The Washington herald., 1910-07-28


prisonment and TO pay a fine Of 5000
The 'affaire Rochelle" has excited
France since March. 1903. and only re-
Gently was the cause of several interpeiIa-
lions IN the Chamber Of Deputies as to
whether former Premier Clemenceau, NJ.
Lepine the project OF Paris. and other
prominent men were involved in the
| scandal
Rochelle began his career as an errand
| boy In a country saloon. He went 70
Paris. took a course in a commercial
school, and launched out as a company
promoter. he was a bit more than
twenty-one years old. Not q year has
passed since 1900 that he has not pro-
mo-ed some company with a capital OF
millions of francs. Branch offices Of his
Paris house were established IN forty or
/ fifty different French cities. He catered
particularly TO small investors, and with
! the wonderful returns which he made
succeeded in interesting some OF the most
prominent men in the republic in his
! schemes
Planned Railroad Combine.
At the time Of his arrest. a little more
than two years ago. he was planning 10
consolidate the entire traffic system OF
| Paris on scale and plan similar TO that
| in New York. This scheme would have
involved him in an issue OF stocks and
! bonds 20 the amount Of /. O00.000.0 900 francs.
/ Just about this time Rocnette was ar
rested. charged with embezzlement. the
amount OF which. II was said. might
reach 100000 francs.
/ TWO OF Rochettes enterprises were the
'Banque Franco Espagnole" and the
! Credit Miner" Those yielded y pei
cent a year. Rochette did business or
an average of about $4,000 a day. But
the brokers suddenly sold out his shares
on March p. 1908. and the next DAY Ro.
Ghetto was arrested. II was said that tho
/ spectators who sold Rochelle out ha6
received the tip from official sources as
to what would happen, and that they
cleaned UP $4,000 by the operation.
An Investigation was made into tbs
condition OF the two concerns referred e
above. Greatly 10 the surprise OF every.
one. It was found that they were ap.
parently sound and prosperous. In The
safes OF the Credit MINER alone Their,
were found S2.200OO0 IN bank notes and
gold and 100000 IN valid securities.
Arrest l. Denounced.
The Rochelle followers denounced his
arrest. and said he should be free II
order TO continue his business. But tht
authorities. who were mixed up in IN,
''affaire de BourSe." did not want this
and had the Credit Miner declared Of
/ hciaIly bankrupt.
! This tied Rochette UP, as the Credit
Miner was his principal source for Sc
curing workins capital for his enter
prise. Rochetto, however. succeeded il
/ borrowing $4,000 from other fnanciers
and with great Judgment and skill car.
ried on the affairs Of his companies
Rochette was brought before the police
court thirty-three times in the last two
years, and finally was brought 20 trial
/ He always insisted that there was
! connection between his arrest and tho
coup de Bourse," by which government
officials cleaned up thousands. The mat
/ ter was finally brought up In the Cham
Der, and NJ. Lepine was called upon t
explain his conduct in arresting Ro
Ghetto Serious charges were also mad,
against former Premier Clemenceau, who
IS now in Buenos@Ayres. 20 theeffect
that he had realized $4,000 by the "af
fare Rochelle" and several duels wer,
! threatened.
! Finally, Parliament passed vote o.
confidence in NJ Brands ministry. and
left the whole matter to the law court.
Tor settlement.