Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-23
ACCUSERS DEF|ED
DIeyfus Becomes Ag-
gTessiVe in Defense
DEMAND FOR THE EVIDENCE
The Testimony Today Was
Against Him Again.
LABORI STRONG IN HIS DEFENSE
Shows Up the Vague Character of
Accusations
LABORI STRONG IN HIS DEFENSE
A r RATH L r DULL DAY

| RENNES. August 23.-Maitre Labori
| leading counsel for the defense, and
Madame Labori We're present in court when
\ the trial by court-martial of Captain AL
| fred Dreyfus en- the charge of treason was
| resumed at the Lycee at $50 o'clock this
| morning.
AS NJ Laborf was entering the court he
was informed by newspaper man that
| General Roget yesterday received docu-
| ments from Major Count Esterhazy, who
is now in London. Counsel was much in
| terested and CLEANED all the informa ton
| possible. On the arrival in court of Cen
elal Roget ii noticed that he carried
| a bulky envelope containing the documents
J referred to.
! The session began with the testimony Of
| minor witnesses, including Controller Roy
and Major Drevien. The latter deposed
that Dreyfus, while on the general staff,
| could have had access unperceived to docu-
| ments during certain hours of the day
| The prisoner, replying, admitted he was
! present during those hours, but explained
| that his presence was connected with his
duties.
| The fourth witness, NJ. Dubrieul describ-
| Ing himself as a private gentleman, proved
| most entertaining, and, moreover. gave NJ.
| Labori the first opportunity of making q
| few points In favor of Dreyfus.
| M. Dubrieul, one of NJ Quesnay de Beau
| repaires witnesses, told gossipy story Of
meeting Dreyfus at the house of an ac-
quaintance, NJ Bodson, in 1884 when
Dreyfus was a lieutenant and to seeing
the latter conversng with a man described
to the witness as German attache. This
was the sum of his testimony, which was
dotted with flashes of unconscious humor,
| as when NJ. Dubrieul said he told his ac-
| quaintance that he could not frequent his
house if the German visited him. The ac-
quaintance, 1t appeared, replied, excusing
the fact by saying the German was not
| his but his wifes friend, which caused a
general laugh in court and became louder
when NJ Dubrieul later remarked that he
had no prejudice against Dreyfus for visit
ing his acquaintance or, rather, his ac-
quaintance's wife, adding:
IF every officer who is in love with his
| neighbor's wife is dismissed from the army
there would be very few left
Taken in Hand by Labori.
NJ Labori took M. Dubrieul in hand and
beautifully ascertained that he only knew
the visitor was a German attache because
he told so, and he did not know
whether he was military or civil attache.
He did not even know his name In fact,
the whole story of the flimsiest de-
scription. Moreover, foreign military at
tache would have had nothing to gain by
/ cultivatfng the acquaintance of a simple
lieutenant, as Dreyfus was then.
Dreyfus, %hen he rose to reply to this
witness, spoke in a quiet, convincing voice,
denying that he had any relations with q
German attache, military or civil.
NJ. Labori finished with NJ. Dubrieul by
asking for the production Of his record in
the law courts. which, counsel hnted, was
discreditable.
The prisoner was very indignant during
Nd. Dubrieul's deposition and once tried
to interpose, but the president of the court,
Col. Jouaust, waved him down, telling him
he might reply when NJ Dubrieul had fin
ished. which he did as the witness uttered
his concluding words requesting an in
quiry, because it must be made known
here who is lying and who is speaking the
truth
The statement of the prisoner caused a
deep impression.
The next witness. Captain Valdant testi-
fled to having seen Maitre LebIois in Col
Picquart's Office at the beginning of 1896.
And Captain Lerond, who followed him,
spoke of the notorious ignorance of Ester
hazy in artillery matters, showing that he
could not have divulged what was promis-
ed in the bordereau.
Captain Lerond also deposed that Pic.
quart in October, 1896. connected Ester.
hazy with espionage. Col. Picquart con.
fronted the witness and denied the allega.
ton.
Esterhazy was called as the next witness,
but there was no response, and so the court
ordered the reading Of his evidence as
given before the court Of cessation.
When Esterhazy's deposition had been
finished M. Labori asked that Esterhazy's
letters to the president Of the republic be
read. in which Esterhazy is said to have
threatened II the scandal continued that
his sovereign, the emperor, would inter.
vene.
Gonse Says Esterhasy Lied.
General Gonse here asked to be allowed
to respond to Esterhazy's testimony az CIV
en- before the court Of cessation, and de.
clared in loud voice that Esterhaxy's
statements that he was the instrument Of !.
the general staff was an absolute lie.
The general traversed Esterhaxy's evi-
dence. contradicting statement after state
ment and declaring that Esterhaxy could,
only have had relations with Major du
Patty de Clam and the late Lieut.. Cot.