The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-09-21
FRENCH POLITICIANS
On Trial For Plotting to Overthrow
the Government.
ADJOURNMENT FOR SOME WEEKS.

The French Senate, Sitting as a High
Court, VIII Allow the Prisoners to
he Represented by Counsel During
the Parliamentary Hearing.
Paris. Sept. 19.-The senate met as a
high court Of justice yesterday for tho
purpose Of trying % politicians, in
cluding MN. De Monicourt. Deroulede.
Marcel Habert. Thiebaud, Baron Do
Vaux and Jules Guerin, on the charge
Of conspiring against the government.
Not one Of the accused was present
or in the palace, but nine cells have
been fitted up for them in the library.
The cells are very comfortably furnish
ed. The floor is covered with lin
oleum and the walls are hung
with greenish cloth. Tho furni-
tue consists of an iron bcjstead. an
easy chair. a marble topped toilet
table. a cuspidor and : :. Thus the
prisoners will have II - complain
of. and may congratu!a,2 them selves
that times nave changed since the
GirOndins We're confined in the pal
ace OF the senate by Robespierre dur
ing the reign of terror and languished
In its dungeons, and since Marshal Ney
WAS immured in an unventilated cell
until led forth to be shot iu the gar
GCns.
President Fallicres opened the pro-
ceedings, amid general silence. by
reading the decree of the president of
the republic constituting the senate.
OH the report OF the minister of JUS
ticc. into Il high court TO try the
charge against the accused Of mGking
an attempt on the security of the state.
NJ. Fallieres then declared the SEN
ate constituted rs high court. and
the clerk of the court called the roll
OF senators. who answered with the
word present"
Then the door through which NJ.
Fallieres entered was aSrin opened
wide. and three tall figures. in long
scarlet robes. appeared on the thresh-
old and with stately mien marched
into the hall. and ascending the steps
of the platform took up their places on
the right hand of the president. The
first was NJ. Bernard, the procurator
general. who was handsome tigIre
in his scarlet robe trimmed with a
broad strip Of ermine. M. Bernard i'm
medintely began to read the indici
ment In monotonous voice.
The indictment commenced by recit-
ing the facts Of the arrest Of NM.
Deroulede and Marcel Habert and said
the inquiry has showed the existence
OF a conspiracy to change the form of
government. to which the disorders Of
last February. It was added. were due
A letter from the Duke OF Orleans
to his representative. M. Buffet writ
ten from Marienbad. In July. 1895, In
structing him to commence royalist
organization. was read, and then order
secret instructions. in which 1t was
stipulated that the sum to be spent
was not to exceed 100000 francs. The
mention Of this figure evoked laughter
from the senators and others present.
After number of incidents in which
street rioting was fomented by the con-
spirators. the indictment proceeded
with recapitulation of the royalist
manoeuvers, and declared the royal
lists led and paid mob to insult Pres
ident Loubet on the day Of his election
The culminatOry point OF the roy
alist conspiracy was reached Feb. 23.
when NJ Deroulede made bis notorious
attempt on the Place de la Nation to
induce brigade OF infantry to march
on the Elysee palace. Everything, 1t
seems, was prepared to carry out the
t,N In, hpt la,T b,,t AZ
lede's failure spoiled all. and the Duke
OF Orleans. who was awaiting at Brus-
sells the signal to come to Paris, re-
ceived instead a telegram from M.
Buffet. saying: Useless to come"
Continuing. the indictment then ex-
planned that the conspiracy was not
abandoned with the failure Of Feb. 23,
but that the Vaccinations continued In
secret and public meetings were con-
tinually held.
The indictments 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 M. Bernard and his
colleagues left the senate, and M. Fal-
lieres ordered the senators to sit be-
hind closed doors.
On the resumption of the public sit
ting M. Fallieres announced that the
senate had decided, by vote Of 234
against 32. to allow prisoners to be
represented by counsel during the pre-
liminary inquiry. but that the question
of the competency OF the senate to sit
as a high court to try the charges had
been adjourned until after the con-
clusion OF the preliminary inquiry
This is tantamount to an adjournment
of the high court for several weeks at
least.
The general comment in the senate