Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-15
BAD FOR ESTERHAZY
Testimony in lola Trial Today Points
to the Major.
BORDEREAU IN HIS- HANDWRITING
Expert Witnesses Evidence Gre
ates a Sensation in Court.
mir. FRANK ON THE STAND

PARIS. February 15.-The arrival Of NJ.
Emile Zola. n. Perroux and others at the
assizes court of the Seine today-the eighth
day of the trial of the novelist and the
publisher of the Aurore-was not marked
by any incident. The crowd present was
not large as that of yesterday, and the
people in the Hobbies were calm. Opinions
as to tie issue of the trial vary greatly.
While some people are already discussing
the extent of the sentences. others regard
the acquittal of the defendants as certain.
it is evident the court is becoming more
favorabiy disposed toward VI. Zola. The
trial is not expected to finish before Sat-
urday. and il is believed that night ses-
sion may be necessary TO complete it even
then.
At the opening of the proceedings today
the presiding judge, NJ Deiesorgue, dis
allowed the request OF counsel for NJ. lola
that the experts he.,rd at the Esterhazy
court-martial should be called TO testify.
Gen. Gonse on the Stand.
General Gonse reappeared on the witness
stand and protested against the assertion
made by Nj. Jaures, the socialist deputy, on
Saturday last that the general staff had
refused to ealighten the Dreyfus affair.
N. Laborie. replying to General Gonse,
said that if he desired 10 throw light upon
lne case ne ttrOnSe) could ask Inc war MIN
listers permission to do So.
To this General Gonse answered that II
was rot within his province to transmit
such request to the minister of war.
NJ. Crepieux Janin. handwriting expert.
was the next witness He StrepuQuSiy de-
Eitd that he had attempted to bride VI
Teyssonnieres to modify his reports of the
Dreyfus Boroereau- NJ TeySsonnleres, NJ
orepieux Jsnin added, mad declared tna'
Ii was on his (TeyssonniereS) report alone,
and not on NJ. Bertillons. which Drey-
fuS was convicted.
This statement caused a sensation.
M. Janin added that it was because M.
Teyssonnieres was angry with the witness
for not sharing his opinion in regard to the
Dreyfus that he tried to compromise
the matter. The witness further said he
was Frenchman and Catholic and fol-
lowed the profession of a dentist, not that
of an expert in handwriting.
Director Meyer a Catholic.
Director Meyer of the French record
Office opened his testimony by affirming
hirsef Catholic. He declared that the
published fac-similes of the Bordereau
were exact as possible, and he thought
that General Pellieux's contention that the
fac-similies looked like forgeries was an
exaggeration.
The witness added that he only desired
an enlightenment of this sad affair." and If
he was allowed TO compare the fac simiie
with the original, II mistaken. he would
Loyalty say so. Continuing the witness
admitted that he had acted wrongly in in
trusting the examination of the bordereau
to NJ. Bertillon. who, he asserted had net
ed in a manner devoid of all sense.
NJ Meyer concluded with saying that the
handwriting of Mai, Es.erhaZy resembled
that ofBordereau
Mr. Laborie then asked permission to ex-
anime the experts. Gouard. BeIhomme and
Narinard. but the court refused the re-
quest, upon which NJ. Laborie drew up
no To raUa
nlzance of the fact
But the presiding judge, before even
hearing the question, refused To let il be
put, after which the court retired 10 de-
judge was right in refusing 20 allow quss-
tons. the only effect Of which would be
to uselessly prolong the proceedings"
Prof. Moulinier Tesiiaes.
Prof. Ernest Moulinier of the College of
France. testified that Mai. Esterhazy's
handwriting absolutely resembled that of
the Bordereau.
n. Clamenceau, counsel for the Aurore,
read letters from Madame de Boulancey
admitting the possession of letters which
Maj. ESterhaZy wrote her between 1881 and
1891 and containing serious animadver-
siOns of France and the French army.
Maj Esterhazy, it appeared. asked that
the letters be returned to him, but Mime.
DE Boulancey refused to do so, in order
TO be able to prove that she had not COM
mitted forgery. NJ. Clemenceau urged the
court to appoint magistrate to ask Nine.
De Boulancey, If among the letters there
was not one containing the following eX-
pl eSSiOns:
Firstly-"General Saussier 0hen the
commander-in-chief of the French army
and military governor of Paris is a clown.
In our country the Germans would not
show him in a circus" Uproar in cOurt)
Secondiy-'.If the Prussians got as far as
Lyons they might throw away their guns
and keep only their riding whips to irive
the French in front of them" prolonged
sensation)
Three amateur experts in handwriting
testified that the facsimile was an exact
reproduction of Maj. Esterhazy's handwrit-
ing, statements which caused further SEN
Stations in court. NJ Felix Frank a lawyer
of Brussels. testified that in order to dem
onstratc his evidence it would be necessary
20 have q blackboard; and that it would re-
quire an hour to demonstrate his theory.
blackboard Procured.
Amid an uproar in court the session was
suspended while a blackboard was procured
and placed on an easel. after which NJ.
Frank traced on the blackboard a fac-simile
of the bordereau and of Major Esterhazy's
handwriting and commenced his demonstra-
ton
NJ. Frank made some long technical
demons STATIONS. and said: The majority
of the experts started on the false idea
that the writer of the bordereau had dis
gCised his handwriting. The bordereau
however. was written naturally and in a
running hand. which is identical with tina;
of Major Esterhazy."