Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02
WORK OF ESTERHAZY
NJ. Haret Points Out Significant Facts
About Bordereau.
as TO ITS LITERARY MAKEUP
Declares All Evidence is Against
Dreyfus Being the Author.
NEW LINE OF TESTIMONY

RENNES, September 2.-There was a
large attendance and big number of gen.
erals at the Lycee this morning at the
opening OF the last session of the fourth
week of the second trial by court-martal
of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, charged with
treason. The interest centered in the tes-
timony of Maj. Hartmann of the artillery.
which was interrupted by the adjournment
of the court yesterday. The major, who
has done great service for the defence re-
sumed his important deposition regarding
artillery matters, and the bringing out of
points and phraseology In the bordereau
indicating that the writer could not be
Dreyfus. The witness wished to enter into
the question of the Robin shell, but, on
Gen. Deloye's objecting to a statement on
the subject in open court, Mai. Hartmann
asked to be allowed to give it behind closed
doors, saying 1t would only take him few
minutes to call attention to the point he
had In mind. The president of the court,
Col. Jouaust, decided to hear this part of
the witness testimony in camera at the
end of today's session or at the beginning
Of Mondays session.
In response to questions from Maitre La
bori and NJ Demange counsel for the de-
Tense Maj. Hartmann. said any officer at
tending the Chalons camp could have OBJ
tanned sufficient information to write notes
on the covering OF troops and Madagascar
matters.
M Labori then recalled Gen. Mercier's
attack on Capt Freystaetter on the lat
ters declaration that the secret dosser
communicated to the court of 1894 con-
tanned a document concerning a she'll for
Gen. Mercier called the captain liar Mai.
Hartmann affirmed that it was quite pos
sibe that particulars about certain shell
should have leaked out in 1894
Deloye Confronts Hartmann.
An interesting conformation between
General Deloye and Major Hartmann fol-
lowed, the general declaring he did not
believe the major was keeping strictly to
the truth. Deloye then proceeded to point
to what he said were inaccuracies in Major
Hartmann's testimony. He insisted that
Dreyfus, in the course of conversations
with artillery officers. could have secured
information on the subjects mentioned in
the bordereau. to which the major retorted
that If any artillery officer had been ques-
toned by Dreyfus he would already have
come forward to say SO, as a matter of
strict duty.
General Deloye, questioned by NJ. Labor
and NJ. Demange, said the inventor of the
Robin shell told him Dreyfus never asked
him for particulars about his shell. except
on a minor point. The general added that
he came as a technical witness to show
Dreyfus could be guilty. adding that it@sas
not his business to say whether he believed
him innocent or guilty. He could only say
that Dreyfus' contention that it was i'm
possible for him to know certain matters
referred to in the bordereau untrue
NJ Labori asked General Deoye If he
knew whether the documents which could
have been betrayed by a traitor, especially
by the writer of the bordereau. were i'm
portant, whereupon the general turned to
counsel and excitedly cried: Don't ask
me! Don't ask me1'
These exclamations created a sensation
in court, which was doubled when General
Deloye added that there was sufficient In
the bordereau to establish that the traitor
knew the Importance of the documents he
giving up. The witness added:
when 1 read the bordereau 1 was dis
mayed
Major Hartmann in reply to General De-
loye reiterated that the author of the
bordereau was ignorant of artillery mat
ters. for, 'ff he meant the 100 hydraulic
brake he gave particulars of what was
lcng known, while If he meant the 100
short he employed a wrong expression
Gen. Mercier here mounted the stage and
rema rked that the writer of the bor0ereau
might very well employ the term hydraulic
brake, because that was the term used
by the Germans for such brakes.
This ended the deposition of Major Hart
mann. who certainly was very valuable
witness for the defense, although the effect
Of his testimony was somewhat weakened
by Gen. Deloyes theatrical statement in
reply to M Labor.
The next witness, M. Havet, a member
of the institute, took up the bordereau
from a grammatical point Of view, declar-
ing 1t to be his conviction, after studying
closely the styles of Dreyfus and Ester
haZy, that the latter wrote it. The wit
ness entered into an interesting analysis
of the phraseology of the bordereau, point
ing out that certain phrases in it We're
met with in Esterhazy's letters, but never
in those of Dreyfus He then traced the
influence exercised on EsterhaZy by his
linguistic requirement, notably traces of
German construction.
Carriere Criticises Havet
The government commissary, Major Car
riere asked M. Havet If he had been pres
ent at sessions of the court before he
had testified. NJ. Havet said: YES" at
which the major, with great severity. said:
You have been guilty of a grave breach
of judiciary discipline"
To this NJ. Havet quietly remarked:
But had not been summoned as wit
ness at the time 1 attended the sessions"
Major Carriere sat down checkmated.
Picquart and General Gonse at the time
the colonel wanted thorough investiga-
ton into the case were then read, and NJ.
Labori pointed out to General Gonse that
these letters never alluded to the alleged
confession Of Dreyfus.
General Gonse replied that 1t was because
he always advised Colonel Picquart not to
mix up the Esterhazy and Dreyfus cases.
Dreyfus, he added, had been condemned
and his case could not be reopened, but
they were bound to see IL there was not
another traitor.
The general made a bitter complaint at
the fact that his letters had been commu-
nicated to M. Scheurer-Kestner. former
vice president of the senate, who published
them in a book, entitled "Pontius Plate"
Replying to NJ. Labor, General Gonse in,
sisted that Dreyfus having been con-
demned, it was not his duty to go back to
his case.
scene between General Gonse and Col,
onel Picquart followed. The latter being
called, said he gave General Gonse's let-
ters to his lawyer when he realized that
he was the object Of abominable intrfgues,
and whan he received in Tunia n letter OF