The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-10
FRENCH IDEA OF JUSTICE
Continuation Of the Farcial lola
Trial.
NOTHING In RESPONDENTS FAVOR
ALLOWED TO GO IN.

Madame Dreyfus on the Stand but Her
Evidence Restricted to the Esterhazy
Court-Generals Gonze and MERCER
Also Testify.
Paris, February Gin spite of the
special precautions taken to prevent 1t,
there was repetition of the scenes of
Yesterday when the trial of NJ. Emile lola
and NJ. Perreaux, who are being prose-
cuted by the government for denounclng
the Esterhazy court martial, was con-
tinued today in the assizes court.
Gen. Boisedoffer was called, but re-
fused emphatically to testify under the
plea of professional and state secrecy.
NJ. DeIegorgue, the presiding judge,
consented that Madame Dreyfus should
be allowed to testify on the condition
that her evidence was restricted to the
Esterhazy court.
M. Laborie, counsel for NJ. lola pro
tested against the limitation of the
evidence of Nine. Dreyfus and scathingly
denounced the scenes in court, the biased
reports in the newspapers and the attacks
on his client as being unworthy OF
France.
Gen. Boisdeffere replying to III. Lsborie,
admitted that the minister OF war, before
he had testified at the Esterhazy trial had
received from Major Esterhazy certain
document which concerned the Dreytus
case, but the witness refused to give any
further particulars on the ground OF pro-
fessional secrecy
M. Taborie protested that in a court OF
iustice professional secrecy could not
exist. whereupon Gen. Boisdetfere re-
torted professional secrecy cannot be
separated from state secrecy.
The general admitted that Col. Picquart
had been transferred to the Unis owing
to his being favorable to Dreyfus, ana the
witness added that he, personally, was
convinced of the guilt OF DreyIus, whlle
other facts before and after the court
martial which had come to his Knowledge
made this conviction unshakeabIe. Ihls
statement made sensation in court. ~
Gen. Gonzss followed and at the outset
of the exaifaination had a violent verbal
altercatiorwith M. Laborie, in which the
general public Joined. The tumait
reached such q pitch that the presiding
which the municipal guards promptly
did.
The court resumed its session five
minutes later and Gen. Come explained
that he did not mean all that he had SAID.
Gen. Come then spoke of the investiga'
lions of Col. Picquart, whom the witness
encouraged; but the general added that
he told the colonel to avoid arrestlne
Major Esterhazy, which the colonel wished
to do.
Gen. MERCER, the former minister fol
war. who was next examined, declared ne
bell wed the Bordereap and other docu
ment distracted from the war office hat
been commu nicated to the newspapers by
the Dreyfus family. M. Laborie immedl
ately asked that Nine. Dreyfus be allowed
to confront Gen. Nlercier and deny his
statements, but the presiding judge re
| fused to allow her to do SO.
Counsel for M. lola then pressed cen.
Mercier to say if it was true that a secre'
docun ent had been communicated to the
| Dreyfus court martial behind the backs o.
| Dreyfus and his counsel. The general re-
| fused to reply.
At the conclusion of his examination
| Gen. Mercier was vociferously cheereo
with cries of "Vive L'Arme" and ''Vive
| la France"
M. Trarieux, who was minister Of
| Justice at the time of the Dreyfus court
martial was the next witness; but his
evidence did not convey anything
startling and the court adjourned. '
| The crowd outside the court cheereo
Generals MERCER, Boisedefere and Come
while M. lola was left almost unnoticed