St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-06
One OF De Fpeycinet's Cabinet
Implicated in the Pana-
ma Scandal.
He Has Been Accused OF Re-
celving a Portion Of the
Doodle.
The Parliamentary Inquiry
Committee Resumes Its
Sitting.
Enormous Amounts Said to
Have Been Lost Through
Bogus Contracts.

PARIS, Jan. 5.-M. Baihut, minister
Of public works in the cabinet of NJ. De
Freycinet in 1886, was today brought be-
fore NJ. Franquevilie, examining magis-
trate, to confront Charles de LesSeps
and Marius Fontaine, imprisoned
directors of the Panama Canal COM
pany. After an examination of
two hours, M. Baihut was ordered to
prepare to appear before M. Ffanque-
vile again before Jan. 10. NJ. Baihut'S
present position is cnigmatical. He has
been accused by NJ. Ferdinand Martin,
banker, WHO says he was employed by
the Panama company to influence dep
uties, and of having received repeated
payments from the company.
NJ. Armengaud, civil engineer and
former member of the city council. also
made damaging charges against him.
Nj. Baihut was the class-fellow of NJ.
Armengaud at an engineering school,
and his intimate friend and frequent
visitor at his country house at st. Leu
until about five years ago, when
Nj. Baihut got Madame Armengaud
to elope with him, although she was the
mother of three children. NJ. Armen-
gaud had to divorce her, and to lIquidate
her fortune, which. when they were
married. amounted to 100000 francs.
A third part went by law to the husband
for his lifetime, and a third to the chill
dren. The rest went 10 her. M. Armen-
gaud had stated that
w. Baihut WAS Penniless
until he got hold of Nine. Armengaud'S
fortune OF 100000 francs. NJ. Balhut
has already replied to this statement in
a letter calculated to show that he had
before 1886 an Independent income OF
10000 francs. The charges of Nj. Mar
tin nave also been denied by M. Baihut.
How far the present examination con-
Germs them can OILY be surmiSed.
Nj. Blondin. who was arrested yeSter-
day after having been examined by NJ.
Franquevlle, is accused of having been
an intermediary between the corrupt
Rehabilitation combination and dep
uties. At the time he was NJ. Baihut'S
private secretary. His arrest has
been the one topic of dis
cuSsion today in the lubbles
of the chamber. 1t is supposed that his
evidence yesterday implicated M. Bal
hut, and was the direct cause of the
1atter's examination today. The pre-
vaiing opinion is that M. FloQuet's
election as president of the chamber is
certain.
The parliamentary committee of in
quiry resumed its sittings, suspended
during the holidays. The principal
witness called was VlSc0unt de Vile
bois-MareuIl, Monarchist. He said that
the expenditure of the Panama Canal
company i'll corrupting the press was IL
trifle when compared with the amount
lost
Through Bogus Contracts.
He urged the commission to call the
principal contractors and examine them
as to the amounts received and the re-
suit actually done. Grave discrepan-
be revealed. The commt4 de ia
union du Panama. he said, had been
formed expressly to influence deputies
and conspicuous men in the province to
favor the lottery loan. The commission
appointed a subcommittee to inquire
into the viScOunt'S charges, and then
adjourned until Saturday.
The charge on which NJ. BlOndin was
ordered to be placed under arrest yes
terday was that he had distributed the
funds of the canal company in a corrupt
manner AMONG the newspapers in con-
sideration of their putting the last issue
of Panama canal bonds. NJ. Blondin is
simply clerk in the en-
ploy of the Credit Lyonnais. with
out any connection with or reSpon-
siDility for the management of the
Credit Lyonnais, and his employment
as clerk with the Credit Lyonnais began
some time after the period of his alleged
completely in the Panama scandal. 1t
will be seen, therefore. that the men,
ton of the Credit Lyonnais in connec-
ton with the arrest of Nj. Blondin
should be not interpreted as in the
slightest degree involving that institu-
ton in Nj. Blondin's association with
the Panama canal enterprise.