The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-09-16
STORY OF THE TRIAL.
Progress of the Testimony from Day
to Day for Five Weeks.

Progress of the Testimony from Day
to Day for Five Weeks.
First Day, Aug. THE preliminary
fOrmalities were gone through with, the
roll of witnesses called. and the original
accusation read to the prisoner. Dreyfus
was subjected to Il long examination by
Col. Jouaust, president of the court. The
accused denied each charge against him.
and explained points which had been in
doubt.
Second Day, Aug. S.-The court sat be
hind closed doors, to examine the secret
doSsier.
Third Day, Aug. 9.-Secret session
continued. 1t was announced that CAST
mir-Perier would be confronted by Gen.
Mcrcier when the open sessions were re-
Sumed.
Fourth Day, Aug 1O.-Secret session
continued. Gen. MERCER was quoted as
saying, 1T must be Dreyfus or myself.
Fifth Day, Aug. 11.-Secret session
continued. 1t was announced that Du
Patty de Clam would be too i'll to attend
as Il witness.
Sixth Day. Aug. 12-Public sessions
were resumed, Casimir-Perier, former
President of France, testified that he had
resigned that Office because of differ
cnccs with the minister of foreign af
fairs, and because France ard Germany
were on the verge tf war over the Drey-
fus affair. He denied having received
the alleged confession of Dreyfus, made
TO Iebrun Renault. Gen. Mercier teSti-
fled that France and Germany were dan
gerousiy near war; that he had prepared
orders for the mobilization of the army,
and placed the orders in the hands of the
telegraph operators. A secret meeting at
the Eiysee, however, resulted in Il salts
factory explanation to the German gov
ernment, and war was avoided. A1cr-
cier asserted his belief in the guilt of
Dreyfus. and claimed that NJ. de Frey
cinet had told him that a foreign syndi-
gate had spent 3o,000,GoO francs in the
Dreyfus campaign to overturn the French
government MERCER was hissed by the
audience as he left the witness stand.
Seventh Day, August 14.-While Oh his
way to the courtroom. NJ Labori, chief
counsel for DrcyfUs. was shot by an un-
known assassin, who made his escape.
Col. JouauSt refused to postpone the sit
ting of the court martial until Labori
could return. Gen. Mercier was con-
fronted with Casimirrerier, who insist
ed that the danger Of war in 1894 had
been exaggerated. Gen. Billot testified
as to his first doubt as to the guilt of
Dreyfus, but that he was finally CON
WINGED Of his guilt. Cavaignac. former
minister of war, gave his opinion that
stated that he believed the accused
guilty. NJ. HanotauX, former minister
of war. supported the evidence of the
generals. 1t was an unfavorabe day for
Drcyfus.
Eighth Day. August 1S-It was an
nOunced that Labor would recover. The
court held no session, as it was a ma
tional feast day.
Ninth Day, August 16.-Mme. Henry.
widow of the suicide, Col. Henry, de-
Tended the honor of her dead husband.
She testified that Col. Henry reconstruct
ed the bordereau iii her presence, and
had forged the 'ce,tc canailie de D."
letter used against Dreyfus to save the
honor of the army. Lebon, minister Of
the colonies during the latter part of tn"
prisoners stay on Devils island, toid of
the tortureS inflicted on the priscner He
admitted tampering with Dreyfus' let
ters. Gen. Roget testified that, while
Est2rhaZy had confessed, his word could
not he believed.
Tenth Day. Aug. 17.-Col Picquart
testified at length in favor of Dreyfus
and told how he had discovered that Es-
terlaZy WAS the real traitor, and how
his efforts 10 prove it were tkwArted by
the generals. NJ. Bertuiius told of Col.
Henry's confession Of forgery of docu-
mentS used against breyfus. The ses-
sion was 4 field day for Dreyfus
Eleventh Day. Aug. 1S.-Col. PicQuart
took up the secret dosSier and proved tina;
many documents favorable TO the accused
had been taken from it, and others forged
10 indicate the guilt of DreyfuS. The
fact was brought out that the letter writ
ten by Col. Schneider. the Austrian at
tache at Paris, and which had been cited
by MERCER as convincing proof of Drey-
fuS' guilt. had been forged. It was an
other favorable day for Drcyfus.
Twelfth Day. Aug. 19.-Maj. Cuignet
testified tlatly against his former asso-
ciates in the office of the general staff.
Fa,- u r.
ThirteentE Day, Aug. 2l.-Dreyfus
practically acted as his own attorney,
proving easily that the testimony of Capt.
Junck was false. Cochefort told cf the
arrest of Dreyfus. The rest Of the day
was given up To witnesses. who shed
little light on the guilt or innocence of
the accused. The day was favorable to
DreyfuS.
Fourteenth Day. Aug 22-Labori re-
turned To the court. and put new life into
the defense. He compelled Mercier 10
admit that he had taken documents from
the doSSier. and secured copies of the
Schneider letter. TO which he had no
right. Capt. Maistre read letter in
which ii was asserted that Drcyfus had
attended :he German army menauvers
on horseback in AlSaceL Lorraine The
day was favorable TO Dreyfus
Fifteenth Day. Aug. 23.-Littie posi-
tive evidence was given on either side
W Illnesses discovered hy oueSnay de
BcaurcpalTe repeated rumorS they had
heard. which were easily rcfuted by La
bori.
Sixteenth Day. Aug. 2l-The story
that Matthew DreyfGS had attempted To
brlhe Col. SandherT was rCfuted Col.
Mauriel, president of the first court-mar-
tial. testified that he had decided against
DrryfnS on the debate before the court.
on the instructions Of Gen. Mercier. He
declared he had read hut one of the Sc
crct documents, Mercier admitted that
he had given Il false copy of the raaiz-
zar,i dispatch Ia include in the secret
d0SSier, The advantage was evenly di-
vidcd between Dreyfus and the pToSecu-
tion.
Seventeenth Day. Aug. 25.-Rertiilon
took up the whole session with his charts
and diagrams. prepared To prove by
new theory that Dreyfus must have been
the aut:or Of the bordereau.
Eighteenth Day. Aug. 26.-Bertillon
completed his evidence. Capt. Frey
>tactteT. one ot the members CT the first
coUrt-martiai disputed ilfp evidence Of
Col. Mauriel. He declared all the secret
documents had been read to the 6rst