Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-09

Rochefort was cheered when he arrived
but NJ. Zola was not noticed when he en-
tered the court.
The presiding judge, NJ. Delgorgue, read
a letter from Count Esterhazy, in which
the latter refused to testify. Thereupon
N. Laborie counsel for NJ. Zola, insisted
that Esterhazy should be brought to court
by force.
The court admitted the claims Of the de-
ferse and also decided that General Mer-
cier. the former minister of war, and Ma
jor Patty de Clam should be resummoned
The court also decided that the other
witnesses alleged to be i'll should be Wis
tied by a doctor and that If found able
to appear they should be resummoned.
Mime. Dreyfus was the first witness. She
was dressed in black and was much dis
tressed. NJ. Laborie asked her whether
she could say under what circumstances
she was informed by. Major Paty de Clam.
in 1894. of her husbands arrest. The judge
declined to put the question.
NJ. Zola here arose and cried: II desire
the same treatment as the assassin or
the thief. They have always the right to
defend themselves. but I am deprived of
this. / am Knocked and insulted in the
streets and the obscene press drags me in
the mud. You see, gentlemen of the jury,
the position l am in. l wish to have my
witnesses heard. but I am prevented"
But do you know the law?" the Judge
asked Zola.
Il do not know, and I do not want to
know" was zola's reply.
The scene caused great excitement among
the spectators.
NJ. Laborie demanded that the questions
be put to the witness.
The judge answered: 'I will enter YOUR
protest, if you desire, but I cannot put
questions which are foreign to the indict-
ment, in order to arrive at revision of
the Dreyfus case, which has already been
determined
Thereupon NJ. Laborie exclaimed: "In
the presence of the obstruction placed in
eu,tS our way" !,a. :, Cries i. Of No" Yes" and
what means We should employ"
THAT does not concern me-" answered
the judge, whereat there was laughter
NJ Laborie then proposed to submit a list
Oh questions, leaving the court to indicate
which of them might be put, and the ses-
sion was suspended in order to allow the
questions to be drawn up.
During the interval, the noise in the court
was deafening. Everyone discussed the case
at the top of his voice with such intensity
putants were distorted
In the meanwhile. Nine. Dreyfus retired
70 the witness room. where she was seized
with violent fit of mysteries.
On the resumption of the session of the
court, M Laborie presented a statement
claiming the right TO ask Nine. Dreyfus
certain questions in the interest of justice
The advocate general, NJ. Van Casel. ar
gued that the court could not readjudicate
facts already legally decided. and, turning
to NJ. Zola. he exclaimed: You say you
know it. Well. We do know the law and
will have it respected. with the aid of a
jury in which We have the most complete
confidence.
This apostrophe evoked ,narls of an
proval.
NJ. Laborie responded with great warmth.
protesting agaist the obstruction of which
his client was the victim. Finally NJ Zola
said he would submit to tho law and to
justice. adding: .! do not revolt against the
law. as my words have implied. What I
want, gentlemen, is that you should end
your hypocritical schemes"
This remark was greeted with shouts of
bravo! bravo. and murmurs of dissent.
The court then decided against the de-
fense, saying that no question not contained
| in the indictment would be allowed.
NJ. LIE Blois, lawyer and witness for
the defendants, testified that he and Colonel
| Picquart were old friends and, consequent
| ~, when Picquart was connected with the
war intelligence department. he consulted
the witness on certain grave matters he
had unearthed in connection with the car
rier pigeon affair at Nancy. and in regard
to which he had received menacing letters.
When doubts on the Dreyfus matter arose
| NJ. Scheurer-kestner questioned the witness
on the ho foregoing matter and the witness
| letters which General Gonz wrote to Pic
| quart which convinced NJ. Scheurer-Kest-
ner of the innocence of Dreyfus. The wit
| ness urged NJ. Kestner to apply TO the min
| lister of justice to annul the Dreyfus judg-
1 ment. in view of the secret document sub
| mitted to the court-martial but as he
/ was lacking in material proofs NJ. Sheur-
| er-kestner had not acted Immediately.
| Continuing. the witness spoke of the In
| trigues against Colonel Picquart when the
| latter was transferred to Tunis. Finally
| the witness laid the matter before the gov
| ernment.
| NJ. Scheurer- Kestner, who was next ex-
| amined said he learned last July that
| Colonel Picquart had discovered that the
bordereau had not been written by Drey.
| fus and he submitted Major Esterhazy's
| handwriting to NJ Bertillon. who agreed
| that It was the same handwriting as in
| the bordereau. Witness suggested to Gen.
| eral Gonz that fresh expert examination
he made. but the general dissuaded him
from so doing.
| At this stage OF the proceedings. NJ
| Scheurer- Kestner was about to give the
| gist of the correspondence between Genera
| Gonz and Colonel Picquart. showing tha,
| General Gonz favored reopening the Drey
| fus case, but the presiding judge ruled
| that the evidence was inadmissible.
| NJ. Laborie then interviewed, saying: "
| ask that these letters be read in court. NJ
| Zola was aware of the existence of thest
letters. 1t is time that light was thrown
| into the case"