The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-08-24
The French Ex-Minister Of War
Says Capt. Dreyfus Will
Be Condemned.
ITS ONLY A MATTER OF A few DAYS.
Hercier Says 1t is Useless to Attempt
to Convert Foreign Opinion
Regarding the Question.
u: Labori Is Anxious to Return to Court
Even If He Has to Be Carried in An
Ambulance-Is Dissatisfied
With M. Demsnges

was minister of war when Capt. Drey-
fus was condemned and who in the
present trial is the virtual prosecutor,
was called upon Sunday by the
correspondent of the Associated Press,
who invited him to make a statement
of the position of the anti-Drey fusards.
Although unable to receive the cor
respondent IN person Gen. Mercier sent
his oldest son to convey the following
expression of his views:
"Gen. Mercier considers it useless to
attempt to convert foreign opinion
regarding the Dreyfus question, in
which, moreover, foreigners have no
right to intervene. Foreign people
have been misled by their press, which
is violently Dreyfusard, for the very
foreign newspapers have been bribed
by the Jewish syndicate. Gen Mercier
considers anything he might say ex-
planning his position, which is that of
. majority of the French people, would
be useless. The best reply to Dreyfus-
ard statements abroad will be the con-
demnation of Dreyfus.
This condemnation 10 only . natter
Of ten days or fortnight, for con-
demned Dreyfus certainly will be.
Foreigners will then see that their jour
mails have deceived them, for they VIII
recognize that the mass of the French
nation, who will receive the news Of
the conviction of Dreyfus a. joyful
tidings, is composed q officials and
that the majority of the French ap-
plaud the condemnation. 1t will be
because it is just and merited."
The Associated Press correspondent
then called upon Maitre Labori, who
lives within 200 yards of Gen. Mercier,
the houses of both being guarded by
gendarmes and detectives, who sit in
chairs in the roadway in front of the
houses.
NJ. Labori was taking the air in the
garden. He has been suffering severe
ly from insomnia, and Sunday was
feverish and excited. The wound it.
self has not made the progress the doc
tors hoped for, although there had
been no relapse. In view of this gen.
eral condition his medical advisers op-
pose his going to court Monday,
as he had desired. They predict
that the eXertion would SO
overtax his strength as to compel him
to take to his bed, which he would
probably not leave, in that event, for
a month.
Tuesday or Wednesday, therefore,
will more probably see his reappear-
ance in court. He will be provided
with a specially constructed chair that
will enable him to conduct the cross
examination at the outset without
rising from his seat.
NJ. Labor is intensely anxious to re-
turn to court even if he has to be car
ried there in an ambulance. He 10
dissatisfied with M. Demange's conduct
of the case thus far, and on his return
he intends to have Gen. Mercier and
the other generals back on the witness
stand. After reading their evidence
he is confident of his ability to crush
Mercier, and he expects to use the
Schneider and Panizzardi kilograms
also to confound Mercier.
RENNEs, Aug. 81. - The Dreyfus
court-martial reconvened Monday
morning at the usual hour. Maitre La
bori was not present. His doctors con-
sidered that it would be ipadvisable
for him to attempt to take part in Mon
days proceedings in view of the dan.
ger of relapse.
The witness was Col. Fabre, who de.
posed that he had discovered the SIM
ilarity between the hand writing of
the accused and that of the bordereau.
He reiterated his conviction of the
guilt of Dreyfus, saying: II am sure
he wrote the bordereau."