TRIALS FOR SALE OF DECORATIONS.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1887, Page 4

TRIALS FOR SALE OF DECOR ATIONS.

The trial of General Caffarel, M'me Limonsin, M'me Ratazzi, and General d'Andleau for selling Legion of Honour decorations, was commenced November 7th. All the defendants were present except General d'Andleau. Caffarel, on being examined, admitted entering into business relations with M'me Limonsin in order to obtain money to relieve his embarrassments. He interested himself in applications for Legion of Honour decorations, socially to oblige M'me Limonsin. He never received any money for them. He denied that he divulged the plan for the mobilisation of the Seventeenth Corps. Several x>ersons deposed on the 9th November that they had sent money to General d'Andleau in return for decorations. The Public Prosecutor urged that the name ot M. Wilson, Grcvy's son-in-law, be expunged from the case, as the accusations against him had been leti acted. The case now, ho said, appeared to be one of a simple swindle, icmarkable solely on account of the rank of the persons accused. A sensation was caused during the clay by the fact appearing thai two of Wilson's letters dated May and June, 1884, werewiitten upon paper manufactured in October, 1885. On the 10th, Prime Minister Rouvier threatened to resign unless M. Wilson left the Palace of the Elystc, the residence of President O'revy, immediately, and Wilson accoidingly removed all his papeis from the palace to his own residence. A \iolcnt scone occurred at the Cabinet meeting the same day, GreVy obstinately refusing to part with M. Wile on. The ante-dated letters of the latter wore the subject of gcnoial comment. In the Chamber, Count do Louvillc Maillefeu moved for leave to interpellate the Government with leferencc to Wihon, and declared it impossible, after the disrlosme madoonthepieviou<day,thattheieshouldbe any delay in re assming the public mind, which had received a i-cvero shock. M. Ma/eau, the Minister of Jr. .tice, icplicd that the Go\ eminent declined to accept any responsibility for the doings of M. Wilson. The latter appeared before thce\<imining magistrate on Nov. 11, and aimmed the genuineness of the di-puted letlci ■=. M'mo persisted in her declaration that they had been tampered with. The preliminary examination of Wil-on lcsulted in a demand for his-, prosecution. A sensation was caused in the Chambeis, as this i-? considered to involve the lc-ignalion of Grcvy, who declare-, however, he will not resign even if the Deputies \ote that hio son-in-law must submit to a tiial. Thicc of the pei sons ehaigcd with the decoration scandal have be in comicted. General d'Andlau was sentenced to piison for the yeais, to pay a iino of 3,000 fiance, and be stripped of all ci\ il and militaiy light «. The General did not ] rat in an appcaianco at the trial. M'me Ratasvi was sentenced to thirteen months and. a iino of 2,000 francs. M'me Couilcuil was condemmed to twomonths. Sbianm air v, .^acquitted. Loon Gu'vy is charged by the Siecle with oflering to prociue a position in the Cicdit Foncier for a ictiicd notaiy on being paid 15,000 francs. Ka\ ing receh eel the money, he failed in his ]>ait of the ag: cement, and was sued. Th ■■ cas'j was settled out of ( out I . TTcnri RocheiorL produces c\idencc that j\'. Wil«on receued biibos fiom the family of Baron Pcslliei.s, v/ho-e confipemont in an insane asylum created a sensation -ome time ago. On the 17th November the Chamber of Deputies decided Wilson should be prosecuted. He was informed that befoie the proceedings were begun he would be given an op] ortunity to lie heard. Ke replied that no statement would bo made before the trial. President Givvy will, ie is leportnd, ie.=ign as soon as the scandal about his son-in-law, Wilson, blows over. Leroyer is ppoken of as his successor. The precautionary measures takon, and the presence of the Minister of Public Instruction at Djnai, on the occasion of tl.e removal of the college to Lille, pi evented troubles, but after the departure of the Minister on November 7, a crowd attacked the sub prefecture, and the police had to be called in to restore older.