The “Devès Affair” in Saint-Louis-du-Senegal: A Critical Assessment of the Sources, 1902–1911

This article examines the validity and reliability of the testimonies and sworn depositions that the Peuvergne administration produced in July 1910 as evidence justifying Justin Devès's suspension and removal from office as mayor of Saint-Louis, capital of French Senegal. The main argument here is that the “Devès Affair” was based on spurious charges. The article places the conflict in the broader context of the political and economic competition between the French colonial administration and the Bordeaux firms, on the one hand, and the Devès network, on the other.