New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-11
PANAMA COURT CLEARED.
rue SPECTATORS INTERRUPT NJ. FLOQUET
wrH SHOUTS OF TELL THE TRUTH"
AZ ANGRY CoLLOQUY BETWEEN THE WITNESS
AND CHARLES DE LEssEPs-THE EXPIRE
T. nIER's ADM1ssIoN-M" CI.EMENCEAU
MAKES A SENSATION.

AN CHARLES DE LESSEPs-THE EXPIRE
Il MER's ADMIssIoN-M. CLEMENCEAU
MAKES SENSATION.
Paris March l0.-ln the Panama trial to-day
CHARLES Floouet ex-Prcsident cf the Chamber
.t Deputies and eX-Prcmier, was a witness. He
-. nervous and pale. Before examining him,
Inn,r< Desjardins had Charles de Lesseps repeat
~ testimony as 10 the contribution of 800, 900
tsncs. NJ ide at NJ Floquet's request by the Pan
,Ss Company to the fund for the campaign against
susngcr in the Department Of the Nord. In
Including his statement NJ. de Lesseps said:
g.Irender all homage to the delicacy and loyalty
tAbh distinguished NJ. Floquets conduct, but l
lchre positively that ha made to me the exact
fvposals already made for him by Arton."
M Floquet replied at once, in loud but un-
natural tone:
IL repeat the denial already made by me be-
fore the examining magistrate. The manner OF
acting and speaking attributed to me by NJ. de
Lesseps is entirely foreign to my personality. AS
N. de Lesseps puts the matter. it was much worse
than il had brought pressure to bear upon him,
a he complains everybody else did. In his
testimony he has forgotten. however, that l did
not assume Office until April 3, 1888, and that
the election tool, place on April Is; the voting
an tho Lottery Loan bill on the 27th.'
Nevertheless We have proofs that Baron
Reinach sent out the money under your Minis
try in 1885," interpolated Charles de Lesseps.
Il do not understand what you mean, re-
plied NJ Floquet.
Loud protests came from the body of the
court, and several persons shouted: Tell the
truth" The Presiding Judges call for order
only evoked more shouts, and his voice was
lost in the uproar as lie threatened to have the
court cleared. Both NJ. de Lesscps and NJ. Flo
ouet tried to make statements, but neither could
be heard more than few feet away. Each de-
MED fatty the truth of what the other said,
but only the reporters c"ught their words As
the din increased, jude )csjardins ordered that
the courtroom be cleared: and amid babel of
voices shouting reproacles and accusations at the
judges the audience was driven out by the
ushers When order was restored NJ. de Lesseps
got the first word, and said clearly and positively
IL repeat that NJ Floquet asked to see me in
regard to the report that Baron Reinach In
tended to sue the Panama Company and that no
advised me TO pay Baron Reinach the large sum
demanded by him, in order that the Government
might not be annoyed by the suit"
M. Floquet, after a short pause, admitted that
he had talked with NJ. de Lesscps concerning the
Reinach suit 81 knew Neither Baron Reinach nor
Cornelius Herr, however" he added. "and am
amazed that anybody should make an incident
out of this trine would be ready to do again
what / then did. 1t was at the time OF the
Boulangist agitation, and popular feeling was oe-
ing excited by free distributions of money. When
found that the Panama Canal Company was
setting aside large sums for advertising. natur-
ally asked why such amounts should go to NIL the
exchequer of the enemies of the Republic.
L. A. Lob hhr,ct Arfn
NJ Barbour.
IL saw him once or twice, answered NJ. Flo1uet,
~but had no regular relations with him."
N. sClemenceau. the next witness, denied tha.
Cornelius Herr had secured. as Charles de Lessens
testified. about 100000 francs for the favor OF
LA Justice toward the Canal Company. La
Justice" had been pledged to assist the Panama
Company, he said, long before the beginning OF
the scandals and therefore ii not necessary 10
buy the support of either the journal or its editor
He then described visit made by him and A.
Ranc, Editor of the Paris" to NJ. de freycinet.
He and NJ. Ranc had spoken with NJ de Frey
cinet as to Reinach's threatened action against
the Panama people, because they feared the action
might cause the collapse Of the canal enterprise,
and that such collapse would be used to unsettle
the Republic.
To prove his statement that he supported the
Panama Canal enterprise from the beginning, NJ.
Clcmenceau declared that when Ferdinand and
Charles de Leeseps visited him in 1889, they
came, not in the name of Herr, as Charles de
Lss,2s now contended, but in the name OF NJ.
Carnot, who had advised them to persuade the
Deputies to back the undertaking. In this IN
tervicw NJ Clemenceau promised unreservedy to
support the Canal Company. NJ. Clcmenceau
quoted in corroboration OF this statements several
letters written subsequently by Charles de Les
seps to NJ. Carnot and others concerning NJ.
Clemenceau's promise to help the company.
what kind Of business man would NJ
de- Lesseps then have BEEN exclaimed Clenenceau,
ito go months afterward, as he says, and pay
Herr large sum to secure my favor? When NJ
De Lesseps was discouuting bills for NJ. Herr, the
latter did not own single share In La Justice
NJ Clemenccau next made sensation by turning
upon NJ Barbour and accusing him Of having I'M
parted to the Figaro" part OF the testimony given
before Examining Magistrate Franqueville. The
lawyer looked petrifed us Clemenceau almost
shouted this charge against him. He was TOO
much astounded TO say word until Judge
Desjsrdins demanded that he answer Cemenceau al
once. Then he said, lamely
will answer in time do not care now to
come to blows with the witness.
m. de Freycinet, looking tired and harassed H.
followed NJ Clemenceau on the stand. Il sent
for Charles de Lesseps" he sad in the interest on
the public With the same interest at heart
advised him to avoid lawsuit with Baron
Reinach. When hc tried to enter into particulars,
stopped him by saying that was not called
upon to act as Judge in the matter.
ASKED to confirm or deny this statement Charles
Dc Lesscps said
II do not dispute and have not disputed that
y de Frycinet spoke to me in the interest o.
! - public 1t was in tile same interest 'hat
ave Reiuach millions"
Il cannot believe" added NJ. de Freycines
that his conversation with me impelled NJ. ae
L>sseps to give way to Baron Relnach's demands
What l said made necessary nothing whatever.
Ex-Depnty Chautaarel testified that NJ. ooui''