The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-13
Speaks of Bribery as an Ordi.
nary Business Transaction.
REBuKED BY THE MAGISTRATE,
Minister de Freycinet Not Boodler,
but Too Easy-GOing.
He Was Surprised to Find Br. Herr
Such . Viilain-Chanceilor- Caprivi
Uses Unsettled Condition oE France
rs an Argument for the Army Bill.

PARIS, Jan. 12.-The first wors spoken
at the Panama trial in favor oe Charles
De Lesseps came from Sir John. Stokes,
Great Britain's representative on:the Suez
canal. who testified that he regarded
Charles De Lesseps as loyal and upright
and incapable of dishonest act.
Engineer Dinger estimated Ehat the
cutting of the Panama canal could not
have been done for less than 2.010, ,0)O, COO
francs, or in less than fifteen or twenty
years.
Monchicourt. liquidator for tsse COM
pany, deposed that Ferdinand de 14esseps,
disregarding all warning, insisted @on pro-
ceeding with the Panama enters,rise re-
ea-dless of cost. The expense, Mon
chicourt stated, were excessive Elrough-
out. Monchcourt also addc:l that
Baron Reinach had paid: NM.
Levy and Gremieux, deputies, for
certain support given the company in
schemes, but he is certain that lieinach
retained the greater part of the fsnds in
trusted to him for the purpose. .
President Perivier turned to Charles de
Lesseps and reproached him severely for
having permitted this.
Engineer Rosseau next descriSed the
method of inspection of the csnal on
which he based his famous repors. which
was in part suppressed. He alsa stated
that Ferdinand De Lessaps had blis,d faith
III his own good fortune and supreme in
tiuence in the direction and Management
Of work on the canal.
The presiding judge was severe in his
treatment of Charles de Lesseps. .fonchi-
court had stated that De Reinach sucked
the blood of the company by ol-ssining
enormous sums with which to brfDe SEN
ators and deputies and other influential
men.
"You had no confidence in his moral
ity?" asked Judge Peirvier.
''No, but he was very clever" reE'ied NJ.
Monchicourt
Turning to Charles de Lesseps, tie Judge
inquired sharply: "And how d.d you
understand that Baron de Renac5. used
these enormous sums?"
'In remunerating finauciers, answered
De Lesseps, ''and without doubt: sena-
tors, deputies and ministers. A rlumber
of persons. however, offered assistance to
Baron de Reinach and NJ. Cremieus. who
were first charged with the distri ou;ion of
money"
That is, you gave them the df@ty job
which you preferred nG to do yourself.
and provided them with the means of
doing2'
Charles de Lesseps WINGED and cooked
down, but made no reply.
Vice Admiral Rieunier has accepEed the
office of minister of marine. formerly oc-
cupied by NJ. Burdeau, thus com sletng
the cabinet.
The chamber of deputies showed iss con-
fidence in the government today by de-
featng, 206 to $50, a motion ask5ig the
government to fix the day for a neg cleo
ton.
The Panama developments form slmost
the sole tonic OF discussion everyS. here,
and the next move looked for on tie part
of the authorities is said to conce.n De
Freycinet. 1t is recalled that the es-min-
lister was an intimate friend of Coi.lelius
Herr, and frequently drove 10 Herr place
at Irasserye, near AK. to enioF the
hospitality of DR.. and Mrs. He.z. How
far this close personal intimacy maS have
gone is matter of conjecture bet the
friendship Of De Freycinet is beiesed 20
be due to the industrious habits OF TEerz in
his peculiar operations. II is sta.e3 that
there is no evidence of actual corrGption
on the part of De Frevcinet,c and
that nothing more can be shown asz.inst
him than complaisance toward other who
were corrupt. De Freycinet is repreGnted
to have been terribly shocked by the state
ments from America regarding: the
antecedents Of Herr, whom he
protested TO consider persoF. OF
high probitv and excellent character.
De Freycinct's friends cite on this s.bject
the fact that previous 70 the recent expos
ure the record of Herr at the chpnct4lo lorie
of the Legion of Honor was not onlyzcred-
liable. but brilliant. and that De Ere xcinet
had no better opportunities Ethan
the chanceilorle :or knowing the
real history of the adventurer. De
Freycinet denies having gone wr.h a
s.ouched hat and collar up about his: ears
TO the doctors place, because it was not
his way 10 do things in meodras1latic
fashion ike 4 stage brigand.
A search was made this afternoon q the
office of VI. Pepper, formerly a parteer OF
Baron de Reiuach. Ii is reported that
papers concerning the lobbying dol:e by
the notorious Arton were seized.