Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-09-21
TRIAL OF TRAITORS
FRENCH SENATE SITTING AS A
HIGH COURT.
ROYALlSTS ON THE RACK
Reading Of Indictment Creates Laugh
ter and Ironical Comment on Plots
of the Accused-Schemes Of Duke
Of Orleans Exposed-Defendants
Score a Point.

Paris, Sept. 19.-The senate met as
a high court of justice Monday for the
purpose Of trying twenty-five politi-
clans, including Guerin, De Monicourt,
De RouIde, Thiebaud and Baron De
Vaux, on the charge of conspiring
against the government. Not one OF
the accused was present or in the
palace Monday, but nine cells have
been fitted up for them in the library.
President Fallieres opened the pro-
ceedings, amid general silence, by
reading the decree of the president Of
the republic constituting the senate
high court to try 5he charges against
the accused for making an attempt On
the security Of the state. There was
momentary excitement when M.
Fallieres concluded reading the pres
ident's decree NJ Fallieres, however,
with rapping his mallet, quickly re-
stored order. The leading absentees,
when the roll was called, were NM.
Constans, Scheurer-Kestner and Merci-
er. Then the door at the right Of the
chamber was opened and three figures
in long scarlet robes marched into the
hall and took their places on the right
hand of the president. The first was
M. Bernard, prOcurator general, who
Immediately began to read the indict-
ment in monotonOus voice.
The indictment commenced by reclt-
ing the facts of the arrest Of NM.
De Roulde and Marcel-Harbertand said
an inquiry had shown the existence OF
a conspiracy to change the form of
government, to which the disorders of
last February were due, and in which
NM. De RouIde and Marcel-Habert,
some members of the league of pa
triots, NJ. Geurin and some members of
the anti-Semitic league, NJ. Du Buc and
some members of the society of anti
Semitic youths, MN. Buffet, Godfrey
and Chevilly and members of the
royalist party were inculpated. The
indictment then gave a few particulars
of these organizations. Referring to
the royalist league it said it was
worthy of attention because though
the idea of monarchic restoration ap-
peared inconceivable, it had played a
preponderant role in recent events, its
leader being Duke Of Orleans himself
and it's managers had accredited let
tiers. One letter from Duke Of Orleans
was to his representative, NJ. Buffet,
written from Marienbad, in July, 1896,
instructing him to commence royalist
organizations. This was read and then
other secret instructions, in which it
was stipulated that the sum to be spent
must not exceed three hundred thOuS-
and francs. The mention of this
figure evoked laughter from
the senators and others present.
| The Indictment proceeded with a reca-
| pitulation of royalist maneuvers and
declared royalists led paid mob to in
suit President Loubet on the day Of his
| election. Letters seized at the resi-
dence Of NJ. Chevilly showed that the
funds were becoming exhausted by
February, 80. Promises Of money,
mostly from ladies, were found in
numbers in the correspondence. The
! cuIminatory point of the royalist con-
! spiracy was reached on February %,
| when NJ. De RouIde made his notorious
attempt 10 induce a brigade Of infantry
to march on Elysee palace. Every
thing, it seems, was prepared 10 carry
out the royalist plan on that day, but
| NJ. De Boulde's failure spoiled all, and
! Duke of Orleans, who was awaiting a
! at Brussels a signal TO come to Paris,
received instead a telegram from M.
, Buffet saying: useless to come. Send
You further news tomorrow" COntin-
uing, the Indictment then explained
that the conspiracy was not abandoned
vita the failure of February %, but
| that Vaccinations continued in secret
and house meetings were continually
held NJ. De Roulde and Marcel-Habert
| in July outlined plans for an
overthrow of the parliament
tary regime by an uprising. aided by
several chiefs of the army and troops
on whom they could count.
The indictment evoked frequent out
| bursts of derisive laughter and ironical
| comment at the expense Of the royal
lists, especially on the reading of the
various kilograms exchanged and the
failure Of the plots. At the conclusion
of the reading of the indictment, NJ ..
Bernard and his colleagues left the
senate. Fallieres ordered the senators
to sit behind closed doors.
On the resumption Of the public sit
! ting NJ. FaIlieres announced that the
senate had decided by a vote Of 234 for
| to 80 against to allow the prisoners 10
be represented by counsel during the
preliminary inquiry, but that the ques-
ton of the competence of the senate TO
sit as a high court to try the charges
had been laid over until after the con-
clusion Of the preliminary inquiry.
The general comment in the senate
Hobbies was that the indictment dis
played a ridiculous but still a criminal
character Of royalist intrigue to over
| throw the republic.