The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-25


the Prisoner From Pressing His
Advantage to Critical Point
Session of the COurt-MartiaI
Marked by Most Sensational
Scenes of the Trial.
RENNES Aug. 24-Today's session of
the Dreyfus court-martiaI was marked
by one of the most exciting scenes of
the trial. The proceedings opened with
a skirmish entirely favorable to the de-
fense over Col. Maurel of the court
martial of 1894, who admitted reading
one of the secret documents to the court
which had not been seen by the defense
He protested that only one document
was looked at, alleging that this suf-
feed to cradle him to form an opinion
that could not be shaken. This protest
made matters worse, because, as NJ
Labor pointed out, If he perused one,
it was his bounden duty to peruse afl
Col. Jouaust upheld Col. Maurel in his
refusal TO indicate the nature Of the
document he read, but NJ Labori an
nounced that he would summon Capt
F'reystaeter, another member of the trib-
mal Of 1894, and get his version Of what
then passed behind the backs Of the
counsel for the defense Col Maurel
felt his position keenly, and continually
hesitated before replying to Labori's
questions.
All this, however, was only prelimi-
nary to a fierce battle that ensued be-
tween NJ Labori and Gen Mercier, the
latter receiving reinforcements from
Gen. Roget, Gen. Gonse and Gen. de
Boisdeffre, as well as Invaluable assist
ance from Col. Jouaust himself
M Labori took Gen. Mercier over the
whole ground of his previous deposition
This led to several sharp passages al
arms between the advocate and Col
Jouaust, who upheld Mercfer in refus-
Ing to reply to several questions which,
in the general opinion of those in ,he
court, were distinctly pertinent. When
Gen. Mercier was cornered he declined
to answer ard Col Jouaust invariably
supported him.
Gen. MERCER, Gen. Roget and Gen. de
Eoisdefre, who mouHted the stage sue
cessively. were very much excited and
caused breathless interest. One or the
other of the generals, who were today
in full uniform, would jump Up and
cry, 81 demand to be heard" and with
out further waiting would ascend the
stage and begin testirying. Sometimes
four officers were on the stage at the
same moment. 1t was & marvellous
display Of military clannishness. At one
time a perfect babel OF voices reigned
for several minutes until Col. Jouaust
intervened and restored order
HOSTILITY OF JOUAUsT.
NJ Labori's cross-exanination was sue
cessfuI so far as it went, but Col. Jcu-
> aust prevented him pressing his advan-
tage to the utmost In fact JOuaust' s
hostile attitude toward the counsel for
the defense then and during the cross
examination of the witness NJ. de
Grandrtaison evoked the severest criti-
cism on the part of the public present
and bodies Ill for Dreyfus. Not only Col.
Jouaust, but the other judges displayed
considerable impaticnc9 during LabOri 6
scathing cross examination, shifting
restlessly IN their seats and drurnTning
the table with the tips of their fingers.
Gen MERCER faced Labori's fire with
callous dcmeanor. standing on the plat
form, his hands behind his back and his
face only half turned toward his ques-
toner. Once or twice u savage look in
the eyes, an elevation in the tone and a
sWaying to and fro of the body revealed
the inner fires of resentment
Gen Roget faced the court with an
air of unblushing effroutery. His i'm
pertinent behavior was strilIingly illus
trated today when he interrupted NJ.
Labori's examination of Gen. Chanoine,
which had resulted in Labori's scoring
heavily against Merciar, with the e21cla-
nation:
This examination is waste of time. -
IL -
Chanoine showed Mercier in very bad
tight, as it brought out that he lad
privately communicated tc Chanoine, on
the first day Of the secret sessions, a re-
port on the Panizzardi dispatch, for in-
sertion in the secret dossier. Gen
Chanoine admitted that he did wrong
in accepting the report, but pleaded ig-
norance in judicial matters. The re
port consisted of three pages, CT which
the second and third, ChanOine declared
contained fantastic and, in fact, false
representations.
NJ Labori brought Gen. Nercier to the
bar in reference to this. MERCER ad-
rnitted that the reports eTranated from
Du Patty de Clam, but claimed that he
himself did not understand the contents
though he thought it would be interest
ing and perhaps useful to Chanoine. This
explanation was regarded a very larne
one ard, combined with other shady
ections, would damage MercIer as a wit.
1ess in the eyes of any impartial tribu
Ial.
FACTS DISTORTED.
At the opening Of the proceedings thi!
morning, Gel Jouaust ordered that the
evidence of NJ. Penote, a friend Of th'
late Col Sandherr, chief of the intelli
gence department, be read by the court
which was done This testimony, as Civ
en- before the court of cessation, Sc
fourth that Col. Sandherr told M. Penot'
that the brothers of Dreyfus had Offered
10000 francs to settle the case, adding
that Sandherr was so incensed at the pro
posal that he ordered them cut of his
Office.
Maitre Demange, as a ccurter-bast
read a note written by Sandherr the same
day the interview with the brothers O.
Dreyfus took place. 1t appeared from
this note that the brothers imagined {
plot was being Matched against Capt
Dreyfus. because he was Jew. They
maintained the captains innocence ant
declared they would dc everything II
their power to obtain his reinstatement
saying that If necessary they woul(
spend their whole fortune to arrive a
the truth and would do everything tt
that end Counsel pointed ont that there
were serious discrepancies between NJ
Penctes written statements that money
was offered, and Col. Sandherr's letter
ba ..a0,,ac% nj nj T,ohcri he preei