The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-08-26
The Court Martial Shows Strong
AntI-Dreyfus Feeling.
TESTIMONY OF YESTERDAY
Du Clans Illness WIN Be Investigst.
Cd at the Request Of LsbOri-
Scenes In Court.

RENNEs, Aus. 25.-At the opening
Of today's session OF the Dreyfus court
martial. which occurred without any
extraordinary incident. the clerk OF the
court read a medical certificate signed
by two unknown doctors, declaring II
was impossible for De Clam to leave
his bed to come 10 Rennes and testify.
Labon asked Colonel Jouanste to in
struet two well-known medical men to
examine De Clam. but Colonel Jouanste
refused.
Rowland Strong, an English news
paper man. then deposed to the fact
that Esterhazy confessed to him he
wrote the famous bordereau. The next
witness was NJ. Colbert. an expert OF
the Bank Of France. who can claim the
honor OF being the first man in France
TO have declared In favor OF Dreyfus.
He reported. on examination OF the
documents In the case. that Esterhazy.
not Dreyfus, wrote tine bordereau. The
witness opened his deposition with q
brief personal statement. protesting
against being characterised as being
"a doubtful expert" by the military
party. 'Rut." he added. in tones Of
profound pity. and turning towards
Dreytus. Il have no right TO complain
and am silent when / see before me
the unfortunate man who sits there. I"
A murmur OF approval from the aud
ience greeted these words OF sympathy.
Colbert then repeated the evidence
he had given before the court Of cas-
sation. He gave the testimony in a
clear, convincing manner, and was
most emphatic in attributing the bor-
dereau to Esterhazy. Answering the
questions OF the judges. Colbert declar-
ed his conviction the bordereau was
written in running. natural hand,
and said there was no tracing or other
trickery. General Gonz asked to be
confronted with Colbert. and put a
number OF questions. over one or two
OF which the witness stumbled. to the
infinite satisfaction of the military
witnesses. who smiled and exchanged
joyful glances,
General Gonz, 1t appears. was greatly
enraged when he learned OF the result
OF Gobert's examination of the bor-
dereau and visited the expert repeated
ly, The latter always insisted on
learning the name Of the suspect.
1T was not proper" said Colbert, 'for
me to accuse any one without being
perfectly cognlzant OF the facts. es-
peclally in circumstances Of SO grave
a nature" 1t was after Colbert had
refused to incriminate Dreyfus that
Rertillon was entrusted with the examS
ination of the bordsrsau and after a
few hours study, Bertlllon positively
attributed the bordereau to Dreyfus.
Colbert suggested that the judges COM
pare the bordereau with the letter ad-
mltted TO be Esterhazy's handwriting
and dated August 1894. with the docu-
ments written uy the prisoner. You
will then. Enthusiastically recognize"
said Colbert. that the bordereau is in
Esterhazy's handwriting and not in
the handwriting OF Dreyfus." Great
sensation.)
Henri Welll, former officer in the
headquarters stan was then called, but
was absent and mis- deposition was
read. Weills statement in substance
was that Esterhasy told him in 1894
that Dreyfus was innocent, but that
this would not prevent his conviction
because he was Jew.
Bertillon, the noted antrophometer,
was called as the next witness, Ber-
tillon requested permission to bring in
his diagrams and papers. The request
was granted and Bertlllon retired for
a moment, returning at the head Of a
squad composed OF an infantry SERGE
ant and four prlvates, all staggering
under the weight Of immense leather
satchels, bulgiag with documents,
charts, ETC., which they deposited on
the stage, as a roar Of laughter echoed
throughout the court. Even the judges
were unable to suppress a smile as
they gazed on Bertlllon's stage proper
ties, strewn over half the platform,
The witness began by saying only m
telligent men could follow his explana-
tions. Bertillon commenced his deposit
tion at $3.50. 1t occupied the whole of
this session and viii perhaps occupy
a good part Of tomorrow's session. The
courtrooms presented curious scene
while Bertillon, whom the Dreyfusards,
in their most indulgent moments, de-
scribe as a dangerous maniac" spent
the three remaining hours Of the ses-