The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-10
FRANCES GREAT TRIAL.
THE CASE AGAINST THE ACCUSED
TO BE OPENED TO-DAY.

M. Cotteu and Gustsve Eiffel the
Parties to be Arraigned- Insinua-
tions Against Carnot Intended to
Force Him to Resign the Presidency.
PARIS, Jan. 0--1he new procureur general,
NJ. Tanon, has summoned thirty-one wit
nesses for the great Panama trial. which be-
gins tomorrow. The parties to be put on trial
tomorrow are Charles de Lesseps, director
OF the Panama Canal Company Marius
Fontane, secretary general of the company;
M. Cotteu, of the firm Of Reinach, Kohn &c
Co., and Gustave Eiffel, the distinguished
engineer.
Charles de Lesseps has caufed three En-
glish directors OF the Suez Canal Company
TO be summoned as witnesses In bis behalf.
The indictment charges Charles de Lesseps,
M. Fontane and M. Gotten with having
employed fraudulent means TO persuade
people TO believe In the existence of fallacious
enterprises aud imaginary influence or
credit, thus causing divers persons 20 sub
scribe that would not otherwise have done
so for an issue OF Panama canal bonds
made June 26. 1888; the defendants by
fraudulent means thus alleged, cheating aud
defrauding others out OF all or part Of their
money thus subscribed.
THE LOAN OF 1888.
The second section Of the indictment re-
lates TO the Panama canal loan Of Dec. II,
1883. The accused are charged with hav-
ing tried to obtain subscriptions TO this
loan on false pretenses. their attempted
swindling being only frustrated by circum-
stances independent Of their intentions.
Thirdly. 10 is alleged that the accused had
rnisappropriated or expended, with a view
60 prejudice the interests of the bondholders.
money given into their charge as trust
deposits for specific purposes.
THE CHARGE AGAINST EIFFEL.
Gustave Eiffel was indicted as au accom~
plice in the alleged swindling operations,
and Is accused OF having willfully and
knowingly received share of the sums Of
money unlawfully procured from the pub
lie, and with having willfully and kno wingly
shared in the profits Of the fraud. M. Eiffei
ts also accused OF having made misRppro-
priation OF funds intrusted to him for the
mandatory purpose OF expenditure for
salaried labor.
Nothing is said in this Indictment as Ia
the bribery or corruption Of public officials.
THE FATHER OF THE CANAL.
One of the witnesses summoned is said 30
be Lucien Napoleon Bonaparts Wyse, who
claims the credit of having been the frat to
conceive the idea Of a canal between ths
Atlantic and Pacific. 10 was he who. In his
character as engineer, obtained from the
Colombt government the concession to
carry out the Panama canal, in the works
OF which he was engaged until the final
collapse.
THE ATTACKS ON oARNoT.
The attempt TO involve President Carnot
In the Panama accusations causes much ex-
element So far as made apparent there ia
not the slightest evidence of corrupt COM
plicity IN the Panama swindling on the part
OF President Carnot, the utmost alleged in
any definite way being that he may
have perfunotorily and ministertally
given official sanction to
transactions on the part Of other officials
who were corrupt. The enemies of the
republic have from the first been endeavor-
ing TO involve President Carnot, believing
that by bringing about presidential crisis
they would strike fatal blow at the repub-
iic Besides there were several candidates
for the presidency in the field, who would
be delighted TO see President Carnot forced
to resign.
CLRMENCEAU EXAMINED.
N. Clsmenoeau was, at his own request.
examined by Magistrate Frsnqueville to-
day IN relation to bis knowledge OF the
Panama canal matters. The examination
lasted long time. No details are given to
the public.
nj. Baihut, ex-minister Of public works,
was put under arrest to-day after q long
Interview with Magistrate Franquevills.
M. Baihut has heretofore been allowed to
60 about under surveillance. The author.
tiles are said to have been moved 10 sterneP
measures by reports coupling President Car
nops name with that Of M. Baihut, the ar
rest being intended 10 prove that the gov-
ernment is not afraid TO take action against
any one.
DE LEssEPs TURNS INFoRMER.
Charles de Lesseps has given 20 MaQis.
trate Franqueville pocket book In which
he kept notes concerning the relations OF the
canal company to many public men. The
notes are in cipher. but NJ. de Lesssps
have been translated. The consequent evil
dence is exceptionally important It shows
conclusively the connection of many SEN
ators aud deputies with the Illegal opera
tions OF the company. Two celebrated
" riters on economic and international ques-
tions and two ex-ninisters are said to be
among those compromised. These revela-
tions. are expected TO lead to more arrests.
THE INDICTMENT AGAINST EIFFEL.
The indictment against M. Eiffsl states
that he secured 90,000,000 francs of the
Panama canal money. Heretofore 10 was
supposed that he had obtained but 81, 900, =
600 francs.
The parliamentary commission OF inquiry
has discovered q hiatus In the sequence Of
the canal company's check stubs. More
than 250 OF the stubs are missing, and it has
transpired that in every case a large sum
was involved. One Of these was for 100,-
600 francs, aud others for sums
between 10000 and 10000 frances
IL the stubs Of these cheok.
are not found, Felix Cotteu and
Marius Fontaue, as directors of the canal
company, will be liable to toimprisonment for
three years each. They are suspected Of
having destroyed the stubs 80 as to protect