The record-union., 1893-01-19
Special to the REcoRp.UNroN.


PARIS, Jan. 1S.-The Republicans, ig-
noring their personal differences, are
rallying to the cause Of the Government
Goblet states he will not associate himself
with campaign designed to provoke a
Presidential crisis. This sentiment is
generally expressed by other prominent
men whom the reactionists had hoped to
attract to their side through motives of
personal ambition. The detection of
Royalists plotting at home and increasing
the interest in affairs abroad, have served
to weaken the hold of the Panama scan
dal on the public mind; and the enemies
OF the Government also find the public
more incredulous, in view of the earnest
prosecution of the De Lesseps and their
associates, in believing the assertion that
President Carnot or the Ministry have
anything to conceal.
In view of the developments of the
trial, attention has been called to the part
which Ferdinand De Lesseps got the
clergy to take in helping his scheme.
which heretofore has almost escaped OBJ
servation. De Lesseps and his whole
family went prominently to high mass at
Madeleine all the time the bubble was
being blown. The christening of each of
the successive children of the family was
a not less public event, celebrated at the
nunciature by special license. The pre-
late was in once instance asked to be god
father.
The speculations in Panama options, it
Is said, went on at the Vatican. A mar
quise who has mansion in the Palace de
La Concorde was advised by a priestlv
counselor to convert her offering of 40. COO
francs year to the Peters Pence fund
into Panama paper. The adviser got a
heavy percentage on the transaction. OF
course the company was expected to pay
heavily and answered to the expectations.
Every priest VINO persuaded one of his
flock to take bond or share got com
mission. The run of the priests on the
Panama Offices was so great that arrange
ments were being made for a special Office
and secretary to receive them.
When the collapse came, De Lesseps
sent out in a most sensational way
brigades of Sisters of Charity to the hos
pital at the canal works. An appeal was
one night made through religious paper
to the zeal and devotion of the Daughters
OF ST. Vincent de Paul. The next dav
there were thirty-eight volunteers. who
were taken to Saint Nazaire the day after
to embark. The eyes of the Catholic
world OF France were for an hour riveted
on the poor heroics, who were then for
gotten until another brigade of volun-
teers We're needed. for the yellow fever
no more spared them than other whites
on the isthmus in the unhealthy season.
call was once made for chaplains. but
not with so much success.
1t has been claimed in connection with
the Deputies accused of corruption in
the Panama affair that, as the alleged
corruption took place in 1855, on the oc-
casion OF the passage of the lottery loan
by Parliament, the law of 1889 on traf-
ticking with the elective mandate is in
applicable, but Clause III of the Penal
Code Furnishes with civil degradation all
public functionaries guilty of venality.
DEPUTIES IMPLICATED.
PARIS, Jan. 1S.-The first witness be-
fore the Parliamentary Commission in
quiry to-day was NJ. Stephane, clerk in
the service of Baron de Reinach's part
ner, NJ. Pepper. He said Baron de
Reinach left him list of persons COM
promised in the distribution of the Pan
anna money. Among the names on the
list were Arene, Deves, Grevy, Roche.
Dugue de la Foucinnire, Rouvier, Proust.
Floquet, Renault, Barbe, Beral and
Thevenet. Several names repeated on
the list as men indicted received Panama
money more than once. The whole list
contained the names of more than 100
Deputies who had been beneficiaries of
the Panama fund. The sums paid these
men varied between 10000 and 100000
francs each. M. Stephane said he gave
the list to NJ. Clemenceau, who. he
thought, could make the best use of it.
Considerable questioning on the part of
Chairman Brisson elected many addi-
tional facts which show that NJ. Stephane
had in his possession list similar to the
Stephane was requested to wait in the
committee-room while NJ. Clemencau was
summoned from the chamber.
Five minutes later Clemencau arrived.
He denied emphatically that he ever re-
ceived any list of compromised Deputies
from anybody. He did not even hear of
such list from Baron de 'Reinach or
anybody connected with him in business.
NJ. Stephane was then recalled. He re-
peated his former testimony without
variation, directly contradicting every
thing NJ. Clemenceau said.