The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-03
CRISP IS TO- Be TRIED.
Italian Statesman Is Accused i.
Being Common Fclon. :
HELPED WRECK THREE GREAT BANKS
His Wife attributed Greatly "a
the Disnstcr-'rhe Thrent TO King
Humbcrt Ia Recalled.

Rome. December To-day the chamber
OF deputies appointed commission of
hve to inquire into the charges against
Signor francesca Crspi former premier.
In connection with the Bank OF Naples
scandals aud the alleged illegal traffic in
decorations
The proceedings are the results OF re-
cent decisions Of the Italian court OF cas-
saticn, which quashed the judicial ndict-
ment brought against Crlspi on The ground
that the ordinary tribunals OF Justice were
rot competent to deal with such charges
brought against former member of the
government for his conduct while in he
government. The court of cessation held
that such charges must be dealt with by
parliament. which was the contention OF
signor Crispi, and the Judicial proceedings
were thrown out.
The commission was appointed after an
Impressive speech by Crispi, in when he
declared he desired the most ample and
complete discussion Of the whole question
and did not dread the light which, he said,
| could reveal nothing against him.
/ II am the victim OF calumny." he as
serted, and should have brought suit
against my calumniators If the matter had
not been referred to the chamber"
signor Crispi recalled his past labors on
behaif OF Italy and admitted that there
| had been times when he had erred He
! claimed, however. from his conpeers an
unbiased judgment and asserted he was
! prepared to testify before the cornlnission
and TO omit nothing, SO that the matter
might be probed to the deepest adding
pathetically. But it will be very hard
at rs. after devcting sixty three years 10
the service Of my country
This passage OF the speech provoked
| violent Interruptions and the president Of
the chamber formally cautioned two So
ciaiist deputies, who were particularly
violent
Signor Cispi. after order was restored,
continued II remain calm even in he
face OF my adversaries' invectivcs | have
serene conscience and shall die, when
my time comes, with the name OF italy on
my LIPS But ask TO be allowed TO pass
my last days quietly. II italy needs me
| shall always he ready to serve her. but
do not have and never have had ambition
for power
At the conclusion OF his speech num-
Der Of the deputies gathered about him to
congratulate him and to shake his hand.
Signor Crispi. the most brilliant Italian
statesman since the days OF Cavour. is
called to face, In his extreme old age, not
accusation Of political crimes. but ordi-
nary feloniee. He has been subjected to
the humiliation OF magisteral examination
In connection with charges of completely
in the gigantic frauds Of the Bank OF
Naples, the Bank OF Rome. the Bank OF
Sicily and other kindred institutions. The
Crispi cabinet was driven from office 40
the result Of these scandals. In each case
the insolvency of the bank appeared to
have been brought about through the
matchmaking extortions to which 1t was
subjected by leading politicians and gov
ernment officials of the day Most OF these
dishonesties took place during the admin
istration of Crispi Not even his most re-
lentless enemy ever ACCUSED him OF plum
dering the banks TO add to his private re-
sources. on the contrary, his countrymen
for the most part accepted his assertion |
that the money eXtorted from these institu- |
items was used by him for the secret serv-
ice OF the government and Ia electoral ex-
penditures.
Unfortunately for him. the judicial au-
thorities who inquired into the eircum-
stances that led to the failure Of the banks |
discovered that among the most voracious
Of the plundererS was Signora Crispi the |
veteran statesman's wife. Ii was stated at |
the time that from one bank something like |
10 900 900 OF francs tabout So 900. 000) found |
it's way into her private banking account, |
and ii was urged. and is still urged. that |
Signer Crispi not being rich man. must !
have known Of his wife's predatory de- |
mands, as in no other way could she have
accounted for the large sums Of money she |
expended upon her establishment while he |
was In power.
Last spring, when the matter was before |
the courts, friend of Signor Crispi I'M |
dertook to explain the transactions which |
led up to the collapse OF the bank CT Ma |
pies. According to his story Sgnor crispi |
just before the elections in 1895 asked the |
bank of Naples for loan Of 100000 l.res |
Tor election expenses, the money TO be |
repaid to the bank from the secret service |
funds. Then came the fall OF the Crispl |
cabinet with only half the loan paid. Crispi |
told King Humbert of his predicament and |
his majesty gave 100000 Tires toward the
remainder Of the indebtedness. Baron
Blanc furnishing what was necessary to
make up the full amount. Thu according
TO the story, signor Crispi rcpa i the bank
in full.
When the accusations recentl before the
courts and now before the sped hi commits
sion OF the chamber of deputie{ were again |
revived with the talk Of prosecj ion, Signor
Crispi FASTENED from Naples Rome. de-
manded an audience with the ling. showed
him the receipt of the bank br full pay
ment and demanded that his majesty put
an end to what Crispi charact{ lied as the
campaign Of Injustice"
The ex-premier, according % the story
declared that unless his perl cutors were
called of he would defend h nself to the
last, adding: in such case. re, two per-
sons Will go into exile-I, as poor nan,
and you with your millions. !"
The socialist press interpre Ia this au-
dacious language to be I'll BAT OF dis
closures that. in consequence Of a tip. Ring
Humbert had saved the whole bf his large |
deposits In the bank OF Naple4 Just before