The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-25

The audience watched this strange
spectacle until Col Jouaust shrugged
his shoulders. and then the spectators
knew that NJ. Bertillon had failed to
satisfy them
M Bertinon noticed this and said
apolOgetically: I was too badly plac-
ed"
NJ. Demange, of counsel for the de-
fense returned to coUnsels table and in
response to a look of inquiry from
Dreyfus whispered a few words to the
prisoner, with a shrug of his shoulders
and a smile on his face.
Dreyfus appeared perfectly satisfied.
Col. Jouaust then at Has a. m, ad-
jOurned the court and NJ. BertillOn
packed up his belongings and the sold
iers carried them out.
To the newspaper men who crowded
around NJ. Labori asking him for his
Impressions. counsel said there was a
certain resemblance to the bOrdereau,
adding:
But that is all. NJ Bertillon only
did what dozens could do. It only
proves he is a clever fOrger. That is
all"
PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL
Following are the proceedings in de-,
tail:
At the opening of the session of the
Dreyfus court martial today consider
able comment was caused by the re-
quest of Gribelin. the principal archi-
visit of the headquarters staff, for per
mission to absent himself for "a hours,
owing to a summons OF the minister of
war. Gen. Marquis De Gallifet, who de-
sired to see him in Paris.
It was suggested that the minister of
war wished to refresh NJ. Gribelin's
memory, which has been so strongly
anti-Dreyfus.
Then followed the reading of med
ical certificate signed by two doctors,
whose names We're not familiar to the
audience, setting forth that Col. Du
Patty de Clam is too i'll to leave his bed
and appear at Rennes, at which the
audience was not surprised.
Madame Du Patty de Clam also wrote
to the government cOmmiSSary offer
ing written supplementary deposition
from her husband.
NJ. Labor, after securing the names
of the doctors who signed the certifi-
cate, asked the court to appoint two
we'll known physicians to report official
~ on Du Patty de CLAIMS condition.
Gel. Jouaust. however, declared it
was useless to do so, as the condition of
the invalid was well known.
n. Y. TIMES CORRESPONDENT.
Rowland Strong. correspondent of the
New York Times.a member of the staff
of the Observer of London was the first
witness called He described at length
the interviews which he had with Es-
terhaZy, saying the Observer offered
Elsterhazy 25OO for certain documents
and a confession that he wrote the
-bOrdereau, as published April 25
Replying to the court Mr. Strong said
that Esterhazy while admitting the
documents enumerated in it had been
betrayed by DreyfuS TO Germany. M
Henri WE'LL, a former officer of the
headquarters staff was then called but
he was absent and his deposition was
read.
The facts in the case were published
April 20. NJ Weill's statement. in sub
stance, was that Esterhazy told him in
1894, that Dreyfus was innocent, but
that this would not prevent his cOnvic-
tiOn because he was a Jew. (Sensa-
tion).
A brief discussion ensued regarding
the character of Col PicQuart's former
orderly Savignaud who testified yester-
day to posting letters in May and June
1897. addressed by the colonel to NJ
Scheurer-Kes esther, the former vice
president who was prominent in OBJ
tanning revision of the Dreyfus case
During this case Savignaud protested
that he had been cOnfOunded with
bandSman of the same name who hal
a bad character. A former sergeant
who was at one time employed in the
war office testified to seeing DreyfuS
copying the list of railroad stations
mentioned in the plan of mobilization
to which Dreyfus replied:
1T is true; but 1 copied the list by
order of Capt Besse." (Sensation)
EXPERT EVIDENCE.
The evidence of the handwriting ex-
Derts followed.
NJ Colbert. after testifying to the
facts published April p and April a.
vehemently protested against the in
sinuatiOn that he was an interested
witness. He referred to his 80 years of
services, during which he had reported
on thousands of documents and added
yisibly affected:
I protest against the term interest
ed expert" adding. turning towards
the prisoner: After all I have no right
to complain when I look at this unfort-
unate man before you" (Great sensa-
tiOn).
The court closely followed NJ Co
bert's exhaustive story of his examina-
tion of the bOrdereaui and his interview
with Generals Mercier, De Goisdeffre
and Gonse.
NJ. Colbert asserted that the hand
writing of the bordereau was natural
and fluent, but that it was almost il
legible whereas Dreyfus, even when
writing rapidly, always wrote most
legibly.
The witness asked Gen. Gonse if an
envelope accompanied the bOrdereau
as he. NJ. Colbert, wished to see what
the writer's careful caligraphy was
like, explaining that the address of a
letter is always in a frmer hand than
its contents.
Gen. Gonse refused the request on the
ground that the witness must not know
the name of the addressee.
The general also refused to allow the
bordereau to be photographed, alleging
that If the war office photographers
were allowed to photograph it, all Paris
would be acquainted with the border
eau the next day. Laughter).
Thereupon the witness remarked;
Gen GOnse, this is a very interest
ing confession
NJ Colbert then suggested that the
work be entrusted to the prefecture If
police, where NJ. Bertillon is the pho
tographer- Until then the witness said
he also had never heard of NJ. Bertil-
lon as a handwriting expert. saying
he became an expert for this special
occasion when he was called in the war
Office. CLaughter).
GEN GONSE WAS MAD
Gen. Gonse. it appears from the tes-
timony was greatly enraged when he
learned OF the result OF NJ. Gobert's ex-
animation of the bordereau and visited
II IL