Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-31
Favorable to DreyfuS.

New York, Aug. 31.-The Tribune's
Rennes correspondent, summing up the
Dreyfus case. says:
The preponderance of the testimony of
the handwriting experts, which closed
with the evidence of NJ. Giry, member of
the institute, is decidedly favorable for
Dreyfus and, judging from the ques-
tions put by Colonel Jonaust, Lieutenant
Colonel Tiorignar and Captain Beauvais
was clearly the impression made upon the
court OF l3 experts, only three-Bertil-
lon and his understudies, Captain Vale
rio and Teyssonnleres-atfirm that Drey-
fus is the author of the bordereau. Four
experts-Giry. Molinier, Meyer and Char
avay-are absolutely positive that the
bordereau is in EsterhaZy's handwriting.
Two experts-ParafJava and Bernard
have completely demolished Bertillons
theory and declare that the bordereau was
written in natural handwriting not that
Of Dreyfus. Pelletier also agrees with
Parif-Javal and Bernard that il is not in
Dreyfus' handwriting. Three experts
Varnard, Eelhomme and Couard-tes-
| tify that the bordereau is not in Ester
hazy's handwriting. but decline to affirm
| that it is in Dreyfus' handwriting.
OF all the expert testimony that of NJ.
Molinier professor in the school Of man.
| uscripts, produced the greatest effect on
| the members of the court martial, for be-
sides his conclusive technical demonstra-
tions, Molinier said the involved phrase
ology and the use of unnecessary words,
which are so apparent in the bordereau,
make it highly improba Bile that il was
done by tedious process. Measure
| ments from a "keyword" were also ridic-
ulous. Suppose that Dreyfus was the
| author of the bordereau he would have
wasted the time in committing the hand
writing of Esterhazy, who was known to
be in correspondence with Schwarzkop-
pen.
| Molinier's testiony was so convincing
| that General MERCER, who, by strange
| indulgence of the court. is allowed, to-
gether with General Roget, to act prac-
tically in the capacity Of counsel for the
prosecution, sprang to his feet and sue
ceeded in making the clerk read the evil
dence of Grenier who testified before the
court of cessation that Esterhazy had
| changed his handwriting in 1897, a piece
of evidence which points all the more
strongly to Esterhazy being the real au-
| thor of the bordereau, and forecasts a
! change in the tactics of the prosecution.
! Since yesterday there is a distinctly
new departure in Colonel Jauaust's
method OF conducting the trial. He now
| directs the evidence more strictly before
| the court. namely. whether or not Drey-
fus, wrote the bordereau. The hearsay
| evidence of Picot. a member of the insti-
| tute who said the Austrian attache,
| Colonel Schneider told him in substance
| that Esterhazy was the real traitor fell
fiat on the judges. although the courttlis-
tened eagerly to General Roget, who in
| his role Of junior counsel for the prosecu-
| ton, made a spirited little speech in be-
| half OF French officers as agains: foreign
| attaches. The testimony of General De-
!oye d.rec tor of the French artillery, wa.
favora BILE to Dreyfus, showing thai
as an artillery officer. Dreyfus would no,
have made the technical blun,ter Of rafes
ring to the hindro-pneumatic BRAKE o1
the field gun "l20-short' as "hydrau.;t
brake" as the person who wrote thesbor.