The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-10
STUBBORN WITNESSES
ALLOWED TO ANSWER OR NOT
AS THEY CHOOSE.
zoLAS COUNSEL DENoUNcEs SCENES
Madame Dreyfus Not Allowed 10 Testify Ex-
cept in Way so Limited as Not to
be Of Service 10 ZOla's
Counsel.

Paris, Feb. 9.-In spite of the special
precautions there was repetition of
the scenes witnessed yesterday, when
the trial of Emile Zola and Perrieux.
who are being prosecuted by the gov
ernment for denomcng the Esterhazy
court martial, was continued today in
the Assizes court of the Seine
General Boisdeffre was called, but he
refused to testify, under the plea OF
professional and State secrecy.
NJ. Delegorgue, the presiding judge,
consented that Madame Dreyfus should
be allowed to testify, ON the condition
Estcrhazy case.
Over 300 barristers in their robes,
gathered at the public entrance and in
dulged in horse play. When the pre-
siding judge ordered them not to OBJ
struct the passage the barristens made
demonstration against the judge.
Thereup0n, the cOnmandant of the Re
publican Guards sent Il detachment OF
troops to quell the disturbance. The
Intervention of the military was ill-re-
coived, and led to q violent aHray. The
barriSters rushed upon the guards and
struck them. One of the young lawyers
was arrested, Int after quiet had been
restored, he was released.
NJ IyabOrie, counsel for NJ. Zola, pro-
tested against the limitation OF the eYi-
dence OF Madame Dreyfus, and scatli-
ingly denounced the scenes in court,
the biased reports in the newspapers
81. aIf
unworthy Of France.
Gen. BOisdeffre replying to VI. La
borie, admitted that as Minister OF
War. before he had testified ut the
EsterhaZy court martial, he had re-
ceived from Maj. Esterhazy a certain
document, which concerned the Dreyfus
case, but he refused to give any further
particulars, on the ground of profess
si0nal secrecy.
VI. Laborie protested that in a court of
justice professional secrecy" could not
exist, whereupon Gen. BOisdeffre re-
tortel: professional secrecy cannot he
separated from State secrecy"
The General admitted that Col. Pic
quart had been transferred to Tunis
owing to his being favorable to Drey
fus, and the witness added that he per-
SOnnlly, was convinced of the guilt Of
Dreyflls, while other facts, before and
after the court martial, which had come
to his knowledge, nade this conviction
unSheIkable.
General GOnZ followed, and at the
outset of the examination, had Il violent
alteration with NJ I4abOrie, in which
the General public joined. The tumllt
reached such u pitch that the presiding
Judge ordered the court to be cleared,
which the municipal guards promptly
did. The court resumed its session five
minutes later and General GonZ eX-
plained that he had not meant all he
said. 1'hcrcupon the incident was al
lowed to drop.
General GOnz then spoke of the inves-
LEGATIONS of Col. lcquart, whom he had
encOurag ged, but the General added that
he told the Oolone. 10 avoid aTTeSting
Major ESterhaZy, which the Colonel
wished To do.
Gen. Mercier the former Minister of
War, who was next examined, declared
that Inc believed the BOrdereau and
other documents abstrIcted from the
War office had been communicated to
the newspapers ~ the Dreyfus family.
NJ. Laborie Immediately asked that
Nine. Dreyfus be allowed to confront
NItLNEdl hbINltI diLtt uCIiy HIS ctdlt-
ment, hut the presiding Judge refused
to allow her to do so.
Counsel for NJ. Zola then pressed Gen
eral MERCER to say if it was true that II
secret document had been communicated
TO the Dreyfus court martial behind the
backs of Dreyfus and his counsel. The
General refused to reply.
At the conclusion of his examination
Gen. MERCER was vOciferously cheered
with cheers of "Vive l. Armee" and
Vive La France"
NJ Trarieux, who was Minister cf
Justice at the time of the Dreyfus court
martial, was the next witness. After
his evidence, which did not convey any
startling facts, the court adjourned.
The crowd outside the court cheered
Generals MERCER, BOisdeffrc and GOnz,
while NJ Zola was left almost unnOticed.