The sun., 1899-08-22
FIRM DENIAL BY DREYFUS.
uE 1>sWERs CHARGES by THE GEN
rB.L sTtFF's HITNESsES

u,,,r of,c.rs We'll Drilled In Their Part of
th. Plot Against tho Prisoner-surpr's-
ing Change since Their Appearance He
far. the Court Of Cas.ation-One Wit
,.s.,. Malice First Disgusted and Then
Amused the sAudicnce-Dreyfus's Moral
uy Attacked-Coi. Picauart to Demand
81, Onlcial Inquiry Into HiS Conduct.
Special Csbi, D,spdteh to THE sUN.
RENSEs. Aug. 21.-The witnesses at the
Drcvfus court martial to-day included several
csre ully drilled minor officers OF the General
staff and the striking feature OF their testmo-
n, was the amazing audacity with which each
of them added to and exaggerated all their
n,eyious evidence. The analogy between this
ease and Carroll's Alice in Wonderland" in
creases daily. Instead OF mems memories
fading as time elnpses II seems that the ~ rther
events recede into the past the more they can
remem ber about them Onelwitness calmly said
.smuch whom Maltre Demange asked him how
Il was he was now able to give 30 much moro
information about events that occurred five
years ago than was contained In his caller de-
positions on the same subject
Good" was Ma1tre DemanRe's smiling COM
ment when he received this cool explana-
ton.
Most OF the General staff officers who testi-
had to-day brought full notes Of what they
were expected to say and they consulted them
frequently They gave their evidence as
though they had been carefully drilled. Gen
Roget watched them sharply while they we're
testifyinR, and when each witness had finished
he went to the General and held little whis-
rered conversation with him. apparently ask
ing approval OF his efforts in behalf OF a COM
mon cause.
GENERAL STAFF OFFICERS TESTIFY.
The court martial opened with military pre-
sision at . 80 o'clock this morning. The work
ot the court was taken up In business-like o
fashion aud witnesses were disposed OF rapidly.
C,mmandant Fabre was the first witness. and
he speedily betray ed the fact which Capt. Cuig-
nets testimony suggested on Saturday, name
". that the subordinate witnesses OF the gem
eral staff had all decided to mako their testi-
mony before the court M artal much sitter and
stronger against the prisoner than their evil
dence before the Court OF Cessation. Fabre
affirmed that several officers attached to the
War Office confirmed Dreyfus's guilt by saying
that he had sought from them information on
the points mentioned in the bordereau. The
witness finally declared that he hadn't the
slightest doubt that Dreyfus wrote the borde-
reau.
NJ Demange asked the witness why he was
now 80 III uCI HVIe III hib
and opinions than when he testified before the
Court Of Cessation.
Fabre flushed and answered that he had late-
y had better opportunity OF considering and
revising the facts and his views.
NJ Demange quietly read Fabre's brief and
almost coorless evidence before the Court OF
Cessation.
Dreyfus. whose calm seemed more natural
and evidently under less tension than In the
earlier days of the trial. briefly explained one
or two technical points OF Fabre's evidence.
The prisoners voice was for the first time In
audible to the audience, as he made his expla-
nation in a conversational tone.
Leut-Col. Abouville was the next witness.
and followed precisely the same course as
Fabre and Cuignet. He emphasized his belief
that Dreyfus was guilty. saying that he based
his belief not only on the handwriting OF the
borlereau. but also upon the fact that only a
stagiaire could possibly furnish the iniorma-
ton enumerated therein. TWAS rule among
the officers OF the War OfIlce OF the various
bureaus not to communicate to one another
information concerning their respective de-
partments. The items mentioned In the
bordereau came from several bureaus. there
fore it was possible for only std0iaires to obtain
the same.
NJ. Dsmange put the same question to Abou-
the same reply. He then read Abouville's
brief testimony before the Court OF Casa
ton showing that his uncertainty then had
given place to his present positive conviction
FAMOUS DETECTIVE CALLED.
M Cochefert. tho famous Paris detective. .whc
arrested Dreyfus testified that he was reQues.
ted by Gen. Mercier to investigate Dreyful
when the bordereau was found. He was
present when Du Patty de Clam dictated tc
Dreytus the words leading up to the text o
the bordereau. NJ. Cocheiert then considered
that Dreyfus betrayed guilty emotion, and hi
then believed Dreyfus guilty with accomplicei
on account OF other evidence than the border
eau. The "canaille de D. letter was the prin
cipal piece Of this other evidence. NJ. Coohe.
fert did not express his present opinion as tc
the prisoners guilt
Dreytus in reply to the usual question saic
he would not answer the points made by NJ
Cochefert until Du Patty de Clam had testified
NJ GE1BELIN's MALICE PLAIN.
NJ. Grihelin. who followed Cochefert. was th
first witness who has introduced touch o
unconscious comedy into the case. He was 81
full OF venom and malice against the prisone
that he could not discharge them fast enough
ii" poured out accusations and denunciatlon
against Dreyfus and Picquart in thin raspin
''''c NJ IhpluIS tHhl tHe dutltHct was ~ HIs
d!sGusted and then amused and watched his an
ties asthey would those OF a pcforming monkey
Gen Roget, who was watching him from tn
witness seats. became as black as q thunder
c'oud and looked as though he would like I
KICK the little man. who was doing his best 70
the cause OF the headquarters' staf. When tn
witness finished he was taken in hand by no les
than four Of the Judges. 1t was evident that tn
members Of the court martial. II they hesitate
10 croSs-eXamine the superors, had no scru
pies toward the subordnatos. Their question
were sharp and searching The witness in
sisted that Dreyius's hand tremDled when d
Faty de Clam dictated to him extracts fror
tho bordereau. Dreyfus explained this. h
said, by saying that his fingers were cold. TIL
witness said he had opened Picquart's letter
underline orders Of his superors.
Gribelin then described an alleged ncider
when Leblois paid an evening visit I
firquart's Office, The witness entered tn
room ana saw the dosser on a table. II wa
IN closed envelope, but was not sealed. II
denied any knowledge OF how Esterhazy oil
talned the 'I.tberateur" document or how tn