The morning call., 1893-02-10
IN HIS OLD AGE.
Shame Comes to Ferdi=
nand de Lesseps.
HE IS SENTENCED TO PRISON.
The Crime of the Panama Canal
Directors Was Without the
Slightest PaIIiation.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

PARIS. Feb. 9-Ths expectation that the
sentences of the prisoners in the Panama
trial would be delivered this afternoon
brought eager crowds 20 the Court of Ap-
peals building, and five minutes after the
doors were thrown open the room was
packed to suffocaton.
Presiding Judge Perivier read the de-
cIslon after having dismissed the prisoners
plea that they should benefit by the statute
of limitations. The charge of fraudulent
proceedings against Ferdinand de Lesseps,
Charles de Lesseps, Henry Cottu and Marius
Fontane were held to have been proved.
On this point the Judge referred to the
company's methods in Issuing loans, pub
fishing mendacious official bulletins and the
persistent putting done by the press at the
instance of the directors. Ferdinand de
Lesseps, aided and abetted by his son
Charles and by M. Cottu and NJ. Fontane.
persistently concealed the operations of the
canal company in order that the quotations
OF shares might not be affected unfavorably.
The directors dealt with underwriting SYM
dicates which, so far as their utility was
concerned, were fictitious. and were known
to be fictitious. The expense necessarily
attendant upon the Issue of loans was
grossly exaggerated by the directors which
also constituted fraudulent act. The plea
of the defense that despite their fraudulent
acts the directors were not amenable be-
cause the loan especially in question had
not succeeded was pronounced worthless In
view Of the evidence that the directors had
not scrupled to expose the capital of the
company to the risks involved in fresh
issue, and had even reiterated their prom
ises to complete the canal with the proceeds
OF the loan. Their fraudulent intent WAS
the same whether or not their purpose had
been carried ont. This intent was proved
by the fact that the sums paid to the Baron
de Reinach. Hugo Oberndoenfer and others
could not be regarded as having been SUBJ
scribed for the purposes to which they had
been put
In dealing with Gustave Eiffel's breach of
trust the decision said that Eiffel received
100 600, 600 francs for the construction Of ten
locks, and promised to complete them by
1890. The evidence had shown that he had
not even purchased the specified materials
necessary in the construction OF the locks.
He had pretended, furthermore, TO fulfill
the obligations he had undertaken. while in
reality he was simply misapDropriating
funds.
In conclusion Judge Perivier read these
sentences:
Ferdinand de Lesseps. sentenced to FIVE
years Imprisonment and the payment of
5000 francs fine.
Charles de Lesseps. five years imprison-
ment and 5000 francs fine.
NJ. Fontane, two years Imprisonment and
5000 francs fine.
Henry Cottu. two years Imprisonment
and 5000 francs fne.
Gustave EiffeI, two years imprisonment
and 10000 francs fine.
Immediately after the reading of the SEN
tence Effel left the courtroom with his
counsel. whom he instructed to appeal to
the High Court Of Cessation.
Charles de Lesseps and Marius Fontane
remained under arrest. Both looked bag
gard and dsheartened as they departed
with Henry Cottu for the office of the Pub
lie Prosecutor.
The Chamber OF Indictments has pub
lshed its reasons for throwing out the true
bill found by NJ. Franquevills against NJ.
Rouvier. While admitting that NJ. Rouver
received Panama check for $4,000 francs
in 1888 from NJ. Vlasto, the chamber held
that no connection had been established be-
tween the acceptance of the money and M.
ROuyier's vote on the lottery loan bill