The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-24

Rennes, Aug. 23.-The session of the
court today was comparatively un-
eventful. The dispositions were not
productive of any really thrilling in
cidents. The systematic production of
the flimsiest trash, which the prosecu-
ton deems profitable to infict on the
judges and which the latter accept as
evidence, was proceeded with.
Much of the ridiculous testimony Of
the morning was devoted to an attempt
to blast Dreyfus' private character,
though when Maitre' Labor and De-
mango had finished with the witnesses,
their bubbles of title tattle were badly
pricked.
Much of the time was occupied in
reading the testimony of Esterhazy and
Mile. Pays before the court of casa
ton, during which many of the audi
ence left the court.
M. Labor again distinguished him
self in laying bare the weak points of
the evidence. He was less fierce, how
ever, than yesterday, though quite ag-
Fgressive enough to arouse the latent
hostility of the judges which showed
itself in various little ways.
NJ. Labor is no favorite either with
Major Carriere, the governments com
missary and the latter makes no Sc
rious effort to conceal his feelings
towards the lawyer M. Labor bore
little traces of the effects of the outrage
upon him. He rose, sat down and moved
his body and limbs apparently without
much difficulty. Only occasionally he
put his hands to his back as though
suffering pain. His wife followed his
every movement through a gold and
tortoise shell Iorgnette.
Nine. Rejane, the actress, was again
an interested spectator in court today.
especially when NJ. Labor was on his
feet and his voice was vibrating
through the hall. Her eyes watched his
mobile features, across which fitted
ever changing expressions of indigna-
ton. anger or satisfaction, with the
keenest interest. During some of the
dispositions M. Labor appeared very
nervous. He was unable to remain
still an instant, twitching his fingers
and shaking the papers in his hand.
Counsel was almost too impatient to
wait until the witnesses concluded their
testimony.
The only dangerous opponent of Drey-
fus today was Gen. Gonse, who mount
ed the stage with a quick step and ap-
parently light heart, but he left it badly
mauled by NJ. Labor. Gen. Gonse be-
gan by declaring he came to defend his
htnor against those dwelling" against
him. But when his cross-examination
was finished. he returned to his seat
crestfallen, for M. Labor had driven
him into a corner on the attempts of
the general staff to shield Esterhazy
and had shown that the general staff,
for which Gonse was responsible had
engineered Esterhazy's escape from the
hands of justice. The confident tone of
the general had by then dwindled into
the proverbial still, small voice, and his
defiant bearing had changed into the
abashed air of a schoolboy caught tell
ing a lie.
The day proved certainly a poor one
for the general staff. Two good sam
pies of the men put up to sully Drey-
fus' private character were the third
and fourth witnesses. First, Mai de
Chatelet repeated an alleged CONVERSE
ton of Dreyfus regarding a lady at
whose house Dreyfus is alleged to have
gambled and lost money. But when
examined, de Chatelet's memory
failed him entirely, especially when
asked the name of the lady, the street
she resided in and the sum Dreyfus lost.
Next NJ Dubreuil showed equally as
founding forgetfulness on essential
points of his evidence concerning Drey-
fus' acquaintanceship with a foreign at
tache. and when M. Demange capped
his successful examination -of these
points by promising to show NJ Dubre-
uils record in the law courts is far
from clear, the witness left the stand
badly discredited.
The correspondent of the Associated
Press talked this afternoon with M.
Juarez the socialist leader, who. with
Matthew Dreyfus, sees Maitre Labor
every day after the session, and who is
acquainted with the entire tactics of
the defence. M. Juarez said
II am convinced that Dreyfus will be
acquitted, He must be acquitted, for