Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-14
BOURGEOIS REPELs AsPERsIONs.
More Excitement in the Sensational Trial
I'm Paris.

4
in Paris closed yesterday NJ. Bourgeois, late
minister Of justice, took the stand, amid MUIR
murs OF excitement on the part Of the audience.
NJ. Bourgeois spoke with frmness and
energy and showed a disposition not to
reserve anything that could explain his posi-
ton toward the Panama case and the
defendants. He emphaticaily repudiated all
the insinuations contained in the evidence Of
Madame Cottu. He denied having authorized
anybody to act in his behalf. He said that he
had only permitted Madame Cottu to see her
husband from motives OF humanity.
II never heard anything" exclaimed NJ.
| Bourgeois, "of the interviews between Madame
| Cottu and N. Soinoury until the statements
were made in court. The insinuations," cried
NJ. Bourgeois, earnestly, .'sre simply infamous
falsehoods, never gave any order calculated
to induce the officers of justice to shirk their
! duty or to do anything contrary to law"
Judge Desjardins- Madame Cottu has not
\ said anything against you.
NJ. Bourgeois-I read the report of the trial
and therefore am here to deny the insinua-
| tons.
Judge Desiardins-The report was perhaps
| inaccurate.
The advocate general-f the personal char
acter of N. Bourgeois had been called in ques-
ton without my being able to defend it, 1, who
perhaps owe my place here to him, should not
| have hesitated to resign.
Prolonged murmurs OF approval greeted this
avowal Of loyalty and were formally checked
by the presiding judge.
NJ. Bourgeois then resumed: 81 do not know
what this new maneuver means / do not even
wish to know, but feel it may prejudice the
disclosure Of the truth and give rise to the idea
that justice is not free. In leaving my Office to
protest wish TO say that would not allow the
accused to become accusers nor the minister Of
justice himself to become accused
These words uttered with firmnasq and dir
nifty, caused manifest sensation In court and
everybody looked at the defendants and their
counsel to see the effect produced.
NJ. Barbour (rising) said: II do not forget
that u. Bourgeois was only yesterday the min
lister Of justice and / ask him respectfully to
say what naneuvers he alludes to-"
NJ. bourgeois (sternly)-"I do not know, but
/ am conscious of them"
VI. Barboux-"Nobodyh here doubted the sim
certify OF Madame Cottu's evidence"
CONFRONTED BY DE LEssEps.
Charles de Lesseps here arose, and in a bold
manner. in tones that rang through the court
room, he uttered: IN. Bourgeois attacked me a
little while ago. Well. monsieur. here am,
face to face with you; what have you to say
to me?'
De Lesseps folded his arms and locked de-
family at Bourgeois, while violent uproar
among the audience greeted this sudden ebu-
ition on the part of the leading defendant,
WHose COHuuCl up 10 tilno naQ Dee0 AT
least within the rules of orderly procedure
Judge Desjardins Indignantly spoke up: 81
cannot" he said. "alow these dialogues. The
law must be recognized by all"
The audience Gained down, and VI. Bour-
geois proceeded to reply in deliberate language
to u. Barbour. Il have not" he said, Ito dis
cuss the truth Of what NJ. Barbour chooses to
say, but l affirm in portion the evidence in
which was called in question. NJ. Soinoury
was not aware of the facts. His statement did
not dispose of the charges against me. There
fore am here to rebut them. The whole affair
Is the result of vancouver, the authors Of
which do not know"
MADAME CorrU RE1rERATEs.
With this VI. Bourgeois retired from the wit
ness stand and Madame Cottu was recalled
Madame Cottu declared that Goliard had told
her he would go and see NJ. Bourgeois in regard
to her.
VI. Goliard followed Madame Cottu on the
stand and confirmed her statement 20 the effect
that he had told her he would see NJ Bourgeois,
but, he added, nobody authorized me to
say so.'
N. Bourgeois arose and exclaimed: ''If any
one knows that / acted contrary to the dictates
of honor let him speak
At these words the uproar in the audience
was renewed, many, evident from their
murmurs and ordinations. taking part with
NJ Bourgeois and others with his accusers
Judge Desjardins concluded that the most eff
fective way to allay the excitement was to sus-
pend the hearing, and he gave an order to that
effect. 1t took some time, however, for the ex-
citement to subside.
When the hearing was resumed NJ. Soinourv
was recalled. He made long statement to the
effect that neither u. Bourgeois nor any other
minister was in any way responsible for his in
terview with Madame Cottu. He himself had
originated the idea of a conference with her,
and had arranged the meeting without COM
rrrNr-p fr-.er MIL
sional reasons he had deemed it best to keep the
matter secret. He believed that he was only
doing his duty in trying to get at the center Of
the scandal. The charges that he had threat
ened Madame Cottu or had promised her any
favor in return for information which she
might give him were utterly false.
IN THE CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES.
An hour before the opening of the chamber
of deputies yesterday an excited crowd had
gathered at the Palais Bourbon. When pro-
ceedings began the strangers galleries were full
and hardly Place on the floor OF the house was
vacant.
The absence Of NJ. Bourgeois. ex-mnister of
justice, who was defending himself on the wit
ness stand in the assize court. delayed the at
tack which the Boulangists and royalists were
ready to make upon the government.
Eventually VI. Bourgeois entered and amid
intense silence. took his seat at consider
able distance from the ministerial bench. The
business in hand was speedily finished and Ar
mand Despres, republican deputy for the Seine,
made the Interpolation concerning the govern
ment's knowledge of NJ. Soinoury's interview
with N. Cottu.
STATEMENT CALLED FOR.
The testimony given by Nine Cottu, he said,
had shaken the whole republican party. 1t in
Dictated that things had been concealed which
should not have happened, or, if they had hap
pened. should have been brought to light at
once by those in power.
The enemies Of the republican party had
found in Nine. Cottu's testimony an excuse for
accusing the government of smothering the in
vestigation Of the Panama scandal, and when
not possible Of utilizing 1t for political pur-
poses. The necessity for frank statement was
apparent to all Had or had not the govern
ment instructed N. Soinoury in his course with
Nine Cottu?
Godefroy Cavaignac, republican deputy for
the Sarthe, WAS received with cheers as he en-
tered the speakers tribune He defined briefly
the peculiar position into which the govern
ment had been brought by Nine. Cottu's testi-
mony and exhorted the ministers as they val
ued the prosperity Of the republic to speak out
fearlessly the whole truth.
BOURGEOIS DENIAL
When NJ. Bourgeois, pale, although sef-pos-
sessed walked to the speakers tribune the hush
Of expectancy was almost painful He began
huskily, but, quickly clearing his throat,