Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-25
HEATED ENCOUNTERS.
Exciting Scenes in the Rennes
C0urt-MaTtiaL
FIERCE BOUT WITH MERCER
Labor Places The General in a Bad
Light, Despite JOuauSt.
OFFICERS SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
They stand Together MarveiIously.
and the UphoIdinG Of Their Course
by the Court BODIES Ill for Dreyfus-
Proceedings i'm Detail.

|
Proceedings i'm Detail.
RENNES. August A.-To-day's session
Of the Dreyfus court-martial was marked
by one Of the most exciting scenes of the
trial The proceedings opened with n
skirmish entirely favorable 10 the de-
fence, over Colonel Maurei president OF
the court-martial Of 1894. who admitted
| reading one Of the secret documents 90
the court. which had not been seen by
the defence lie protested that only one
document was looked at, alleging that
this suficed TO enable him TO form a con-
viction that could not be shaken. This
| protest made matters worse, because. as
NJ. Labor pointed out If he persued one
ii was his bounden duty 10 peruse al.
Colonel Jouaust upheld Colonel Maurel
in his refusal to indicate the nature of
| the document he read but NJ Labor an
nounced that he would summon Captain
| Freystatter. another member Of the tri-
| bunal Of 1894. and get his version of what
then passed behind the backs Of counsel
| Tor the defence. Colonel Aiaurel felt his
position kcenly, and hesitated before re-
plying 10 NJ. Laboris questions. All
this, however. was only preliminary 10 a
fierce battle that ensued between Labor
and General MERCER, the latter receiving
reinforcement from Generals Roget,
Gonse. and De Boisdenre, as well as
valuable assistance from Colonel Jouaust
! himself
SHARP PASSAGES AT ARMS.
! VI. Labor took General MERCER over
the whole ground Of his previous deposit
ton This led to several sharp passages
at arms between the advocate and Colo
mel Jouaust, who upheld MERCER in re-
fusing to reply to several questions which,
in the general opinion Of those in tha
courtroom were distinctly pertinent.
Whenever General MERCER was corner
ed he declined TO answer, and Colonel
Jouaust invariably supported him. NJ.
Labor protested most energetically. Ills
words and manner breathed the deepest
indignation, but the president OF the
court-martial was iniexible.
The intervention of Generals Gonse,
Roget. and De Boisdeffre and Major
Lauth. who in rapid succession mounted
| the stand, or rose in their seats and in
/ terposed remarks. was very exciting, ana
/ carried the spectators along on wave
/ Of breathless interest One after the
other. these officers. who were to-day IN
! full uniform, would jump up and cry,
Il demand TO be heard and without
further waiting, ascend the steps of the
platform and begin a statement in sup
port of a brother officer. sometimes
/ four officers were on the stage at the
/ same moment. II was marvellous dis
play of military clannishness. AT one
! time a perfect babel of voices rcigned for
! several minutes. until Colonel Jeuaust
interviewed and restored order.
LABORI DISTRACTED.
NJ TaborTs cross-examination was sue
cossful. so far as it went, but Colonyi
Jouaust prevented him from pressing MS
advantage to the utmost. III Iao''
| Touaust,s hostile attitude toward coun-
eel for the defence. then and during the
| cross-examination Of the witness, NJ. de
| Grandmaison. evoked the seyerest or. IL
cism on the part of the public present
and bodies IN for Dreyfus. Not only sol
onel Jouaust. but the other judges, dis
! plaved considerable impotence during
] IaborPs scathing DISCRIMINATION
| shifting restlessly in their seats and
drumming the table with the tips OF their
fingers.
General MERCER faced Labori's fire with
callous demeanor, standing on lie pat
form. his hands behind his back ana MS
| face only half-turned toward his ques-
| toner. once OF twice savage look IN
the ewes. an elevation in the tone. and a
! swaying TO and fro of the body revealed
/ the inner fires of resentment
General Roget faced the court with an
I air Of unblushing effrontery. His hands
and features expressed the bitterest
| scorn. as he turned on his heel, and with
arms crossed faced Labor the audience,
| or the Judges. He is remarkably VAIN,
and is always striking attitudes for news
paper artists. quite Il number Of whom
| attend the sessions. His impertinent be-
| havior was strikngly illustrated to-day,
when he interrupted NJ. Labori's exami-
nation of General Chamoin which had
| resulted In NJ Iabori's scoring heavily
against MERCER with the exclamation:
This examination is a waste OF time
MERCER IN BAD LIGHT.
As a matter Of fact. the examination
| of Chamoin showed MERCER in very
| bad light as il brought out that he had
privately communicated TO Chamoin, on
| the first day Of the secret sessions, re-
| mort on the Panizzardi dispatch, for in
| sertion in the secret dossier General
| Cbamoin admitted that he was wrong IN
accepting The report, but pleaded ignor-
ance in judicial matters.
The report consisted Of three pages, OF
tvbich the second and third, ChamOn de-
| clared. contained fantastic, ana, III fact'
! false. representations.
NJ Labor brought General MERCER to
! the bar with reference 10 this. MERCER
| admitted that the reports eplanated from
| I'm patty de Clam, but claimed that he
| himself did not understand its contents
though he thought II would be interest
! ING and perhaps useful 10 Chamoin. This
evnlanatlon was garded as very lame
| and combined with other shady actions
would damn MERCER as witness In the
ewes Of any impartial tribunal.
LABORI RECOVERING FAST.
The correspondent OF the Associated
Press saw Madame Laborl this Afternoon
ard conyersed with her regarding her
l,isbands condition. She said n WAS
nroeressing rapidly, though stu suffering
considerable pain
"The way be is recovering she eX-
claimed seems 20 me almost miracu-
lous."