The record-union., 1899-08-29
Of the Seven Witnesses Who Tes-
titled Yesterday al Rsnnss
Five of Them Gave Evidence Favorable to
Accused.
Handwriting Expert Charvey
Changes Entirely From His
Opinion Formed at the First
His Error, Now Testifying in
Favor of Dreyfus.

Favor or DreyfuS.
RENNES. Aug. 2S.-The balance Of
the evidence. for a change, was in
favor of Dreyfus. Five witnesses
were for him and two against him.
The most interesting testimony was
that of Chief Handwriting Expert
Charvay. who had come to declare
that he had changed entirely his opin-
ion. which in 1894 was against, and is
now in favor of Dreyfus, who, he to-
day affirmed, was not the author of
the bordereau. His candid confession
of error was received with murmurS
of satisfaction in court which became
discreet applause, in spite of Colonel
JOuaust's patent disapproval, when ne
solemnly added: Il declare Gre, on
my soul and conscience, that the bor-
dereau was written by EsterhaZy.
The most important incident. how
ever, was Colonel Jouaust's acquies-
cense to Major Carriere's request that
a rogatory commission be instructed to
take Colonel Du Patty de CLAIMS deposit
ton. The initiative came purely from
the Government Commissary, Maitre
Labori and Demange having no faith
in such a measure, because it allows
Du Patty de Clam to escape cross-ex-
animation, which is the only thing
worth having under the present cir
cumstances. Du Patty de Clam being
a witness for the prosecution, Major
Carriere viii simply prepare a list of
questions which an examining magis-
trate will put to Du Patty de Clam at
his residence, and nobody supposes
mill bn 81
embarrassed by the interrogatoTies.
To-day the central figure in the court
yard. which is the meeting place for
all the leading personages of the trial
during the suspension of the sessions
was Captain Freystmetter. who was
the subject of many f1attering remarks
on his manly and soldierlike bearing.
NJ de Freycinet formerly Minister Of
War arrived this afternoon, and viii
Eestify tomorrow.
THE TESTIMONY.
RENNES, Aug. 2S.-When the fourth
week of the second trial by court-mar-
tial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus of the
artillery, charged with treason, opened
in the Lycee building this morning Gen
eral Mercier, who was Minister of War
when Dreyfus was first tried in 1894,
was present as usual in the front row
of the witness seats. thus definitely
setting at rest the reports that he had
fled to the island of Jersey and as to
his arrest.
The first witness to-day was NJ.
Paray-Javal, the draughtsman, whose
evidence was interrupted on Saturday
by the adjournment of the court.
NJ. Paray-JaVal was called by the
defense to refute the system by which
NJ Bertillon, chief of the anthrometic
department. of police, last week at
tempted to prove that the prisoner
wrote the famous bordereau in a dis
guised hand and by means of a key
word. interest" and that it could not
have been written by Esterhazy, al
though the document was in a hand
writing resembling that of Esterhazy.
With the aid of a blackboard NJ Paray-
laval demonstrated the fallacy of NJ
Bertillon's calculations, and criticised
the latter's unfairness in not subjectine
Esterhazy's handwriting to the same
tests as the prisoners writing. At the
same time the draughtsman declared
that even if NJ Bertillon had done so.
the results would not have proved any
thing.
In brief, the morning session proved
to be a field day for the Handwriting
experts, who devoted themselves to
demolishing one anothers evidence
The public followed the depositions
listlessly, but the Judges and counsel
listened with the greatest attention.
General MERCER did not seem to be
very cheerful to-day. He hardly said
a word to General Gonse during the
whole morning, but during the brief
suspension of the courts sitting he and
Generals Gonse and Roget walked up
and down the courtyard of the Lycee
engaged in conversation.
General De Boisdeffre was not pres
ent in court to-day. He has been alb
sent for the past few sessions, and it
is rumored here that he is desirous OF
leaving the sinking ship of the general
staff.
The center of interest in the court
yard was Captain Freysnetter of the
marine infantry who testified so IA
vorably to Dreyfus on Saturday, and
who seemingly gave the lie to Colonel
Maurel, who was President of the
court-martial of 1894. in a most i'm
D0fT3nt feature OF the latter s evidence.
The Captain, dressed in blue-black
tunie and wearing his five decorations.
held a veritable reception of his friends.
who pressed around him and shook his
hand These friends, however, We're all
civilians. Not a single uniformed Off
Ger spoke to him. which is the first
fruit of his frankness and clear indi-
cation Of the determination of the mil
itary clique to ostracise him.
After two witnesses had testified and
argued against NJ Bertillon's system, it
was the opinion of the sympathizers of
Dreyfus that If the statements of the
witnesses We're correct they had simply
pulverized M. Bertillon. The latter
wished to reply. but the President OF
t'e court. Colonel Jouaust. declined to
lllow the specialist to give his evi-
dence again, taking the ground thar
the evidence would never end if every
expert did the same.
An amusing scene followed. M. Ber-
tillon pleaded that he had o personal
statement to make. and mounted the
platform. But he had hardly uttered
half dozen words when Colonel