The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-05
GENERALS COWED
Prosecutors of Dreyfus Are
Apparently Whipped.
Gen. ROget'S Fighting Spirit
Has Departed.
HE LOOKS CAREWORN.
Labori Pours Hot Shot Into
Prosecutions Ranks.
Esterhazy Letters a Feature of
TOday's Proceedings.

Rennes. Sept. 5.-M. Cernuschi. the
political refugee and reputed scion OF
Servian royalty who appeared yester-
Clav before the Dreyfus court martial
as a witness for the prosecution. was
not examined by the court during the
time it sat behind closed doors on this,
the second day of the fifth week or
Capt Alfred Dreyfus trial on the
charge of treason in communicating
army secrets to a foreign government
Examination of the secret dossier was
the sole occupation of the court mar
tial during its sitting in camera, the
decision having been reached, prob
ably in view of the message tele-
graphed here yesterday by Gen De
GaIifet, minister of war, to hear the
rest of Cernuschi's evidence in open
court.
When the open session of the court
martial began NJ. Labori presented a
formal application to the court Tor an
order upon Major Carriere, the gov
ernment cOmmissary, to request that
irtereSred foreign governments through
diplomatic channels communicate to
the court various documents relatlng
to the bOrdereau. NJ Labor explained
the purpose of the application by citing
the fact that the court now was III All
extremely delicate situation and added
that he had pointed out to Major Car
riere, Col. SchwartZkOppen and S1gnor
esSary to summon. NJ. Labor said he
thought this step would worry nobody
and that it was in conformity with pre-
cedents.
Major Carriere replied that he did not
think the government could ask an
other government for the restoration
OF documents. He suggested that the
defense should obtain and submit the
papers semi officially to the court He
saw no objection to hearing Col.
SchwartzkOppen and SignOr Panizzardi
if they consented to come.
M Paleologue said that while NJ. La
boris request appeared quite logical
and just there were diplomatic consid-
erations which made it inadmissab bic
for the government to take such 1nitia-
tive as was proposed by consul for the
defense.
Col Jouaust said the court would
decide the matter later and meanwhile
proceed with the taking of evidence.
A REPORTER TESTIFIES.
The first witness who was called to
the bar today was the reporter, ,Bassett
whom the Natin sent to London to in
terview Major Count Ferdinand Walsin
Esterhazy-
The witness deposed that Esterhazy
confessed to him that he wrote the
bOrdereau under orders from Col Sand
herr who was then chief of the secret
intelligence bureau The order Ester
hazy said was to catch the traitor at
the headquarters Of the general stan
whom Esterhazy afterwards said was
Capt Dreyfus-
Major Carriere here burst out with
an extraordinary protest against Major
EsteThazys insinuatiOns against Col.
Sandherr.
I protest" he cried. in the name
and memory of Col Sandherr against
the insinuations introduced against
him"
M. Labor. howexer.-ignored this pro-
test, Which he styled a ridiculous pre-
tentfon.
NJ. Labor then called upon Gen.
Roget to testify regarding letters he
had received fran Major Esterhazy
since the opening of this trial Gen
Roget today looked the ghost of his
former aSSeTtiVe self. His face was
Careworn and showed little of that
fighting spirit which first characterized
his appearance upon the stage. He re-
piled that he only opened letters from
Major Esterhazy which he had for
warded to Col. Jouaust-
Gen. Roget added that he had de-
clined to receive other letters
NJ. Labori then asked Col Jouaust to
have the letters read.
Col Jouaust at first declined but NJ.
Labori insisted so firmly that Col.
Jouaust after wrangling a while gave
way and consented that the letters
should be read later.
Col. Jouaust said that he opposed the
reading of the letters because they only
contained personal attacks upon var
iOus parties and would only lead to a
prolongation of the trial
THE ESTERHAzY LETTER
Gen Roget then read the one Ester
hazy letter which he admitted having
opened. In this letter Major Ester
hazy said he could not prove the exist
ence Of the alleged syndicate organized
in the interest of Dreyfus and com
plained that the general staff had re-
fused to give him a fair hearing
NJ Labori then put series of dues-
UOus intended to bring out the fact
that the general staff had made use of
Major Esterhazy even after he was
known to be unreliable.
Gen Roget said he had not consider
ed Major Esterhazy's avowals to be of
any value.
NJ. Labori sought to question General
Roget more closely on his statement
that none of the generals of the general
staff had any relations with Major Es-
terhazy; but Col. Jouaust declined to
allow further discussion. This led TO
another scene between the president of
the court martial and the counsel for
the defense, NJ LabOri declaring that
'Ten- Roget who came more as a public
prosecutor than as a witness, refused
TO reply TO probing questions.
A little later NJ. LabOri pushed the
question on Gen. Billot on what is
known as the liberating document
Gen Zurlinden then came upon the
platform, dressed in the uniform of his
rank and with his inseDarable eye
glass EAe spoke a few words respect
ing the generals belief in Major Ester
hazy-
NJ Demange asked Gen. Roget his
opinion of Major Esterhazy.
I have an absolute conviction" re-
pheo Gen Roget amid cries of Obi"
rom the audience. That Major Ester
hazy IS a stranger to treason
Gen Roget then delivered a short
discourse in reply to the statement of
M. De Fond Lamothe on Saturday that