Evening star., 1896-12-26

ES6S)S libel. Such SamenesS
marks t e general
| Character of these proceedings that one will
| serve tair instance for all.
When M. Poisson, socialist member of
| the chamber takes up LIE Matin and reads
therein an article calling him baboon he
| may be relied upon to make the restaurant
quake with tempest of denunciation
against the writer, whose name Is signed.
With all speed he goes to the nearest COM
missaire de police and makes complaint
under the law known as DELFT de prcsse.
This law does not hold responsible the
writer of a libelous article, but permits
| him, in criminal actions, to assume the
responsibility If he SO elects. Il Is the
invariable practice of French newspaper
writers-in fact, an unwritten law among
| them-never to shirf such responsibility,
| but to assume it entire whatever may be
! the consequences. The scribes glory in
this heroic practice of their crafts. This
might not be the case were the punishment
inflicted severe. but it is not, and the whole
business of proceedings under the law Of
| DELFT de presse possesses for the American
a marked flavor of opera bouffe.
NJ. Poisson having laid his complaint be-
fore the commissaire de police, that func-
tionary acquaints the. newspaper at once
that proceedings will be taken concerning
| the article in question Perhaps the COM
muncation is by telephone. II so, the fol-
-O"AAio oioiO6oC 40 ihSty " ShSdc.
A Polite Summons.
"Is this the bureau de redaction of the
| Matin%'
'Oui. monsieur: and your
Il am the commissaire de police of the
ninth arrondissement"
| "Ah1 Monsieur lie Commissaire, je vous
salue."
My salutations to you, monsieur Sagit
DUN proc It is the article of this morn
ing about NJ Poisson of the chamber. Will
you have the goodness to inform me if 1
direct the. process against the gerant or
the writer? II the latter. please to give
me his name"
CThe gerant is the person whose name
appears in every French newspaper as the
responsible editor-the person whom the
law holds answerable, with the exception
| noted. for any offenses committed by the
puDlication)
"Parfaitment, monsieur. If you will do
me the honor to wait 1 will ascertain"
The person at the newspaper end of the
wire then informs tine writer Of the COM
missaire's request. and asks hm-merely as
a formality-whether he wishes to defend
the action or have the gerant answer the
ut is purely my affair."" answers the
writer, with affected nonchalance, land
you may inform the commissaire that
| myself"
The dialogue at the telephone is then
resumed follows:
at your service. The writer of the article
| is NJ Francois Gautier, and he wishes Inc
| to inform you that he will have the honor
of defending the action in person."
"Cest pen, monsieur / thank YOU Nv
compliments, as well, If you please, to NJ.
| Gautier.'
With great pleasure. monsieur. Au re-
voir.'
"Au revoir"
Making the Arrest.
| Gautier will receive a note like this:
Commissariat de Police. Neuvieme Arron-
dissement. Paris. lie 10 Octobre, 1894.
| Monsieur: You are respectfully requested
| to call at my office on the 17th instant, at
| IL o'clock, in reference to an affair that
concerns you. Accept, dear sir, my warm
| salutations. A. MOUQUIN,
Commissaire de Police.
The meeting at the commissariat is a
| model of courtesy and hospitality. NJ. Gau-
| tier and the police official are acquainted.
| of course, and the arrest Is made in the
| snug private office of the commissaire over
a glass or two Of eognae. In arranging for
| the appearance Of the prisoner In court
I the official defers entirely to his captive's
convenience. setting the day a week, a
| to go without furnishing ball. merely giy-
ing his parole d'honneur to appear when
| even he Is wanted.
| A day or so before that set for the hear
ing NJ. Gautier receives another note from
! the commissaire de police couched in the
usual polite language. reminding him of
| his engagement at the court of assizes. in
| the Palace OF Justice. Gautier's many
| journalist friends have been looking for
| ward to the trial as genuine treat, and
| the court room is sure to be filed with
| them when the case Is called. There is
| something about these DELFT de presse
| cases that puts the court room in good
humor. Even the tribunal Of judges relax
their habitual austerity. and there is a
wink In the solemn voice OF the public
prosecutor as he rises In his flowing black
| robes and announces the charges against
| the prisoner. With a respectful though
| decidedly unterrifed demeanor, the prison
| er takes his place in the dock between two
| stalwart gardes municipaux. Looking first
| at the judges and then at the prosecutor
| he smiles to say: Gentlemen. 1 am at
your services. Do me the honor to convict
me of DELFT de presse."
| Regarded ns = Joke.
| The one person in the room who evinces
| any genuine sign of regarding the case as
one of serious import is NJ. Poisson. who
is still chatting under the epithet of baboon
| and some other equally candid assertions
| concerning his record as statesman.
| He glares at the prisoner while the
prosecutor is reading the naughty article.
/ and shakes with rage es the word baboon
i Is again and again repeated, each time
qualified by a new and more exasperating
| adjective. 1t S plain that II Poisson had his
way Gautier would be transported to Cay
| enne for life.
The spectacle Of the deputy being broil-
| ed again on the journalistic grill Is the
hugest kind of q joke for the journal
! lists, and many q silent chuckle and inward
| round OF applause greets the caustic Pc
RODS OF their confrere.
The prisoner seldom employs counsel.
| He prefers to conduct his own defense, for
that gives him q chance to address the
| court and speak his mind freely concern
| ing NJ. Poisson. This is the sweet that
compensates for all the bitter attending
! his punishment. To be permitted to thrust
verbal poignards into the man of straw"
and watch him writhe. ah cest charmant!
Having pleaded guilty to writing the ar
ticle and making no further defense than
/ that the statements contained therein were
] true and written with no other purpose
1 than that OF serving the public good. the
/ prisoner rests his case ana sums up This
Is his much-coyeted opportunity. Bowsng
1 separately and impresSively to all the per-
| sons addressed. he begins:
/ "Messieurs les Judges, le Procureu. Gem
/ eral, Mes Confreres, Mesdames ct Mes
steurs." His speech has been carefully pre-
/ pared. and L. usually brilliant effort.
/ sparkling with wit and full Of hitting sar-
casm, directed by slkilf,u Inlleudo at the de-