The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-23
DREYFUS' FACE LIGHTS UP
LABORI CROSSES SWORDS WITH
GENERAL MERCIER
QUESTION OF AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT
MERCER Refuses to Explain How Il Came into
his Possession and Labor Threatens
EHm With the Law. Laborl's
Splendid Defence.

ibenheS, Aug. [Z,-~I QUAY NdS 0ldlLLc
I4abori's day at the Lycee, where Cap
tain Alfred Dreyfus is standing trial on
the charge of treason. Labori was the
central figure of the scene
Labor did what people had expected.
He galvanized the dormant defence into
an active, living thing. NJ. Demange is
conciliatory He has always seemed to
fear to tread ON the military corn. La
bori is gladiator and always aims to
touch his foe to the quick. Let there be
the slightest opening in his opponen $
defence and he thruSts home.
Today when NJ. Demange found moth
ing to ask a witness, NJ. Labori's quick
eye had discovered weak spots and he
came forward with searching questions.
Generals Roget Billot, Mtrcier and
Boisdeffre, with the other military wit
nesses, gave one another anxious glances
and put their heads together to ex-
change obviously d;sagrecable impress
sions as Labori pied the smaller mili-
tary fry, who occupied the witness stand
sacecssiyely today with disconcerting
questions.
Labor cornered General Mercier ON
the Schneider letter which the latter had
used in evidence, and which Colonel
Schneider had repudiated as forgery.
The general was surprised when Labor
suddenly demanded THAT MERCER be re-
called. Evidently he hoped the tribunal
would support him in refusing to explain
how he got a copy of letter which was
of later date than his incumbency at the
Ministry of War.
But Labori was not to be denied. lie
insisted that MERCER should give SOME
explanation. Then after hesltating. Mo-
cier declared that he would assume All
the responsibility attaching TO lrs pos
session of the document. This, as la
bori intended it should be, was a demon
stration of communication by the gen
eraI staff of part at least Of the secret
dossier TO an ordinary soldier, such as
Mercier became Immediately on navlng
the Ministry of War When iAloori
had attained his object and forced 4 con-
fesSiom Of grave violation OF law on he
part OF General Mercier he gave a
smile Of grim satisfaction and then add
ed Significantly: Il shall have otner
questions to put to General Mercler.
General Mercier must now be spending
Il very miserable evening, for as the r.,
suit of this admission, and with the ad-
ditiunal charge OF communicating secret
documents to the court martial of 1854,
he Is liable to arrest at any pome1t IN
deed, some people think it not impossible
that he will be lying in the military pri-
son adicining the cell of Captain Drey-
fus before the week is out.
1tx~
Labori concerned Lajoux, spy formerly
/ in the service of the French War once,
but packed off to South Amer!ca, ac-
cording to various military witnesses be-
cause he proved q sWindier.
IIabori asked how it was, i that We're
SO. that LajouX was still receiving
monthly payments.
Commandant Roll.u, completely taken
aback, replied that cessation OF pay
mpnts was under consideration.
The impression conveyed by Labor
questions and the replies given was
that Laioux WAS being paid by the
War Office to keep out of the way ~
the interests of Esterhazy whom La
ioux in a letter read in court oTtcr'tg
revelations in the Dreyfus affair." lndl-
Gated as the real traitor.
/ Nj. Labor ilnUnUilceW IlHhL ue llhlcilit "a
tp recall several witnesses who had
made derositicns during his absence.
This means that MERCER, Roget and
others, will he put to- the test of severe
cross examination.
To his friends NJ. Labori expressed
himself confident of being able to tear
to pieces the evidence these generals
have given so confidently before a
sympathetic court martial.
| Captain Dreyfus today pursued the at-
| titrde he took UP yesterday and re-
| piled to the statements of hostile wit
nesSes with arguments and the presen-
tation of counter. facts, only once giving
way to his feelings and offering a cry
of protest. This was at the conclusion
Of Colonel Bertin's deposition, when.
with broken voice, the accused declared
his love Of France and the army.
Yes he cried, Il love France and
love my army but it is with senti-
mcnts different from those animating
them who come here today 10 testify
| against me-
NJ. I4abori, If anything, was better
after his eXertions than before them.
LABORI CORNERS MERCIER.
Rennes, August -. Aiaitre Labori,
leading COUNSEL for the defence who
was mur1lerously assaulted August 1Ith,
| was present in court this morning at