New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-06
FRENCH LINE EXONERArEn
HIGHEST COURT OF FRANCE Horns
WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FoRLA
BoURGoGNE DISASTER.

Jones & Gown. of No. As Cedar-st attorney. A..
the Compagnie Generate Transatlantiqus h.,ss
known as the French Line. yesterday received ,-o
France the text Of the decision Of the hizssss
French court In the suit OF the widow Of Paul Rsss
who met his death when the steamer La Bourxo~,
sunk in collision with the Cromartyshirs ~
Sable Island at o'clock in the morning OF July
1895. The decision practically ezonerates ths own
Of La Boursogne from blame The Court .av.
that the owners OF the French steamer corurnisfs6
default involving its responsibility; that Captain
Deloncle committed none; that the company is NOT
responsible for the acts OF few foreign (Austr.an,
passengers who took possession OF it's boats ana
that the catastrophe in which Resell psrished should
be attributed to force, major" for which tn
French Line Is not responsible.
The widow sued for damages In 100000 francs
and the Tribunal OF the Seine. lower court i'm
posed fine OF 100000 francs IN her favor. ThIs |,
reversed by the higher court
There are fifty damage suits pending In tia
French courts like the one Just decided about %.
hundred and afty in the United States courts ana
Supreme Court Of this State. and a number in TIA
English courts.
The disaster TO La Bourgogne Is still fresh In Tia
minds OF newspaper readers. In the early morning
Of the day referred TO La Bourgogne ana the Gro
martyshire came into collision and scene OF terror
followed the larger vessel La Boursozne haa
lost Among others were the wife and daagh,sr u
charged that the officers OF the French boat actsd
in an hysterical and cowardly manner, and tbaf
some OF the crew used knives in lighting for a
place in the lifebOats.
The widow OF Resell charged. among otas- thing.
that the watertlght compartments on "a Rossr
gogne were defective ana used for the Storage ~
goods The Court finds that they were Do nTo,s-
order. The second charge is that the c0sIrse -
lowed by the French liner the r3guIar -
normal one. and that the steamer was rllnSine 49,,
speed of II Is knots, instead Of II knots n 80
thick fog. The Court finds that the stes9ne- ,ss
running at about II knots. and that the lie sayis-
apparatus. alleged to have been fnadeQuafs -
adequate in supply and in proper working oras ss
The Court finds that the crew gave proof ~ -.
greatest energy in saving the lives OF the pasxs-
gers. OF the French sailors IL says: 1T vyo1IS y.
Ubiquitous to confound them with other salors -
longing to a foreign nation board as uasss11.-o
who numbered twelve or thirteen at the most Ebs
took violent possession OF boat No. IL cana5ls -
containing fifty people. took the and prevs1fat
TO their boat by force, and one 81 whara
had a knife in his hand The Court hSfsz $500
the company cannot be held responsible For thsss
''acts Of savagery."
The Court says that Captain DeloucIe has M
reason to rely the Cromartyshire for assIstanee
he had right to hope that his ship was IN con-
dition go ahead, and to make for Sable Island
Being where duty called him. the bridge n h
held that ne did not know the extent OF tbs In
juries to the vessel