Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-08

large American newspaper syndicate, un- der date of Jan. go, 1885, wrote: "The most popular man in France today is un- qucstionably Ferdinand de Lesseps. This is due to several causes. In the first place, his life work-thc stupcndous SucZ con ccption-has been brilliant success. The world. which has not even one word Of sympathy for him who fails, is ever ready to prostrate itself before him who tri- nmphs But this worship of the great Frcnchman.' as M. dc Lcsseps is now generally called, is to be attributed more to the admirable traits of character of the man himself than tO the merit of what he has done.
 And yet but eight years later, or Feb. 2. 1893. this same Ferdinand de Lcsscps, who had been for years the idol of the French people. was sentenced to imprison- mcnt for five years for the part he played in connection with the Panama canal loans. The unfortunate old man, stricken hy the disgrace which had come upon him like thundcrbolt from n clear sky and borne down by the weight of fourscore years and eight. gave way beneath the blow
 Rose From ob~curity.
 Niscount Ferdinand de Lesscps. C. c. =. l.. was born at Versailles. France, Nov. lg, ISO5. He was not known out side of narrow circle until he began to urge the cxpclicncy of constructing n canal across the isthmus of Suez connect ing the Mediterranean with the Red sea. After unreInitting effort for many years he obtained q flrman from Said Pasha in 1851. and cnlisting French and English capitalists undertook the work. which was vigorously prosecuted to completion de spite many obstacles that would have dis couragcd less rcsolutc man.
 The viccroy of Egypt granted n eonccs- sion in lS56 The practicability of the project was questioned by Iuany of the most eminent engineers of the world, and he was ridiculcd all over Europe, and es- | pccially by English engineers. The work was begun in 1859. It soon commanded the attention of various governments which subscribed literally to the under | taking as the work progressed and its practicability became assured. The Turk | ish government rendered substantial help | but this was construed as an attempt to | strengthen the political power of tho porte | in Egypt and was resisted by the other powers interested. principally Great Brit | ain and France. Work was suspended for | n time on account of these complications, bus finally the matter was submitted to | arbitration and satisfactorily adjusted. A canal of sufficient depth to admit of 1 the passage of small steam vessels was | opened Aug. l5, 1865. and by degrccs the channel was dccpcncd and enlarged so that | small ships and schooncrs were enabled to pass through in March. 1867.
 When His Fame Was Worldwide. Aug Is, 1869. the waters of tho Medi- tcrrancan mingled with those of tho Red sea, and the formal opening of the canal ! was celebrated with great pomp and re- | joicing at Sucz, and on Nov. Is tho canal was formally opened to Port Said Rep I n1l | ments of Europe were present on this oc- | casion, and the fetcs were among tho most | imposing ever witnessed in modern times. A grand provisional fleet, consisting of | 10 vessels, successfully made the passage l from Port Said to Ismailia.
 Turning his attention to the new world. | NJ. dc Lcsscps undertook the construction | of a canal across the isthmus of Panama. The original capital of the company, 600, | GOO, 900 francs, was exhausted, when the subscribers refused to advance more money, and the enterprise was abandoned De LcsSeps' private fortune was also ab- sorbcd in the undertaking, and he was | left comparatively poor. He continued his l efforts to procure means with which to | prosecute the work, but capital was timid, | and he was unable to procurc the neces- | sary assistance.
 | His Rapid Fall.
 Then came tho report of fraud in con- | nection with tho Panama canal loan and lottery schemes. At first but n murmur, | 1t became n rumble which developed into | a ruar when Dcrouledc committed suicide and the damning revelations against prom | incnt Frcnchmcn were published. The | storm shiyercd honorcd names and tors exalted reputations to tatters in its fury, | which culminatcd when the aged De Les sCps was sentenced to imprisonment for five years. On appeal, however, this con- viction was reversed, but thenccforward mp to the time of his death life was to aim but a series of mechanical processes
 SENTENCED TO PRISON.
 Each of the Betl.eI counterfeit.rs sent Ur | For Eight Years
 | HARTFORD Doc. s.-John Davis alias J. W. Murphy, alias Hill, and Russell R
 Hoyt, the Bethel countcrfeiters, werc ar
 raigned in the United States district court
 before Judge Townsend. Both pleaded
 guilty, and each was sentenced to eight
 years in state prison. The judge sait
 that the age and debility of Davis and tn,
 previous good record of Hoyt induced To
 niency.
 Russell B Hoyt was the chief of bant | of counterfeitcrs, of which the two othc
 principal members were John Davis, alial
 James W. Murphy, alias Htil. and Sam
 uel Massey, who at ono time kept tn
 Live and Let Live" rcstaurant at Broad
 way and Fulton street New York, ans
 who lived in Brooklyn. Massey was cap
 turcd through n clever piece of dctectiv
 strategy in-July last.
 He was entrappcd into a negotiation fo
 the sale of counterfeit money through
 personal advertisement in a newspaper
 He was paid some good money in marke'
 notes, and these and some counterfeit
 wcre found on him. Massey betrayed hi
 confcderates. Russell B. Hoyt has lonI been in the hatmaking business. HI
 brother, Lorenzo Hoyt, owned a farm e l Bethel, Conn. Some of tho engrnyo
 plates used by the band in countsrfeitin
 werv discovered secrpted in the vpiisT [
 his sArfnhause