The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-23
M. LAB0RIE'S GREAT EFFORT
BRILLIANTLY DEPENDS ZOL4 AND
 CAUSES 4 SENSATION.

Point of Fraud--M onument Of Ta sehoods
 and Hypocrisy-Says That Name Requir-
 ing Most Humiliating Place in History ia
 That of Pontlus Pilate.
 Paris, Feb. 2E-The brilliant efforts of counsel for the defense, M. Laborie. was the feature to-day, the fourteenth day of the trial of NM. Zola and Per- reaux. His words were almost fierce ill their earnestness and were delivered with so much evident show of frank ness and honesty as to win applause from even the opponents of the cause of the novelist. M. Laborie chronolog- ically reviewed the case, from the arr rest of Alfred Dreyfus, pointing out that as Major Paty du Clam interdicted Madame Dreyfus from speaking, the announcement of his arrest, published by the Libre Parole and Eclair alone, ministry for war. Counsel for the de- fense then declared that eight months prior to the arrest of Dreyfus the min- istry of war possessed photographs of the paper containing the expression that scoundrel of D -" and show ing that French officer had relations with two foreign military attaches. This document M. Laborie pointed out did not refer to Dreyfus, but, all the same, the culpability of Dreyfus was founded upon 1t, and 1t was this docu- ment which the yelled lady, handed to Major Esterhazy the latter only sur rendering it to the minister of war on securing a receipt.
 Referring to General Mercier, M. La- borie said: May be he is a brave sol- dier, but lie is not familiar with great affairs. In the absence of proofs he substituted his own arbitrary impress sion, and thus had an innocent man condemned" Counsel also asked why the document referring to that scou1l- drel D ," /" had not been previously spoken of as the defence could have brought into court foreigners who dis puted it's genuineness. The statement caused sehsation in court, and the presiding judge interrupted counsel, re- marking: We would not have heard then.''
 If we did not summon them" con
 
 wished to discuss between Frenchmen alone an affair solely concerning Frenchmen. However opinions may differ concerning this affair in the hour of danger we will all show solid front to the foreigner" (Applause) Then denouncing the action of the prosecu- tion in having Dreyfus write from iic- tation, counsel said: Such a trial proved the emptiness of the proseeu-ss ton, for had they possessed proof of his guilt they would not have had re- course to such theatrical efforts at the opening of the court martial and the judges having only the bordereau would have acquitted Dreyfus had not been led astray by the secret communi- cation of a document" !"
 Counsel. after reading an account of the court martial, added: T have all the papers in my hands and solem1lly affirm that there is nothing in them against Dreyfus. I pledge you my honor, gentlemen, that there is no proof against Dreyfus.' The statement made commotion and there were marks of approval by the public When the hearing was resumed M. La-i borie referred to the alleged confess sion of Dreyfus to Captain Lebrun Re- nault, and remarked: "If written re- port of it exists it was drawn up as an afterthought, and I could have proved it by witnesses had Captain Lebrun Renault testified" M. Laborie then gave a moving description of the deg radiation of Dreyfus. He recalled that, amid the shouts of Death" Dreyfusg had not ceased to cry "Vive la France and swear upon the heads of his wife and children that he was completely innocent.
 "Dreyfus,' M. Laborie asserted "only appealed for one act of mercy
 that the ministry should continue the inquiry.' (Commotion.) After this M. Laborie read series of letters writ ten by Dreyfus to counsel and to his family, in which the prisoner always demanded that the real culprit should be shot, and added: If M. Moline did not produce the report of Captain Le-8 brun Renault it was because the vehe-l ment protestation of innocence or Dreyfus troubled his mind, and for the moment his sense of judicial rectitude had prevailed over his conception of political consideration. (Sensation.) 'In order to obtain avowals," M. La borie proceeded, "the prosecution went to the point of fraud Did not Major Paty du Clam say to Dreyfus, The minister will receive you if you go tO confess?'" Thereupon counsel dwelt upon Major Paty du Clam's interroga- tion of Dreyfus, in which Dreyfus had agreed that there was some resem- blance in the details of his writing and that of the bordeau, but that, taken altogether, they were quite distinct, and he (Dreyfus) affirmed his inno- cence, counsel adding: "A monument of falsehoods and hypocrioy has been built up-false hopes for the abettors, hypocricy for the stronger and guiltier parties. Let these men know this. Let them listen to my words and remember that the name which requires in his- tory the most humiliating place Is that of Pontius Pilate."
 M. Laborie spoke until the court ad- journed. He will continue his argu- ment tomorrow. After the court ad- journed M. Laborie received a veritable ovation. The public emerged from the court In state of extreme excitement, but there was no disorder.