Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-08-25
tBy Telegraph to virglnlan-plot3

1tcnn"S. August 2l.--IO-uayS ScS-
sion of the Dreyfus courtmartiai was
marked by one of the most exciting
scenes of the trial. The proceedings
opened with skirmish entirely favora
bic to the defence over Colonel Maurel,
president of the courtmartial of 1924.
who admitted reading one of the secret
documents to the court, which had not
been seen by the defence. He protest
cd that only one document was look
cd at, alleging that this sniliccd to
enable him 10 form a conviction That
could not he shaken.
STAR CHAMBER METHODS.
This protest made matters worse be-
caisc. as NJ. Labor pointed out. il he
pcruscd one IL was his duty to peruSN
all. Colonel Jouaus, upheld Colonel
Naurel i'm his refusal 10 indicate the
nature of the document he red. bu;
NJ. I.abori announced that he would
summon Captain Frcystattcr. another
member Of the tribunal of 1884. and get
his version of what then passed behind
tho backs of the counsel for he u"
fensc. Colonel Maurel felt his position
kccnly. ana continually hesi'ated b.
fore replying To NJ. Lnbori's questions.
\ FIERCE BATTLE.
All this. however. was only prclim-
nary To fierce battle that rnsue he
tween Labori and General McrcIer. tho
latter receiving roinrorcements from
General Roget. General Gonsc ana
General DE I3oisdeffrc, rs well as IN
valuable assistance from Colonel Jou-
aust himself.
SHOWED MERCER UP.
As IA matter of fact the examination
Of Chamoin showed MERCER UP in a
out that h. had privately COM
municatcd 10 Chamoin on the
first day Of the secret sessions Il re-
port Of the panizznrdi dispatch for in
scrtion in the secret dossicr. General
Chamon admitted that he was wrong
IN accepting the report. but pleaded iG
norancc in judicial matters. The re-
port consisted Of three pages of which
the second and third. Chamoin dcclar
cd. contained fantastic and, in fact,
false representations.
NJ. Labor brought General MERCER
to the bar in reference TO this. Mcr-
c!cr admitted that the reports ema-
mated from Du Pa,y de Clam. but
claimed that he himself did not under
stand its contents, though he thought
1t would be Interesting ana perhaps
useful to Chamoin. This explanation
was regarded as very lame. and If COM
bncd With other Patty actions. would
damn MERCER a witness in the eyes
of any impartial tribunal.
TIE EVIDENCE IN DETAIL.
At the opening of the proceedings this
morning Colonel Jouaust ordered tina,
the evidence Of Penot, a friend of the
late Colonel Sandhcrr chief of the In
tcllGencc Department. be read by the
court, which was done. This test-
mony. as given before the Court of
Cassation set forth that Colonel sand
herr told NJ. Pcno, that the brothers of
Drcyfus had offered 10000 francs to
settle the case. adding that Sandhcrr
was so inccnscd at the proposal that
he ordered them out of his Office.
y COUNTER BLAST.
Maitrc Demangc. as a counter blast.
read note written by Sandhcrr on
the day OF the interview of the brothers
of DreyfuS took place. Ii appeared
from this note that the brothers mag
ined that II plot was being hltchcd
against Drcyfus because he was Il Jew
They maintained the captains inno-
cence ana declared they would do
everything in their power to obtain his
reinstatement. saying that If necessary,
they would spend their whole fortune
to arrive at the truth.
COLONEL MAUREL.
There was considerable stir in court
when the name OF Colonel Maurel who
was president of the Dreyfus court
martial OF 1894, was called and the
colonel appeared at the witness bar He
started by cmphaticaliy denying that
any communication. verbal or written
WAS made to the members OF the court
during the course Of the trial. He said
they only knew the case from the doc
umen;s in the dossier and the testi-
mony sven.
Replying to NJ. Labori. Maurel said
he did not know General AIercicr and
had never seen him since the trial un-
NJ. Labor: can Colonel Maurel tell
Us 10 what he attributes the secret
communication Of the dossier?"
colonel AIaurel: Il have not the
slightest idea"
NJ. Labori: can you tell liz tho
name o; the officer who brought you
the private letter."
Colonel Maurel: II; was Du Patty de
Clam" (Sensation)
NJ. Labor: Were there any docu-
ments in this secret dossicr? Can you
state what they were?"
DREYFUs PREJUDGED.
Col. Maurel: Il only saw one o.
them. did not look a; the Others he
cause my mind was already made