The National tribune., 1899-08-31

Ill.
and after searching examination, sud.
denly absolutely silenced HIN by an adroii
question. which created profound sensa-
ton. His cross-questioning of other wit
nesses of the day was sharp, and had
much to do towards nullifying what they
said, and, in the succeeding sessions, to
show the vague character of many of the
accusations.
AS an example, N. Dubrieul told a gos,
Sipy story of meeting Dreyfus at the house
of an acquaintance in 1884, when Dreyfus
was Lieutenant, and seeing him con-
versing familiarly with man described tn
the witness as a German attache Labor
took Dubrieul in hand, and ascertained
that he only knew the visitor was a Ger
man attache because he was told so, and
did not know whether he was a civil or
military attache, nor did he know his
name Dreyfus denied any relations with
German attache, civil or military He
wanted an inquiry made into this alleged
episode, because it must be made known
here who is lying and who is speaking the
truth" This created another sensation.
The Government Commissary refused to
undertake any such investigation, or one
into the character Of Dubrieul, as sug-
gested by Labor.
Gen. Gonse denied loudly Esterhazy's
statement in his deposition that Ester
haZy was the agent of the general staff,
and said he could only have had relations
with Patty de Clam or Col. Henry. Gonse
became much excited when he was asked
if he did not take part in an intrigue in
favor of Esterhazy, and cried: st is false. u
ESterhazy was not arrested after the in
quiry, he said, because Gen. Saussier
deemed it proper to leave him at liberty.
Yes" retorted Labor, "but Gen. Saus-
sier must have been deceived by the gen.
eral staff: Which statement appeared
TO much discomfit Gonse.
Counsel drew from Col. Maurel, Presi-
dent of the former court, after heated ex-
change of question and answer, the ad-
mission that the secret dossier was COM
municated to the judges of that court
martial by Col: Du Patty de Clam. He
declared he only read one Of the docu-
ments; that it had no effect on him, as his
mind was already made up, and then he
was forced into the admission that this
one document had sufficed to convince
him.
A hot colloquy between Labor and
Mercier, in which the latter refused to
some excitement. Mercier admitted that
he did not know Esterhazy. was not at his
trial, and knew nothing of the testimony.
WHAT" exclaimed Labor, "Gen Mercier,
who was the chief accuser of Dreyfus, did
not even follow the proceedings in the
Esterhazy trial?" An indignant murmur
came from the audience
M. Colbert, belonging to the Bank Of
France, attributed the bordereau to Ester
haZy. He was something of handwrit-
ing expert, and after detailing how he had
been engaged by Gonse and others to dis
cover the author of the bordereau, had
failed to accuse Dreyfus, ard had been
succeeded by NJ. Bertillon, who had de-
clared that Dreyfus wrote it. He pointed
out the resemblanceS to the bordereau in
documents before the court admittedly
in Esterhazy's handwriting, marked pc
culiarities of punctuation and beginning
of lines, which were not apparent in letters
of Dreyfus. He said the bordereau had
been written rapidly, and was not in a
disguised hand.
Colbert was followed by NJ. Bertillon,
the specialist in the measurement of the
human body, who convulsed the audience
by. his elaborate and intensely technical
evidence, and his manner of proving by his
infallible system that Dreyfus wrote the
bordereau. When he got through, how.
| ever, there We're few remaining in the
court. He declared that Dreyfus had done
| it by tracing the peculiarites of Esterhazy's
| writing by means of a key-word placed
beneath paper In such way as to be Visi'
BILE.
When Capt Freystaetter, one Of the
court of 1894, testified that all the docII
ments Of the dossier had been read to tina,
court, and Col. Maurel was recalled, and
confronted sFreystaetter, How do .yor
explaiH tniS. asked IaDOri. Inc COlOne
replied savagely: Il said I only read on,
document. l did not say only one docu
ment was read" This statement callet
forth an outburst of misses and "Oh's
The witness trembled, and threw fierc,
look at Labor and the audience as tn
gendarmes cried: "Silencer'
Freystaetter told what the document
were and how Maurel made comments OF
them, which further excited the audience
Mercier denied the statement that tn
Panizzardi dispatch was in the dossier, an,
called Freystaetter a liar. Freystaette
declared he told only the truth.
Mercier said he did not make I'D th
dossier, which was made up by Col. Sand
herr, Chief of the Intelligence Department
Labor was angry at Mercier's statement
which he considered an cquivocation. an