The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-18

- ""o Al IL Will lldA sNlOdS
tude. He added: I'VE have strong
hopes that he will pull through. 1t will !
be forty-eight hours, however, before
We can speak with certainty of his con-
dltlon. We have to thank the military |
surgeon for the prompt attention given
10 the sufferer; but a deplorable length
Of time elapsed before an ambulance
arrived. VI. Labor lay on the ground
half an hour, with the sky menacing
a storm, which came within a few
minutes after he reached home"
The shooting of Labor, leading u !
sci for Captain Alfred Dreyfus, rob-
bed the morning session OF the Dreyfus
court-martial of its paramount interest.
The murderer, apparently, chose to-
day for the attempt, because 1t was an
ticipated that NJ. Labor would crush
General MERCER, the former minister of
war, with his cross questioning.
The news of the shooting Of NJ. La
I bori caused an immense sensation in
the court room, where the usual audi
ence had assembled, awaiting the en-
trance Of the judges.
NJ. Labori's absence had just been an
ounces when suddenly NJ. Jaunay,
syndic of the judiciary press, rushed
| into the room and shouted: m. Labori
has been shot" All present gave a
| gasp of horror and surprise n then
every man jumped to his feet n a
volley of questions was hurled at his
IANoO, IL IhS Alio 10 ali
rushed out of court again, ollowed by
a number of his hearers. Those who
remained excitedly discussed the crime
n vigorously denounced the authors:
Colonel J%ouaust, president of the
court, when the news cache him, sus-
pended the sitting Of the court-mar-
tia until 7:15 o'clock a. m. When the
court-martial was resumed General
MERCER was confronted with NJ. CAST
mir-Perier, the former president Of
France. The latter declared that Mer-
! cier's story, told on the witness stand
Saturday of the imminence of war be-
tween Germany and France in 1894
was grossly exaggerated, complained %
the action of the then Minister Of War
MERCER lin leaving 10000 men on the
frontier without consulting him.
AS it was M. LabOri'S task to take
General MERCER in hand and NJ. De-
: mango, associate counsel, was quite un-
prepared for the task, the few questions
the latter put were practically OF lit
tie effect and General MERCER escaped
cheaply.
Moreover, NJ. Demange was deeply
affected by the attempt to assassinate
his colleague and was quite unable to
do himself justice.
When General Mercier was recalled,
independently by the president of he
court, he reiterated his belief hat Ma
jor Count Esterhazey, in spite of the
. " IN "oo AO( NiAS
author of the bordereau, which witness
claimed, was written on tracing paper
and was found in an embassy.
The president asked M. Casimir-
Perier to explain the circumstances of
the confession Dreyfus is alleged to
have made to Captain Lebrun Renault.
M. Casimir-Perier persisted in his state
ment Of Saturday that he had never
received any condolences of this char
acter from Captain Lebrun Renault.
Nj Casimir-Perier, resuming his tes-
timony, said he did not desire to reply
to certain of General Mercier's insinu-
ations.
L do not wish to answer him. said
the former president. The drcum-
stances are too sad and too tragic for
me to desire to envenOm the discussion.
I am master of myself and of my con-
science. I would only state that Gen.
eral MERCER has made every effort to
mix me as deeply as possible in this af-
fair; but 1 have remained aloof, I af-
firm, during the progress of the in
vestigation."
The former president then complained
of the incorrect behavior of his subOr-
dinate toward the chief of the state"
NJ. Demange asked NJ. Cassimir-Pe-
rier if, on the 9Th, an understanding had
not been reached between France and
Germany on the subject of DreyfuS.
NJ. Casimir-Perier replied that in his
interview with the minister on the 9Th,
the question of Dreyfus had never been
raised between them and Germany.
The general replied that he consider
ed these explanations We're given for
his personal use and that was why he
had destroyed the document. At this
NJ. Demange expressed a sense of as
constituent and asked General MERCER
if he did not have reasons for suppress
sing the document.
Tho witness rpn10Iqfpd inc Sll0O2E-
ton.
Dreyfus, at this point, rose from his
seat and asked leave TO explain in re-
gard to the assertion that he had traced
on a card the itinerary of a certain
journey of the general staff. Both the
itinerary and journey, he asserted were
purely fictitious.
General Billot, former minister Of
war, was the next witness. He was in
!, uniform, sat With crossed legs and gave
his evidence in a conversational man
ner. He said he would be Il years old
tomorrow. Like everybody else. he
added, he had some knowledge of the
Dreyfus affair before taking the war
portfolio. While feeling deeply on the
subject he remained aloof from the
matter until he returned to the cabi-
net. He had the subject investigated
, by NJ. Scheurrer-Kestner, one Of the
vice presidents Of the senate, who be
diil tOhN lIlCSu u lis innocence "a
; Dreyfus. General Billot was not con
WINGED by this evidence, however. The
general then dwelt with the role Of Col
onel Picquart whom, he said, he holds
in the highest esteem.
After this General Billot referred tC
Colonel P~icquart's proposition to en-
trap EsterhaZey, whom he suspected.
but General Billot forbid this. He add
{ ed that Colonel Picquart always act
: ed without authorization.
The general justified his treatment OF
Colonel Picquart, whom he had sent or
a delicate and dangerous mission TO the
far east. He said this was not lone in
:, hopes hat Picquart would re-
! turn, but TO give him a chance by his
heroism to atone for previous indiscre-
1 lions.
General Billot admitted that at time.
: Zee had entertained strong doubt Of
Dfeyfus' guilt. but declared that the
proofs of his innocence had beer
conclusive. mAs minister of war. hi: