Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-27
FAITH IN DE- LESSEPS.
Editor Boyd, of Panama, Stands by
the FrenChman.
HE WAS TOO OLD AND DECREPIT
To Know What Was Going On.
1t Has Been Known For Several
Years at the Isthmus That the
Canal Was Costing Far More
Than the Estimates, But he
Exonerates De Lesseps.

New YORK, February 26.-There are
men in this town who do not believe
the charges against Ferdinand de Les
seps. Among them is Samuel Boyd,
one of the proprietors OF the Panama
Star and Herald. Mr.. Boyd has been
ia New York for some time transactIng
private business. He has been resi-
dent OF Panama nearly all his life.
II was much psined," said Mr.. Boyd
yesterday, ITO learn Of the Conviction
OF De Lesseps. While he may be NOR
ally responsible as President OF the
Panama Canal Company for the frauds
which has been perpetrated, yet II Is
my opinion that he never knew 10 what
extent wrongdoing was being carried
on. Though nominally the head OF the
company, De Lesseps had little or MOTH
ing to do with details, Thev were left
TO his son Charles, the Vice President OF
the corporation. Why just thiak OF IL.
De Lesseps, Sr., Is almost ninety years
old. Though some men retain all their
mental faculties until they reach tho
age OF one hundred and over, De Les
seps has been falling for a number OF
years.
"Since the Suez Canal was completed
DeLesseps has been anything but
well man. And yet the idea so pos
sessed him that the Panama Canal should
be built as the crownlng effort OF his
career that be endured any amount or
| hardship and abuse 10 accomplish the
feat. De Lesseps is very trustful
man. II is difficult for him 10 believe
that man can be dishonest. noticed
when he was in Panama on an inspec-
tion tour short eime before the work
was stopped that he acted like 4 man
who certainly did not posses the vigor
| of youth, at any rate. He seemed ready
10 assent TO any proposition made by his
son, and, though | find IL hard 10 real
! ize that there was wrong-doing on tho
part OF De Lesseps, still that there was
gross mismanagement somewhere has
| been made clearly evident by the EVIL
dence elected at the recent trial.
at has been known for several years
at Panama that the canal was Gosting
far more than the estimate, here
have been intImatlong that the cStSiss(EL
ors were getting double or treble the
amount to which they were entitled.
will say, however, that never heard a
whisper which implicated the American
Dredging Company In any OF the lrreg-
ularites. Had all the contractors per-
| formed their work as economically and
thoroughly as this concern, so much
scandal would not have resulted. Had
De Lesseps watched things as carefully
as he did while, for example, the Suez
Canal was under construction. IL Is my
conviction that the Panama Canal
would to-day be nearing its completion.
"Do you think that De Lesseps knew
OF the subsidies paid TO newspapers and
bankers to throttle projected attacks on
the management
"There are many OF us sin Panama
who to-day believe that De Lesseps
would have scorned 10 father any
scheme for bribery or corruption OF any
| kind. His conviction has caused US
great regret, and the revelations made
az the trial were TO many OF US astonish-
ing"
"Were propositions OF any kind made
10 YOU as proprietor OF the Star and
! Herald, 10 induce you 10 boom the canal
management"
'Neverl Such propositions would
! have been rejected with scorn, OK
course. We naturally gave cordial.
support 10 the project from the outset,
for IL was 70 the interest OF the country
and US all 10 have the Atlantic and the
Pacific connected across the Isthmus.
IL meant an lnestlmable increase In
commerce aud remarkable boom Tor
US all In a business way. IL bribes
were offered and paid 20 newspapers 10
was done IN France and not here. 4 do
not know OF an American newspaper
that was approached, nor do know OF
one TO which IL was even suggested that
that Il would be 70 is financial adyan-
tage 20 cover up the Irregularities la
the management Of the company.
"Poor old DE Lessepsl / really feel
sorry for him. IL may be be was guilty,
but II he was I am satisfied that he
was more sinned against than shining.
We all thought great deal Of him 10
| Panama"
Crawford Douglass. managing editor
OF the Star and Herald, who Il also la
town, thought that investigation would
show that some Of the rascals had not
vet been caught, but be declared that
be knew OF no Americans who were
guilty OF wrong. Mr.. Douglass was
identified with the American Dredging
Company for number OF years and
was very emphatic In saying that the
work Of that corporation had been per-
formed according 70 contract and hon