The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-04
GENERALS PUT no SHANE.
saturday Was Great Day For Prisoner
An Dreyfas Trial.


Rennes,- Septeu Der 2-KIation Is the
only word that expresses the feelings of
the Dreyfusards after today's proceed
Ings. The tide has turned at last, they
say; and Dreyfus cannot be condemned
after the evidence given this morning.
Major Hartmann Of the artillery occu-
pied nearly half the session with the con-
ciuslon Of his expert evidence to the effect
that Dreyfus, as an ARTILLERY officer,
would not have displayed such Ignorance
regarding guns and brakes as was shown
In the bordereau, while the other sub
jscts of the bordsreau were matters upon
which any officer could inform himself.
Major Hartmann's testimony practical.
ly stood uncontested, as neither Gen.
Deloye nor Gen. MERCER, who replied,
refuted any material point therein.
M. Kavet, member of the institute,
then entered upon this grammatical as
poet Of the bordereau and devoted him
self to showing that the construction OF
the bordereau bristled with conclusive
marks of Esterhazy's handiwork. while
the phraseology bore no resemblance to
Dreyfuss style. NJ. Labor for the first
time got Gen. Conse to admit that he
ordered the tampering with Picquart's
letters, in order, as he said, to ascertain
Picquart's doings while he was chief Of
the Intelligence buresu. A little later
NJ Labor evidently disconcernei Gen.
Gonss, for the latter blurted ont that
Lieut.. Col. Henry committed his forgery
in order to have fresh proofs against
Dreyfus. The audience smiled audibly
at this explanation. Gen. Gonse then
added: but It was unnecessary since
the diplomatic dossier contained incrimi.
mating documents, with. Dreyfus' writ
ten in full"
Gen. Gonse apparently meant the Paniz-
zardi despatch which has already been
ruled out of court. NJ. Labori protested
Indignantly, exolaiming; There are no
such documents" and then asked Gen.
Gonse TO enumerate the documents to
which he alluded. Col. Jouaust declined
to put the question, whereupon NJ. La
bori said he reserved TO himself the right
to submit formal application for these
documents.
THE DAYS SENSATION.
Then came the Leading witness Of the
day, ID. DE d-LamoDtts, proba-
tioner contemporaneously with Dreyfus,
who Is now civil engineer and so has
no reason to fear the wrath of the mill
tary clique. The witness recalled the
fact that circular was sent to the proba-
tioners on May IA, 1894, informing them
that they must not go to the manoeuvres.
thus showing that the man who wrote
the bordereau In August, and said: 81
am going to the manoeuvres," could not
DO Dreyfus. The witness then pointed
out that none of the ministers who, he
believed acted in good faith, was informed
Of the existence of this circular. which,
he declared. 81 consider a vital point In
the oase.'
"This circular" hs continued, "shat-
tiers the prosecution, because after May
l17, Dreyfus could not say: Il am going
TO the manoeuvres.' for then ne knew
he would not go. while prior to May II,
he could not have known the five docu.
ments comprised 10 the bordereau."
ii. Fond-Lamotte then brought out an
other strong point. Abiding to the modi-
flcations of the disposition concerning the
troops he said the writer of the bordereau
used the term "new plan."
'Now," said the witness, sit has been
impressed upon us that on October Is,
a circular was sent out from the war
ministry containing those very words and
that. therefore, the writer of the boz
dereau must have been an officer of the
ministry. But one thing has struck me:
Who sent out that circular? 1t was the
third bureau, the chief Of which was
Lieut.. Col. Du Patty de Clam, who mad
had the bordereau in his hands for the
previous twenty days."
NJ. De Fond-Lamotte by this intended
to show that Du Patty de Clam purpose
ly used the words "new plan" in the
circular, as the witness described 1t,
arguing In a vicious circle to back up
his contention that an officer of the min
istry wrote the bordereau and that officer
was Dreyfus.''
Gen. Roget then rose to reply to III. De
Fond-Lamotte, but found he had caught
a tartar. He did not succeed Ia shaking
the witnesses testimony while III. DE
Fond-Lamotte took the unprecedented
course OF actually questioning Gen. Roget
and getting the better of him once or
twice. The two stood exchanging heated
arguments. totally ignoring Col. Jouaust
who was twice Obliged to ask them not to
speak at each other ana to remain calm.
Gen. Roget especially was excited. par
ticularly when he found that he was
making no impression on his opponent,
who, on the contrary, scored off him.
Roget was unused to this treatment. as
hitherto he mad had his own way and
been allowed 10 bully witnesses.
Finally, on Roget declaring that Drey.
ius might have written 81 am going to
the manoeuyres'' because he could have
asked special permission. which is inyari
ably granted, 81. Demange asked him II
there was any proof that Dreyfrs did
ask euch permis sion To this Roget re-