The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-08-25

| Jouast declared the court would rule 1 the despatch out of the evidence | The examination of General Mercier 1 having been concluded Col. Jouaust asked Dreyfus if he had anything to say
 and the prisoner, in a calm voice, re- 1 piled to Mercer's statement that he, | Dreyfus, could have obtained the in- l formation at Bourges, where artillery trials were being held, Dreyfus entered | into an explanation as to how he spent 1 his time, showing that he did not in- | form himself about the trials of the new | gun brake.
 | General Risbourg recounted what | Captain Lebrun-Renault said about | Dreyfus, and this brought the latter to 1 his feet With a thrilling declaration. He | pointed out that the captain shook him by the hand when he returned to the prison, which is at variance with what General Risbourg recounted. Moreover" cried Dreyfus, when a frightful charge has been hanging over a mans head for five years people ought not to talk of convictions but should bring proofs. Otherwise l cease to understand the matter
 This indignant protest caused deep sensation in court.
 Cntinuing, Dreyfus totally denied the l story that he had made a confession to Captain Lebrun- Renault.
 The court adjourned for the day at 11:45 a. m.
 COLONEL MAUREL ON THE
 STAND.
 
 There was considerable stir in the court when the name of Colonel Maurel, who was president of the Dreyfus court martial of 1894, was called, and the col onel appeared at the witness bar. lie started by emphatically denying that any communication, verbal or written, was made to the members of the court during the course of the trial He said that they knew the case only from the documents in the dossier and the tes- tinony given, Then the colonel, saying that he desired to speak only of mat ters upon which his recollection was clear, declared he had nothing to say in regard to the expert testimony of M. Charavay, M. Teyssonieres, and M. Pelletier; but M. Bertilon's testimony appealed to the eyes and minds of the judges. It had been said that the judges did not understand it, but that was not true.
 Regarding the testimony given at the court-martial in 1894, the witness said that he considered that Du Paty de Clam had only given the court oircumspect repetition of his report, while the late Lieutenant-Colon Hen rxr'e, ha cble if less exaggerated. At the same time, Maurel continued,h he believed that Henry had spoken without hatred or passion.
 The prisoners attitude at the trial was correct and calm His repeated de- nials and protests were far from aston ishing the witness. They seemed per- fectly natural. The only letter handed to Colonel Maurel during the course of the trial was not brought by Colonel Picquart. The letter, moreover, was re- turned the same evening to the officer -who brought it.
 Replying to M. Labori, Maurel said that he did not know General Mercier, and had not seen him since the trial until last June,
 M. LdUOIl--CdII COlUuel NldulGl lell uS to what he attributes the secret com munication of the dossier?
 Colonel Maurel-I have not the slight est idea.
 M. Labori-Can you tell us the name of the officer who brought you the pri vate letter?
 Colonel Maurel-It was Du Paty de Clam
 M. Labori--Were there many docu- ments in this secret dossier? Can you state what they were?
 Colonel Maurel-I saw only one of them. I did not look at the others be- cause my mind was already made up.
 M. Labori-Had the other members of the court also made up their minds?
 Colonel Maurel-Yes. (The witness added that two members of the court contided to him on this subject.)
 M. Labori-Can you tell us how, knowing, as the judge, that it was your duty to seek conscientiously for infor mation, and to expect sincere commun- ications from the public prosecutor that is to say, communications setting forth all the points in the case, both for and against the prisoner you could be of the opinion that your mind was Loyalty made up after reading single document?
 Colonel Maurel, after the commotion had subsided which this question caus- ed in the court room, said that he failed clearly to grasp the question, and M. Labori repeated his query, where upon the witness replied that he could 1 not answer because, if he did, he would have to speak of the first document in the dossier, which convinced the court | of the prisoners guilt"
 At this point M. Labori said that he | would like to confront Colonel Maurel | with Captain Freystaetter, another of | the judges at the court martial of 1894; | but the latter was not present, and Col onel Maurel promised to wait few days | and give the captain an opportunity of | 
 MERGER RECALLED.
 lively incident followed M. La bori having asked leave to interrogate General Mercier, the government com Major Carriere, took the occa- sion to remark that while counsel had 1 the right to ask questions he had no business to draw deductions, to which | the lawyer dryly replied that he had always acted with a full knowledge of t,,,.