Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-04-29
VERDICT OF GUILTY
AGAINST CA|LLAUX
French Senate Eliminates Trea-
son Charge Before Taking
Vote-Ex.Premier Convicted
of Reckless Imprudence

Paris, April % tBy the Associated
Press)-Joseph Caillaux. former premier
of France and twice minister of finance.
stands tonight convicted of having
placed his personal political ambition
during the war higher than the interests
Of the country. Caillaux. while escaping
conviction for high treason was found
to have been reclslessly imprudent and
very close to reasonable ambitions, for
such is the Interpretation Of the verdict
of guilty of commerce and correspond
ence with the enemy" which was rem
dered to-day against him by the French
Senate.
This is the first verdict Of the sort
rendered in any of the allied countries
since the war began. Commerce. as in
tterpretcd by the senators. who were the
| judges, not meaning financial trading
| but commerce by means OF common ideas.
while correspondence" In this particu-
lar case. Is employed in the sense of
association.
The senators entered Luxembourg Pal
ace this afternoon with the determination
to have finished with the affair. which has
taken up their time during the past three
months They began the discussion in
vigorous, businesslike manner, presenting
n strange contrast to their bored atti-
tude during the closing days OF the trial
No one, however. took seriously the pre-
diction that the verdict would be reached
this evening. But after the court had
disposed of the higher treason charge and
that Of Intelligence with the enemy" and
had declared it's own sovereignty in less
than four hours. word was passed that
a decision was impending.
| The ballots followed one another with
great rapdity. The partsans of the for
mer premier were thrilled with JOY and
hope when the treason charge was so
promptly eliminated, and confidently pre-
dicted acuuittal and began to apportion
among themselves the portfolios in the
cabinet which Cailaux was expected to
form within six months after his release.
When they attempted to have the SEN
ate refrain from establishing itself as
the highest constitutional authority. with
power to find the accused not guilty as
charged, but guilty of a lesser offense.
their enthusiasm waned.
The verdict may mean a sentence of
five years Punishment for Cal!iaux
which may. however. be diminished TO
one year, according as extenuating cir
cumstances are found. Incarceration In
a fortress Is another sentence which may
be pronounced tomorrow when the high
court reconvenes. 1t was the concensus OF
and that the % months which CaillauS
has spent in jail and sanitarium woulo
be taken into consideration.
The former premier's attorneys wer'
disconsolate over the verdict and rushed
in an automobile to the Neuilly sanitarun
to inform NJ CaillauX Of the verdict
The defendant had remained in the SAM
tarium through the days sitting Befor'
they started away. however NJ. Moute
said to the Associated Press: M Call
laux was convicted not for what he hal
done, but for what he might do were M
allowed to go free"
Prior to this NJ. Moutet had said, II
expressing his conviction that the Senate
would find extenuating circumstances anC
that the sentence would be light. 'Th'
length of the sentence does not matter
The fact that there is a sentence at al
means the defeat of liberty of thought.
1t seems probable that Caillaux vii
be condemned to pay the costs of thu
trial. amounting to more than $1,000
francs. Among these Ia a bill for in
vestigations in the United States. which
is one OF the prominent items. NJ Moro
Giafferi. of CaillauX's coursey. saying 1
would reach $4,000