The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-03-09
CRIES OF SHAME! SHAME
GREET THE DECISION OF A PAR IT.
SAN Paris JUDGE
who VIII Not Allow Charles do Lesseps
to Proceed In His Testimony with an
Expose OF Onicial Corruption.

PARIS. March 9.-The first hearing In
the trial of NJ. Proust and his colleagues
implicated in the Panama Canal corrup-
tion business gives the results which
public curiosity expected.
M. Charles de Lesseps had decided to
tell all he knew, aSd he did so. The
whole session was taken up with his in
terrogatorv. NJ. dc Lesseps avowed his
relations with DIR. Cornelius Herr and
the late Baron de Reinach. Herr, said
NJ. de Lesseps, was acquainted with
President Grevy, which inspired coufi-
dence in NJ. de Lesseps.
In replying TO the questions of Judge
Desjardins, Charles de Lesseps sketched
briefly his duties in the Panama Canal
Company.
in 1885 you asked the government to
Introduce in the Cham pers q bill author
izing an tissue OF lottery bonds" said
Judge Desjardins. "When did YOU then
pay 6O0, ,000f. to Cornelius Herzp"
M. Herr came to my father and me
and told US that he had great influence
with the government" replied NJ. DE
Lesseps. This statement hardly sur
prised us, as his relations to those in
power had already become apparent
through his rapid promotion in the
Legion Of Honor.
Herr All Powerful.
"His proposals greatly embarrass ed
us. but we did not feel that we could az
ford to ignore or offend him--hs was too
powerful. He had several supporters In
the government and was. moreover,
sleeping partner in La Justice. the organ
Of NJ. Clemenceau, who was then consid-
cred likely to bet ome premier. He was
not the kind OF a man To neglect any of
the opportunities thus afforded him.
Your duty as aman OF honor WAS to
show such a fellow the door," interpolat-
ed Judge Desjardins.
But we could not make an enemy the
sleeping partner in La Justice" replied
De Lesseps.
"If we had appealed to the law we
should have come to grief. For instance,
in 1883 we issued lottery bonds. I'm
mediately kilograms were sent all over
the world announcing that my father
was dead. subscriptions stopped, and
we appealed to the courts for the
punishment or those who had sent
the kilograms. but there was no
prosecution Of the offenders. We were
Obliged TO protect ourselves or be the
victims OF all sorts Of plotters.
The subscriptions came to nothing.
Then hnanciers showed US how TO re-
| SORT to those methods which are now
matter OF general knowledge. They
said Unless you pay money
TO all the banks under the
influence Of Girardin you will
have all the newspapers In Paris against
YOU" We still held out against such
methods. The newspapers Attacked Us
aud finally We were driven to paying out
| enormous sums right and left. We were
| forced to avail ourselves of this sort ol
assistance. aud this mode of procedure
was encouraged By the government"
| Leave the government Alone" called
Judge Desjardins sharply. Slight ap-
| plause and "a storm of protests from the
| audience greeted this admonition. JudRe
Desjardins tried TO speak again. but was
interrupted with cries of:
Why not the government ~
Give US the truthP
"Shame upon such Justice ~
Eventually order was restored by prepa
rations TO Gear the court room
When QUE STONED as to his dealings
with Baron de Reinach, NJ. de Lesseps
| said:
Il paid him large sums to meet the ex.
penses of the issue. All the financiers
Relnach was one OF them, aud he boasted
| greatly Of his influence. / offered him
a part worth 1900, ,000f. in the under
writing syndicate. but was obliged tx
| raise the offer to 5, ,000. DOOR. He demand.
ed. 10, 0o0, ,o00f., even $4,000, 0O0t. Such an
amount, he said, was required by M
| Herr, who had enormous influence and
Il refused to give such an exorbitant
amount, although he protested that be
| would be lost man ana the whole en-
| terprise would be upset il persisted in
| my refusal While these negotiations
were pending an ordnance officer came tC
me to say that NJ. de Freycinet wished
| to see me. went to see NJ. de Frey
cinet, VINO explained that he had sent for
me not in his ministerial capacity but as
one OF the guardians of the Republican
| party. lie said:
| I'm. de Lesseps, there is question of q
suit against you TO be brought by Baron
| de Reinach. That would be very annoy
| ing. See now how you eau settle the
| matter
81 explained to NJ. de Freycinet that
| the question was one OF extortion. tolC
| him that pressure was being exercised
conformity by Herr and Reinach, wht
| were trying TO make me pay debts no
| my own. He may dispute II. but thai
will not prove that am not speaking tn,
| truth"