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Tiresias Augustin
Simon Sam
31.3.1896 -12.5.1902

Pierre Théoma
Boisrond-Canal
26.5.1902 - 17.12.1902

Pierre Nord-Alexis
 21.12.1902 - 2.12.1908
 

President
Tiresias Augustin Simon Sam
(1896 - 1902)

President
Pierre Nord-Alexis
 (1902-1908)

On 31 March 1896 Tiresias Augustin Simon Sam was elected President after the death of Hyppolite. Three days before his term was to expire on 12 May 1902, President Sam abdicated, thereby averting an election in order to control the choice of his successor. This put the appointment of the next President in the hands of Sam's family-controlled Assemby, where 48 members were his relatives. With his hand picked successor, Cincinnatus Leconte in place with the necessary electoral votes "in his pocket", the assembly prepared to vote in an all too familiar way. But the populace had had too much of Sam's

administration and an armed revolt ensued in Port-au-Prince. Sam, Leconte and their families were  driven from the country with Sam taking a reported $2.5 million of government funds he had secreted away in private accounts. On 26 July 1902, historian Anténor Firmin, a candidate for President, precipitated an insurrection and civil war. His bid for the Presidency was thwarted and on 17 October 1902 he was exiled to Saint Thomas in the American Virgin Islands. Pierre Nord-Alexis was acclaimed President on 21 December 1902. Nord quickly learned of Sam's financial ruin of the country and on 30 March 1903 dissolved the Chamber of Deputies (now called the House of Deputies), resorting to the printing presses to alleviate the financial crisis.

The above notes are almost always found unsigned, however some early issues were reportedly found with signatures, most likely fraudent.   It is thought that these issues were the bank notes Nord-Alexis hastily printed in response to the financial crisis. Although they were apparently printed  in great quantities, all of these issues are quite scarce today. Based on the quantity normally issued in each series (1,000,000)  it is estimated  that a total of 20,000,000 Gourdes were issued.  Interestingly, the Orange 1 Gourde Series A, pictured above, is the only piece known of this color and series.