Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-02
BIG Day FOR Defense
Evidence at Rennss Court Martial
Today All in the Pris.
oner's Favor.
Convincing Testimony to Show
Dreyfns Gould Not Have Writ.
ten the Bordereau.
Enemies Of Dreyfus Given q Hard
Problem to Solve-The
Details.

Rennes, Sept. "A large number OF
generals were in attendance at the
opening Of the Dreyfus trial this morn
ing. Maj Hartmann resumed his testi-
mony tending to show that Dreyfus
was not the author Of the bordereau.
He said any officer attending Chalon' 8
camp could obtain sufficient informa-
ton to write notes on the covering of
troops and the Madagascar matter. An
interesting conformation followed be-
tween Gen. Deloye and Hartmann, the
general declaring he did not believe the
major was keeping strictly to the truth,
and then proceeded to point to what he
said We're inaccuracies in Hartmann's s
testimony. Deloye, when questioned by
Labori and Demange, said the inventor
of the Robin shell told him Dreyfus
never asked him for particulars about
his shell, except in minor point. The
general said he came as a technical
guilty, adding it was not his business
to say whether he believed him inno-
cent or guilty. He could only say Drey-
fus' contention that it was impossible
for him to know certain matters re-
ferred to in the bordereau was untrue.
| Labori asked IL he knew whether
documents which could have been be-
trayed by a traitor, especially by the
writer of the bordereau, were import
ant, whereupon the general turned to
the counsel and excitedly cried: Don't
ask me, don't ask mel" These exclama-
tions created sensation in the court
room, which was doubled when Deloye
bordereau to establish that the traitor
knew the Importance of the documents
he was giving up. Witness added:
When read the bordereau was dis
mayed" Hartmann in reply to Deloye
reiterated that the author of the bor-
dereau was ignorant of artillery mat
ters. for II he meant the "120" hydrolic
brake he gave particulars Of what was
long known, while il he meant "120''
short he employed wrong expression.
| Mercier mounted the stage and re-
marked that the writer of the border
eau might very well employ the term
hydrolic brake, because that was term
used by Germans for such brakes. This
ended Hartmann's deposition, which
was certainly valuable for the defense.
The next witness was Havet, a mem
ber of the institute, who took the bor-
dereau from a grammatical point of
view, declaring it to be his conviction,
after studying closely the styles of
Dreyfus and Esterhazy, that the latter
wrote it.
Another important witness, De Fond
Lamotte, former officer of artillery,
testified that in 1894 Picquart lent him
a firing manual which he might have
kept as long as he pleased, 80" the
witness added, there was little secrecy
at that time. Any officer could have
obtained one In August, 1894. Another
point in favor of Dreyfus is that no
probationer could have believed in 1894
he would go to manuevers." The clerk
then read a circular dated May Is. 1894.
announcing that probationers would not
go to manuvers.
De Fond-Lamotte concluded by de-
claring If the prosecution would follow
up the pieces of evidence they would be
absolutely convinced that Dreyfus did
not write the bordereau. Not one of the
generals was found to reply to the wit
ness arguments. and he proved one of
the strongest for the defense, as he
brought out, in support of his conten-
| tion, that Dreyfus could not have writ
ten the bordereau. IF, as at first as
serted. the bordereau was dated in
May" witness argued, "Dreyfus could
not have written am going to ma
neuvers.' because circular was issued
in May informing probationers they
would not go to maneuvers, while il the
bordereau was dated in April, as now
asserted, Dreyfus could not have spok-
en- of a firing manual which was only
printed at the end Of May" Adjourned
for the day.
Review of Friday.
Rennes, France, Sept. 2-E'riday was
a very satisfactory day for Dreyfus.
The Beaurepaire witness. Germain. who
was to prove that Dreyfus attended the
Alsatian maneuvers. found his state
ments denied by a reputable witness,
while German himself, 1t was proved,
underwent two convictions for swind-
ling. This was the only testimony
against Dreyfus. the remainder of the
dispositions being in his favor several
of them being very weighty, as in the
case of Capt. Carvalho, Gen. Seibert,
and Maj. Hartmann, their evidence
going to show that particulars Of the
firing of the '.12O gun" and hydro-pneu-
matte brake We're almost matters of
common knowledge among the officers,
q fhat no Ilu.ax.e..s.