The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1899-08-26
HE HAD SYSTEM
n. Bertillon, Handwriting eek
pert Before the Dreyfus
C~ourtmartial.
Audience Laughed at His Manner,
But Were Bored by His
Matter.
Unsuccessful in Convincing Even
the Judges.-Gobert's Tes-
tim0ny.

AnAAAcS "cA0 UuhuOWu W TIE 0UOle0Ce.
declaring it was impossible for Colonel
Du Patty de Clam to leave his bed, come
to Rennes and testify.
Maitre Labor, leading counsel for the
defense asked the president of the
court, Colonel Jouaust, to instruct two
we'll known medical men to examine
Du Patty de Clam, but Colonel Jouaust
refused.
Rowland Strong, an English news
paper man, was then called to the wit.
ness stand and deposed to the fact that
Major Count Esterhazy confessed to
him that he wrote the famous bor-
dereau.
One Drsyfus Witness.
The next witness was NJ. Colbert, an
expert of the Bank of France, who can
claim the honor of being the first man
in France to have declared in favor of
Dreyfus. He reported, on examining
the documents in the case, that Ester
hazy and not Dreyfus, wrote the
bordereau.
The witness opened his deposition
with a brief, personal statement, pro.
testing against being characterized as a
doubtful expert" by the military
party.
But" he added, in tones of profound
pity and turning towards Dreyfus, Il
have no right to complain, and am
silent when l see before me the unfor-
tunate man who sits there"
A murmur of approval from the
audience greeted these words of SYM
pathy.
NJ. Colbert hen repeated the evidence
he had given before the court Of cassa-
ton. He gave his testimony in a clear,
convincing manner, and was most
empathic in attributing the bordereau
to Esterhazy.
Answering questions Of the judges.
NJ. Colbert declared his conviction that
the bordereau was written in a running,
natural hand and said there was no
tracing or other trickery.
General GOnse asked to be confronted
with NJ. Colbert, and put a number of
questions, over one or two of which
the witness stumbled. to the infinite
satisfaction Of the military witnesses,
who smiled and exchanged joyful
glances.
NJ. Bertillon and His " System"
NJ. Bertillon was called as the next
witness. He wore a dark blue frock
coat and carried a high hat in his hand.
M. Bertillon requested permission to
bring in his diagrams and papers. The
request was granted and NJ. Bertillon
retired for a moment, returning at the
head of a squad composed Of an Infantry
sergeant and four privates, all stagger-
ing under the weight of immense
leather satchels, bullying with docu.
ments, charts, ETC., which they depos-
ited on the stage as a roar of laughter
echoed throughout the court. Even the
judges were unable to suppress a smile
as they gazed OF NJ. Bertillon's staye
properties, strewen over half the plat
form. A table was brought in, on
which the plane he was using could be
placed. The witness began by saying
that only intelligent men could follow
his explanations. The court was soon
half emptied, as the audience. after
smiling audibly at his extraordinary
words and expressions, became bored
and went out.
Prolix II Nothing More.
NJ. Bertillon commenced his denoe;.
ton at $3.50 a. M. 1t occupied the whole
OF this session, and will perhaps occupy
a good part of the next session. The
courtroom presented a curious scene
while NJ. Bertillon, whom the Drew.
fusards in their most indulgent me.
ments, describe as a dangerous ma
mac" spent the three remaining hours
OF the session in explaining in unintelli-
gible terms, his "infallible system" of
proving Dreyfus was the author Of the
oordereau. The majority of the pub
nc, however, utterly unable to compre.
bend M. Bertillon's theories. had left
courtroom. Even LA Dame Blanche"
abandoned her post. In the Meanwhile
M. Bertillon, with gestures, and in the
shrlll, pitched voice of q quack At A
country fair, continued his monoloQue.
producing every minute some fresh
paper covered with wonderful hero.
glyphics, copies Of which he presented
to the judges who, with an expression
OF owl-like wisdom carefully examined
them. Their heads clustered together.
their eyes gazing on the long. wide
strips OF paper, while NJ. Bertillon
leaned over their table, trying to 81.
plain his mystifying diagrams. which
were afterwards passed to NM. Labor
and Demangs, who, however, appar-
emily did not derive much profit from
their perusal. Dreyfus gazed at the
scene with q look Of stupefaction. The
clearest utterance Of M. Bertillon, dur.
ing the course of his demonstration. |
wal that the handwriting of the Dor. i
dereau "obeys a %geometrical rythm, Of
which l discovered the equation in &c
prisoners blotting pad"
Failed "a Convince Thorn.
The witness finally announced that
"a would gives practical demonstra-