New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-25
xr,acv q, Drevfus with the German attache q
.ho house ~ NJ Bodson. a mutual friend
COLONEL, MAUREL'S INTERESTING STONi

next witness. Colonel Maurel who was pres,
dent OF the Dreyfus court martai III 10,
Complete silence fell upon the cour' u"
infantry sergeant who was acting as u'"e'
entered the hall and conducted Colonei Mau.o
40 tho witness bar. His hair is gray ana ne
has a ragged iron gray mustache MS iaU.
showed anxiety AS NJ. Labori iasheo MN WIN
nointed questions the Colonel hesitateu' anu
then answered in a short choppy haniie'' "
when NJ. Labor finally disposed OF MN '"e
witness left the platform with paIe race Oo""
sci had drawn from him a CONCESSION 'iia' '"o
800, doss,er was communicated to the judges
Of the court martial Of 1894 by Coione' Du a's
AZ clam. This avowal produced sensation
- .so ro,rt and Msurel's declaration that he
raoa only one OF the documents did not AFFECT
49, o,r fact while his protestation that the
reading OF the document had no erect upon
hin, as his mind was already made up. was
,,,,,,sed nv his subsequent declaration that TINS
ono aocument suficed to convince him.
NJ Iahori then put a series of searching ques-
+,ons IN General MERCER. with reference 10 the
communication OF the secret dossler 10 'he
court martial and his attitude IN Ioot' anu
., Interesting scene ensued. The General re-
,used 70 reply TO all the questions, ana there
we're sharp passages at arms between counse'
and Colonel Jouaust who upheld Generai 1her-
cier. while the dialogue between the uehe'a,
and NJ. Labor became acrimonious Couhsei
became very heated, and showed IL IN MS VOICE
"a gestures The General, however troubled
his mind might be, seldom departed from the
cal,ous demeanor characteristic or him.
The LAWYER made a strong point on the part
rs,erhazv played General MERCER said he
,,os NOT acquainted with Esterhazy. and only
saw him once at the Zola trial.
"rbat is very interesting" exclaimed NJ. La
bori "But. surely General Mercier was present
at the Esterhazy trial.?
MERCIER's DAMAGING ADMISSION
The General replied that he was not there ana
that he knew nothing about the testimony III
the Esterhazy prosecution.
.cxhs,- cried NJ Labor, General MERCER
who was the chief accuser Of Dreyfus' oio not
even follow the proceedings in the EsterhaAy
trial?'
A loud murrnur of surprise and indignant
comment came from the audience. but Coionei
Jouaust Immediately suppressed 1t.
Counsel then brought General Mercier to his
assertion that 35,0000O0 francs were spent oy
the defenders Of Dreyfus. and asked the zen
eral TO say how he knew this. who spent IT, anu
other awkward questions which the Generai
was unable to answer.
A question as to how the bordereau arrived al
the Office Of the General Staff its date. etc. was
then introduced, which led to strange scene
General Roget. on mounting the platform to
give explanations, was followed by General DE
Roisdeffre M. Gribeiin, Major Lauth and other
military witnesses. all holding up their hands 10
signify that they desired TO speak. while at the
same time NJ. Labor was asking questions The
result was a perfect babel until the president
of the court could stand it no longer, ana wheh
the Government Commissary, Major Carriere'
also interpellated a few remarks Coionei Jou-
aust turned to him and asked him to be quiet
remarking that the judges could not near
dozen people at the same time.
During the course of the morning NJ LABOR
questioned General MERCER with reference 10
document in the secret dossier which. 1t Is ar
flrmed existed prior to 1894 and yet was not
produced at the first court martial OF the pris-
oner. The General confessed that he did not
know of its existence and the same statement
was ELECTED from General Gonse, who declared
that Colonel Sandherr was responsible for Its
nom production. These replies were tantamount
TO a confession that Colonel Sandherr and Lieu
tenant Colonel Henry played with the Minister
Of War and even with General Gonse. assistant
chief Of the Headquarters Staff, the chief OF the
Intelligence Department keeping from the two
latter Just what he pleased.
Then NJ Labori proceeded TO take up the
PanizZardi dispatch and TO bring out contra
dictory transations of 1t and the falseness OF
the final version. After hearing General Mer-
cier and General Chanoine on the subject, Colo
mel Jouaust declared that the court would rule
to strike out the testimony.
DREYFUS DEFENDS HIMSELF ABLY.
The examination Of General MERCER having
been concluded. Colonel Jouaust asked Dreyfus
II he had anything to say. and the prisoner in
q calm voice, replied to Mercier's statement that
he (Dreyfus) could have obtained the informa-
ton about the artillery promised In the bor
dereau while staying at Bourges, where artillery
trials were being held. Dreyfus entered into an
explanation TO how he spent his time, show
ing that he did not inform himself about the
trials Of the new gun brake.
General Risbourg recounted what Captain Lee
brun-Renaut said about Dreyfus and this
brought the latter to his feet with thrilling
declaration. He pointed out that the Captain
shook him by the hand when he returned 10
the prison. which is at variance with what Cen
eral Risbourg recounted. Moreover" cried
Dreyfus when frighful charge has been
hanging over mans head for five years people
ought not TO talk of convictions, but should
bring proofs Otherwise. I cease to understand
the matter" This indignant protest caused a
deep sensation In court. Dreyfus then totally
denied the story that he had made confession
to Captain Lebrun-Renaut
number of other witnesses were heard, In
Guiding NJ. Quesnay de Beaurepaire's friend
Muller. who was responsible for the story that
he found marginal note on the subject Of the
arrest Of Dreyfus on a newspaper in Emperor
Williams bedroom at Potsdam. He testified to
this effect.
The remainder Of the sitting was taken up
with the dispositions of minor witnesses, mostly
NJ. De Beaurepaire's puppets. whose testimony
when Il did not bore the audience. produced
merrinent. Two interesting scenes. however
49,. i.-e. a