Arizona republican., 1920-04-23
CA|LLAUX'S [ ACTS
 TREACHEROUSI IS
 SENATE VERDICT
F Former Premier of France Convicted of Commerce and Correspondence with the Enemy"-High Trea- son Charge Dropped = Sentence Pronounced To- day

PARIS, April 22.-(By The Associat- ed ss.)-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 that hon. ored him and gave him birth-
 CaiIIaux. while escaping conviction for high treason, was found to have been reclzlessly imprudent and very close to reasonable ambitions, for dict of guilty of commerce and cor respondence with the enemy" which was rendered against him by the French senate.
 Interpret Verdict's Meaning
 This is the first verdict of the sort rendered in any of the allied countries since the war began-'.commerce' as interpreted by the senators who were the judges. not meaning financial trad ing, but commerce by means Of com mon ideas, while "correspondence" Tn this particular case is employed in the sense Of association.
 The senators entered Luxembourg this afternoon determined to finish the affair, which has taken I'D their time turing the past three months. After the court had disposed of the hisn treason charge and that of "intelli- yence with the enemy" and had de- clared it's own sovereignty in less than four hours word was passed that 2 decision was impending and Luxem- hourg gardens were filled to over flowing in the neighborhood of ths palace by dense crowds. and police reserves had to be called out
 The ballots followed one another with great rapidity. The partisans O, the former premier were thrilled with joy and hope when the treason charge was so promptly eliminated. confi- dently predicted acquittal and began to apportion among themselves the portfolios in the cabinet which Gait lauN was expected 10 form within sla months after his release.
 When they attempted to have the senate refrain from establishing itself as the highest constitutional authority. with power to find the accused not guilty as charged, but guilty of lesser offense, their enthusiasm Waned The doors of the deliberation cham Der were closed, almost dramatically sealed Two uShers stood by each for the purpose, apparently. Of Wardlng otf inGuisitive newspaper men, But occa- sionaIIy a disheVeled, perspirlng sen ator would rush out of the chamber and make a direct line for the senate bar. where he was immediately sur rounded by correspondents offering to purchase for him the best vintages in France if he only would talk. At times the noise-shouts and the ring ing of bells-heard within the cham Der was simply deafening- It seemed on several occasions as though the deliberations might degenerate into a free-for-an fight. It was stormy scene a jurors room in criminal court building multiplied by twenty.
 May Mean Five Years Punishment
 The verdict may mean sentence of five years baniShment for CaIllauS, which may, however, be diminished to one year, according IS eXtenuatlns circumstances are found. Incarceration in q fortress is another sentence which may be pronounced tomorrow when the high court reconyenes- It was the concensus of opinion that the sentence would be light and that the 2S months which CaillauX has spent in jail and sauitarium would be taken into con- sideration The former premier's at torneys were disconSolate over the verdict and rushed in an automoDlle to the Neuilly sanitarium to inform CsaiIIalIx of the verdict The defendant had remained in the sanitarium through the days sitting. Before they started away, however, M. Moutet said to the Associated Press:
 M CaiIlaux was convicted not for what he has done, but for what he might Go were he allowed to go free"
 Prior 10 this M- Moutet had said, in expressing his conviction that the sen- ate would find extenuating circum- stances and that the sentence would be light:
 Women Engage in Hair-PulIing
 The length of the sentence does not matter The fact that there is a sen rence at all means the defeat of liberty of thought
 It seems possible that Caillaux will be condemned to pay the cost of the trial. amounting to more than S0O.O0O francs. Among these is a bill for in vestigation in the United States. which is one of the prominent items. M Moro -Giafferi of Caillaux's counsel. saving it would reach S30.000. The crowds around the palace dispersed somewhat sulenly prodded by gen darrnes.. Cheers and misses were about evenly divided, but there was no riot ing The closing scene was devoid even of fisticuffs. except for some hair-pulling between two stylishly sowned women
 |