and the Palais Bour-
bon ThrOnged All Yesterday by Crowds Of
Excited Frencbmen Of ALI Classes
Proceedings ofthe Panama Trial Marked
BY Several Sensational Incidents.
Judge Desjardins Forced to Suspend Court 0w-
ing to the Tumult-G Government Upheld by
the Deputies After Noisy Discussion.
BOURGEOIS ON THE STAND.

BOURGEOIS ON THE STAND.
The Ex-Minister OF Justice Enlivens the Pro-
ceedings of the Panama Trial
PARIS, March 13-The Panama scandal
has been prolific with sensations to-day,
both at the trial and in the Chamber Of
Deputies. The approaches TO ttA Palais dc
Justice were thronged ell day by excited
crowds. There has not been such excite
ment in Paris since the beginning of the
scandal. The crowds were composed of all
Glasses, from the militant Socialist TO the
wealthy merchant and fnancier. and there
was an omInous murmur OF angry talk and
menacing frown on the faces of the lower
Glasses in the throng that reminded one of
the days preceding the Commune. The
court room was thronged with as many
as could gain admittalce. The prisoners
seemed themselves revived by the new i'm
terest which their case had awakened, and
some thought that the features of Charles
de Lesseps bore q look of triumph. and
even baihaut looked less crushed than at
any time since his pitiful confession.
As soon As the court opened presiding
Judge Desiardins ordered that III. Bour-
geois. late Minister of Justice. should be
summoned to testify sometime during the
day.
NJ. Goliard testified that he know the
secretary of nj. Henry Cottu, and IL was &c
the initiative of the secretary that he saw
Police Commissioner Nicolle with the view
OF effectlng an arrangement between the
government and the Panama directors.
This interview led to the discussions w hich
took place betw aen Madame Cottu and M.
Soin0ury, chief of the detective depart
ment The witness said that be acted en-
tirely on bis own responsibility in bring.
Ing about the interviews.
RnnrQanla stand
murmurs of excitement on the parto of the
audience. Bourgeois spoke with frmness
and energy. and showed a disposition not
to believe anything that could explain his
position toward the Panama case and the
defendants He emphatlcally repndiated
all the insinuatiOns contained in the evil
deDce of Madame Cottu. He denied having
authorized any body to act IN his behalf.
anne Cottu to see her husband from motives
of humanity. Il never heard anything"
exclaimed NJ. Bourgeois. "of the In nterviews
between Madame Cottu and NJ. Soinoury
until the statements were made in court.
The insinuations," cried NJ. Bourgeois,
earnestly, 'are simply infamous falsehoods.
never gave any order calculated TO in
duce the officers OF justice to shirk their
duty or to do anything contrary to law"
Judge Desjardlns - Madame Cottu has
said nothing against you.
NJ. Bourgeois-I read the report OF the
trial and. therefore. l am here to deny the
lnsinuations.
Judge Desjardins-The report was. per-
haps, inaccurate.
The Advocate general-If the personal
character of M. Bourgeois had been called
In question without my being able to defend
1T. /, who perhaps. owe my place here to
him. sbonld not have hesItated to resign.
Prolonged murmurs of approval greeted
this avowal of loyalty, but they were
formally checked by the presiding judge.
BOURGEOIS -RAPs Ills AcCUsERs.
M. Bourgeois then resumed: IL do not
know what this new maneuver means.
do not even wish to know, but feel il may
prejudice the disclosure of the truth and
give rise to the idea that justice is not free.
In leaving my Office to protest wish to
say that would not allow the accused to
become accusers nor the Minister of Justice
himself to become accused.
These words. uttered with flrmness and
dignity, caused a manifest sensation in
court. and every body looked at the defend
ants.
get that NJ. Bourgeois was only Yesterday
the Minister of Justice and 1 asked him re-
ludes to-"
M. Bourgeois tsterDly)-I do not know,
but am conscious of them.
M. Barboux-Nobodyh here doubts the SIM
cerlty of Madame COttus evidence.
Charles dc Lesseps here arose and. in q
bold manner. and in tones that rang
through the courtroom, he uttered: M.
Bourgeois attacked me q little while ago.
Well, Monsieur. here i am, face TO face
with you-wbat have you TO say to mew
De Lesseps folded his arms and looked
dehantiy at Bourgeois while a violent mp
roar among the audience greeted this sud-
den ebullitlon on the part of the leading
defendant. whose conduct mp TO this time
had been at least within the rules of order
ly procedure.
Judge Desjsrdins Indignantly spoke mp:
II cannot allow these dialogues. The law
must be recognized by all" The audience
oaimed down and N. Bourgeois proceeded
to reply In deliberate language, TO M. Bar
boux.
II have notn he said, ''to discuss the
truth OF what M. Barbour chooses TO say,
but / affirm In portion the evidence In
which was called in question. NJ. Soinoury
was not aware of the facts. His statements
did not dispose of the charges against me.
Therefore. l am here TO Tebut them. The
whole affair is the result of mapeuyer,
the authors of which do not know.n
With this NJ. Bourgeois retired from the
witness stand and Nine. Cottu was re-
called. She declared that A. Goliard had
told her be would go and see M. Bourgeois
in regard to her.
NJ. Goliard followed Madame Cottu on
the stand and confirmed her statement 10
the effect that he had told her he would
see NJ. Bourgeois. Butt he added, mo-
body authorized me TO say So"
NJ. Bourgeois arose and exclaimed: IF
any one knows that acted contrary to the
dictates of honor let him speak"
At these words the uproar IN the audi
ence was rene wed. many. was evident
from their murmers and EXPLANATIONS,
taking part with NJ. Bourgeois and others
with his sccusers. Judge Desjardins con-
cluded that the most effective way to
allay the excitement was TO suspend the
hearing. and he gave an order TO that
effect. IL took some time, however, for the
excitement TO eubside.
When the bearing was resumed Nj. Soin-
oury was recalled. He made q long state
ment to the effect thu neither NJ. Bourgeois
nor any other Minister was in any way re-
sponsi5le for his interview with Madame
Co:tu. He himself had origina ated the idea
of q conference with her. aud had arranged
the meeting without communicating with
his superiora For professional reasons he
had deemed it best TO keep the matter
secret. He believed that he was only do
ing his duty in trying 10 get at the center
of the scandal. The charges that he had
threatened Madame Cottu. OF had promised
her any favor in return for iDforma.
tion which she might give him. were utter
ly false.
THE GOVERNMENT INTERPoLATED.
An hour before the opening of the Cham.
ber of Deputies to-day an excited crowd
had gathered at the Palais Bourbon. WheH
proceedings began the strangers galleries
were full. and hardly place the floor
Of fha HOuso waa vacant The ahseuee Of