370 



GREECE. 



body; thirty-five advocates were retained by 

 the defense ; one hundred and six witnesses 

 had been summoned for the prosecution, and 

 one hundred and seventeen witnesses for the 

 defense. Special places were assigned for 

 stenographers and journalists, as well as for 

 the diplomatic body and the advocates, while 

 the public occupied the galleries. The first 

 five days were consumed in the hearing of the 

 technical objections of the defense to the com- 

 petency of the court to try the case. Among 

 the objections to the jurisdiction of the court 



was one set up by the inculpated bishops that 

 they were amenable only to a spiritual court. 

 On this it was ruled that the crime for which 

 they were arraigned was a civil crime, of 

 which the civil tribunals could take cognizance. 

 Finally, all of the objections were overruled, 

 and the court asserted its full jurisdiction over 

 the whole body of the offense and over all 

 the accused. The first witness called was 

 Kastorches, Archbishop of Phthiatis, a man of 

 more than ninety years of age. His evidence 

 went to show that bribery with regard to the 



GENERAL VIEW OP THE ACROPOLIS AT THE PRESENT DAT. 



nomination of bishops had become so cus- 

 tomary as to be now looked upon as quite a 

 matter of course ; it was indeed, he said, con- 

 sidered impossible at the present time that a 



GROUND-PLAN OF THE ACROPOLIS. 



bishop should jucceed to his appointment by 

 any other means, and the minds of the clergy 

 had become so familiar with this state of af- 



fairs that they were, to use his own language, 

 " quite intoxicated " on the subject. 



Autonopulos, Abbot of Egina, testified that 

 before the appointment of his friend Averkios 

 to the see of Patras, Averkios being at the 

 time a candidate for the see, he had gone to 

 see him, and found him very gloomy. He in- 

 quired what was the matter, and Averkios con- 

 fessed to him at length that he had been asked 

 for money in order to get the nomination, and 

 saw no hope of obtaining the see by any other 

 means. The abbot refused to believe this ; 

 but finally arranged to go and see the minister, 

 and find out for himself, taking with him the 

 sum demanded. He went accordingly to 

 Valassapulos. and spoke to him about the ap- 

 pointment of his friend. After some conver- 

 sation, the minister made use of the words, "I 

 must be satisfied." The abbot asked him 

 whether he required money, and, being an- 

 swered affirmatively, put down a sum and de- 

 parted. Averkios was consequently nominated 

 to the see of Patras. On the part of the 

 accused, Valassapulos repelled every charge. 

 The Archbishop of Patras, Averkios Lampiris, 

 stated that, during hi? long residence in Athens, 

 he had had friendly intercourse with the most 



