The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-27

objected to the term Commentary" NJ
Maurel thus stands before the world 20 a
sclf-confessed liar His endeavors to
throw mud at CAPTAIN Freystatter by cynl-
calIy asking why the latter had not spoken
before during the last Ave years why re-
coiled on himself and placed Captain
Freystatter in a stlll more creditable light
Captain Freystatter's candid admission
that he did wrong unwittngly and that
when he knew Of 1t he obeyed the die
tates of his conscience evoked a murmur
of admiration.
NJ. Labori then called General Mercier
again TO the stand to drive him into a
corner in the PaniZardi dispatch, but Mer-
cler was first allowed to question Captain
Freystatter endeavoring to catch him on
u question regarding the Robin shell. His
deliberate attempt to make Captain Freys-
latter out a liar was n specimen OF the
dsgraceful tactics of this military clique.
The audience shuddered when he cried:
II have caught Captain Freystatter In a
deliberate lie"
Almost any one else would have struck
MERCER down. but Captain Freystatter
gave a splendid example of GOODNESS and
self-control In the face OF such an out
rageous attack, He confronted General
Mercler with the same undaunted but not
defiant demeanor MS he maintained to-
ward the judges, whereas General Mercler
and Colonel Maurel We're barely able 10
contain themselves with concentrated rage.
The people In the court room gazed upon
this extraordinary scene with a fever Of
excitement, straining forward with eyes
bulged. drinking in every word and gest-
ure of a three cornered duel-a simple
captain against general and n colonel.
Captain Freystatter replied stoutly and
without tremor of voice that he did not
say tho document refx'red to the Robin
shell hut to shell. This simple retort
exposed Mercier's craftness and Captain
Freystatter, In n convincing manner. re-
peated his declaration that the Pani2ardi
dispatch was communicated to the court
martial, quoting its opening words and
thus fatty contradcting Mercier. General
MERCER at once denied Captain Frey
statter's declaration that the Panlaardi
document was contained In the dossier
ut is lie" he said. Tremendous SEN
sation,J
Captain Freystatter was pndaunted and
replied firmly, looking Colonel Jouaust
| straight in the face
II swear that what have said Is true
And" Freystatter added. II not only
remember the dispatch. but have vivid
| recollection of the fact that the hrst words
were Dreyfus is arrested Emissar,
| warmed"
This emphatic declaration increased the
| sensation. Then 1t was that NJ. Labori
saw his opening to force upon Colonel
Jouaust the necessity of bringing Du Patty
de Clam into court, as In the lace OF the
! contradictory declarations of General Mer-
| cier and Captain Freystatter the evidence
OF Du Patty de Clam would alone decide
| the matter, and especially In view of the
fact that General MERCER had said in his
deposition that Du Patty de Clam compiled
! the dossier including the explanations sent
with the dussier, since he had been IN
formed by General DeBordeffre that the
late Colonel Sandher had complied IT,
M, Labori was indignant at General
| MarCier's auuiyncAtion and nSkpl Tolnnpl
Jouaust again and again TO have special
| doctors make an official examination OF
Colonel Du Patty de Clam to see II he
was really incapable of giving evidence
But the president Of the court refused.
/ whereupon Labori cried: Colonel Sand
herr Is dead. Colonel Henry Is dead and
Colonel Du Patty de Clam won't come
here" Then counsel sat down boiling with
| indignation.
Colonel Jouaust told NJ. Labor not to
| make observations
| This is the dying effort OF the general
staff to hide behind the vel, of death and
the audience shuddered with disgust M.
! I4aborl uttering his despairlng cry: "Al-
ways the dead, always the dead!'
Dseyfus said he had nothing TO ask the
witness. Colonel Maurel, General Mer-
cier and Captain Freystattor then left the
stage.
The scene today showed both Colonel
Maurel and General Mercier In an odious
| light Maurel was shown, to put It mildly,
to have told the truth, while MERCER,
when cornered, threw the awkward re-
sponsibility for the iliegalities OF the court
martial OF 1894 ON dead men, as Labori
pointed out, and for which counsel was
severely reprlmanded by Colonel Jouaust.
/ The audience had their hearts In their
mouths from the moment Captain Frey
slater opened his lips until the three con-
fronted witnesses left the stage and every
moment murmur OF disgust aud the gem
eral cry OF "oh" burst from the hearers.
Captain Freystatter spoke like an honest
man. Colonel Maurel, on the other hand.
when driven to confess. told lntruths and
tried TO wriggle out OF II. He presented
= despicable appearance. his voice broke |
- though choking, while his limbs we're