The San Francisco call., 1899-08-26

man, was then called to the witness stand
and he deposed TO the fact that Major
Count Esterhazy confessed to him that
he wrote the famous bordereau;
The next witness was VI. Colbert, an
expert Of the Bank Of France, VINO can
claim the honor of being the first man IN
France to have declared in favor OF Drey-
fus He reported. on examining the docu-
nents in the case. that Esterhazy, not
Dreyfus. wrote the bordereau. The wit
ness opened his deposition with a brief
personal statement, protesting against be
ing characterized as "douDttul expert
by the military party.
But" he added, in tones Of profound
pity and turning toward Dreyfus, Il have
no right to complain. and am silent when
p see before me the unfortunate man who
sits there"
A rnurmur Of approval from the audi
ence greeted these words of sympathy.
NJ. Colbert then repeated the evidence he
had given before the Court Of Cessation.
He gave his testimony in clear. conVlnc-
ing manner and was most emphatic IN at
tributing the bordereau to Esterhazy. An
swering questions Of the judges, NJ Go
bert declared his conviction that the bor-
dereau was written in running natural
hand. and said there was no tracing or
other trickery
"a
with NJ. Colbert. and put a number OF
questions. over one or two of which the
witness stumbled, to the infinite satisfac-
ton of the military witnesses, who smiled
and exchanged joyful glances.
NJ. Bertillon. the noted anthropometer,
was called as the next witness. He wore
a dark blue frock coat and carried q nigh
hat in his hand. NJ. Bertillon requested
permission TO bring in his diagrams and
or,+a nd
Bertillon retired for moment, returning
at the head of a squad composed OF an
infantry sergeant and four prlVates, ali
staggering under the weight OF immense
leather satchels bulging with documents,
charts, etc, which they deposited on the
stage as roar of laughter echoed
throughout the court. Even Ihe JUDGES
were unable to suppress a smile as they
gazed on NJ Bertillon's stage properties,
strewn over half the platform. table
was brought in upon which the plans he
began by saying that only intelligent men
could follow his explanations.
NJ Bertillon commenced his deposition
at 80 a. m. 1t occupied the whole OF TINS
session and will perhaps occupy good
mart of Tomorrow s session. The court
room presented a curious scene while NJ.
Rertillon whom the DTeyfusardS in their
most indulgent moments describe as a
dangerous maniac" spent the three re-
naming hours of the session in explain
ing. in unintelligible terms, his 1nfallible
system or proving DIey luS Al4e ou1ilo4 "
the bordereau. The majority of the pub
lie. however, utterly unable to compre-
hend NJ BertiHon S theories, had left the
courtroom Even La Dame Blanche aban-
doned her post. In the meantime NJ Ber-
tillon. with gestures and in the shrill, .
pitched voice of a quack at a country
fair. continued his monologue, producing
every minute some fresh paper covered
with wonderful hieroglyphlcs, copies OF
which he presented to the Judges; VINO,
with an expression of owl-like wisdom,
carefully examined them, their heads
clustered together, their eyes gazing on
the long wide strips of paper, while NJ. (
Bertillon leaned over their table trying to /
explain his mystifying diagrams, winch
were afterward passed to MN. Labori and 1
Demange who. however. apparently did
not derive much profit from their perusal. (
Dreyfus gaZed at the scene with look
of stupefaction. The clearest utterances /
of NJ. Bertillon during the course OF his
of the bordereau "obeys a geometrlcai
rythm, of which l discovered the equation
in the prisoners blotting paper.
The witness finally announced that he /
would give a practical demonstration or
the writing of the bordereau according to |
his system Then he theatrically cleared |
the desk attached to the witness bar, /
drew his chair nearer, deposited ms nigh /
hat on the floor, and sitting down began /
copying the bordereau The audience
drawing letters. the judges gazing at him, |
until at the end of ten minutes the people |
and the judges became restlessly impa- !
tent and Colonel Jouaust remarked that !
bordereau and that few lines would suf-
flee. few minutes later NJ. Bertillon
rose, strobe to the judges table and laid !
before them his copy. The judges, coun- !
sci. Government commissary, Major Car /
riere and the clerk of the court clustered !
around in one grOuD eager to see the re- /