The record-union., 1899-09-19
The French Senate Meets as a High
Court of Justice
To Try Politicians Charged With Intrigue
Against the G0YeTnmsni.
They Are Twenty-Five in Number,
Among Them Being NJ. d. Moni-
court, De Roulede, Marie1-Ha-
bart, Baron de Vaux and Jules
Guerin.


Guerin.
PARIS, Sept. Is. - The Senate met
as a High Court of Justice to-day at
D. M, for the purpose of trying
twenty-five politicians, including NM
De Monicourt, De Roulede, Mariel-Ha-
bert, Baron de Vaux and Jules Guerinr
on the charge of conspiring against the
Government.
The Procurator-G General, M. Bernard
read the long indictment, which lasted
from 2:25 until 3:40 p. m, when the
Senate entered into secret session to
discuss the indictment and determine
the questions relating to the prelimin-
ary inquiry which is to be ordered.
The public and press galleries were
crowded by / 40 p. m, and the Senat-
ors' places were filled a few minutes
before , .. m. Then the roll of a
drum was heard in the distance, an
nouncing that President Fallieries, ac-
companied by the Senate officers, was
approaching. A few moments later a
door on the right of the chamber was
thrown open, the chief usher announc-
ing the President.
NJ. Fallieries entered, and bowling tC
the two officers, who, with naked sword
in hand, had escorted him through the
corridors of the palace to the chamber
proceeded to the platform and took his
seat behind the table on the center OF
the platform.
The President presented a dignified
appearance. He has a fine head and
grizzly beard, and was attired in even
ing dress. Behind him was grouped
the ushers and other officers of the Sen
ate in evening dress, and wearing their
silver chains of Office.
On a table at the Presidents right
hand was a big brass hand bell. which
however. he had no occasion to use to-
day, sharp tapping of his mallet suf-
ficing to restore silence when the laugh.
ter greeted some of the passages of NJ
Bernards bill of Indictment None o.
the accused We're present nor in the pal
ace to-day, but nine cells have beer
fitted up for them in the library. The
cells are very comfortably furnished
The floor is covered with linoleum and
the walls are hung with greenish cloth
The furniture consists of an iron bed.
stead, an easy chair, a handicapped
toilet table, a cuspidor and rug. Thu:
the prisoners will have little to com
plain of, and may congra tulate them
selves that times have changed since
the Girondis were confined in the pal
ace of the Senate by Robespierre dur
ing the reign of terror and languishe6
in its dungeons, and since Marshal Ney
was immured in an unventilated eel
until led forth to be shot in the gar
dens.
There were people who, while loung-
ing in the corridors just after the Sen
ators were supposed to have entered
behind closed doors, though in reality
they We're taking the air outside for &
few minutes, remarked that conspira-
cies to overthrow the existing regime
We're apparently regarded as a much
less serious matter nowadays than in
times past.
President FaIlieries opened the pro.
ceedings to-day amid general silence
by reading the decree of the PresidenI
of the Republic constituting the Senate
on the report Of the Minister of Justice
into a High Court to try the charge
against the accused of making an at
tempt on the security of the State.
NJ G dilANA1ES AAAGAi 0CAiclA CA AAAC sSN1A
ate constituted as a High Court and
the Clerk of the Court called the rol
of Senators, who answered with the
word present"
There was momentary excitement
when President Fallieries concluded
reading the Presidents decree. A
Rightist Senator. NJ. Lamarzelle. be
gan TO speak, and M. Fallieries sait
sharply: Il cannot hear you"
NJ. LamarzeTe insisted, and the Pres
ident again said:
II cannot hear you" and the Leftist!
shouted Order order"
A Rightist Senator. Provost de Lau
nay. thereupon cried, pointing to tn
Leftists:
There are our judges"
At this there was a general shout o
oh and silence" from the Leftisti
and the galleries. the public and mem
bers of the press, the latter bein.
throughout the proceedings more audi
BILE than the Senators themselves. NJ
Fallieries, however, with a rapping o
his mallet quickly restored order.
The leading absentees, when the rol
was called, were NM. Constans
Scheurer-Kestner and Mercier
Then the door through which tn
President entered was again opened
wide, and three tall figures, in lon;
scarlet robes, appeared on the threshold
and with stately mien marched int,
the hall, and ascending the steps o
the platform took up their places o.
the right hand of the President. TIL
first was NJ. Bernard, the Procurato
General, who was a handsome figur
in his scarlet robe trimmed with
broad strip of ermine. The two other
with him wore scarlet gowns trimme'
with black and having no ermine. M
Bernard Immediately began to read tn
Indictment in a monotonous voice.
The indictment commenced by recit
ing the facts of the arrest of NJ. ID
Roulede and Marcel -Habert, and sal
the inquiry had showed the existenc
of a conspiracy to change the form Q
government, to which the disorders o
last February, it was added, were due
and in which NJ De Roulede, Marcel
Habert and some members of tn
League of Patriots: M. Guerfn an
some members OF the Anti-Semit
League; NJ. Duboc and some member
Of the Society of Anti-Semitic- Youth
M. Buffet, Godefrey and Chevilly an
members of the Royalist party, wer