New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-20
OPENING TIE DIRECTORS, DEFENCE.

AN ELOQUENT SPEECH MADE BY MAITRE BAR
BOUX-H:s EULoGY OF COUNT DE LEssErS.
Paris, Jan. 10-Public interest I'm the Panama trial
Is evidently Increasing a the draws 10 an end.
The defence opened today. and the courtroom was
packed with people anxious TO hear MaiUc Bar
boux's speech in opening the case for HE clients.
Few women were In attendance. but those who We're
present displayed as much eagcrness as the men ~
hear and everything. The corridors Of the
building In which the Court Of Appeal sit,
almost crowded the courtroom Itself, while
hundreds Of thronged the streets in the vicinity.
AT quarter Of O'Clock the defence was directed
to proceed Mailre Barbour at once lie was
evidently nervous. but held himself well under
strain. III few words he cOmpllmentcd the court
upon the fairness OF ITS rulings IN the case aud
then dashed into an exposition Of his line Of defence.
He argued al much length that II was not alone
moral conditions that had led ~ tn arrest and
prosecution of the accused Political considora.
tons, he declared had much 10 do with the prose.
cutlon, and he cmpl'atiCally insisted that the
he WAS defending should rot /: made scapcgOat,
for the advantage Of ans parts Or faction or 10
advance the designs OF ambitions men, lie main
tanned that the pfOl.ty OF Ids client, W., IN 10
way affected lv the indie ment on which they We.
standing trial Continuing. NJ. Barbour declared tia:
the construction 81 the Panama Canal far r.
moved from speculative aims. In its Inception aiI
progress. the scheme had an honorable fOundntion
though speculation arose from II.
NJ Barbour eulogized Ferdinand de Ics,eps as q
man Of the highest character. 50 Keen was bis sci,,
OF honor that after appearing before Magistrate Prnet
at the opening OF the inquiry he was overwhelmed
For two months he had not left hi, bed and during
that time he had not uttered word. Had the great
Frenchinan been able TO appear in court the whole
audience would have risen TO salute the glory Of his
fame.
Maitre Barbour gave fun play to his eoqucncc
in recountlns The many struggles Of Ferdinand dc
esseps and laid particular stress upon his statement
regarding NJ De Iesseps's contest with Great Britain
over the Suez Canal. He then proceeded TO examine
into the duties and responsibilities Of the directors Of
the company which, he declared, had been faithfully
and correctly carried out. lie dealt with the charges
against NJ De Lesseps and endeayor,d to show Tia;
they unIOunded
In concluding his speech Msitrc Barbour declared
that the heavy OUTLAWS made OH behalf OI the com
pany were fully justified and that he proposed 10
prove that public opinion OH this matter had been
mislcd.
When Mai,rc Barbour had finished, The court ad
jOurncd until Tuesday.
VI. BarbOuXs speech masterpiece OF OrutOry
though his eiOquencc fcrNid II carried
him to "A point where his words could he construed
admitting In tie slightest degree amy thinS dorOgn
tory to the characters The he defending.
The address mao" great Impression. /, was listened
0 by lawyers prominent AT the French bnr and
at lis conclusion NJ. Barbour WAS compliments by
his legal colleagues. Charles de- Lc>Scps was much
overcome by the tributes paid him ana his father by
the advocate whom he warmly thanked for his clp-
qucnt defence.