The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-25

AN tHt request OF b. A4hDori tue pre6l-
dent OF the court permitted n. Lioni1le
an official Of the Rovarnmont. TO testify.
The witness said he had also dtned at Al.
Bodson's In company with Deyfus and
declared he did not believe Drsyfus was
capable OF the crime for which be had
been sentenced.
NJ. Labori-"Were there any foreign
persons there at the timef''
Witness-"I don't remember.
III. Labori-''Do you remember seeing
any foreign diplomats theref''
Witness Not at oil, not at all. Be.
sides NJ. Bodson was not Of foreign ex-
traction"
There was considerable stir In court
when the name Of Col. Maurel, who W as
president of the Dreyfus court martial Of
1894, was called out and the colonel ap-
peared at the witness har. He started by
emphaticaIly denying that any eommuni-
cation verbal or written was mads to the
members Of the court during the course
OF the trial. Ne said he only knew the
case from the documents in the dosaier
and the testimony given.
Then the colonel saying he only de-
sired to speak OF matters upon which his
recollection was clear proceeded to declare
he had nothing - say in regard to the
Teissonieres or NJ. Pelietier. But he
added. NJ. Bertillon's testimony appealed
to the eyes aud minds Of the judges 1t
had been said that the Judges did NOT
understand it but that was not true.
Regarding the evidence given at the court
martial Of 1904 witness said he considered
court oiroumspect repetition CT his re-
port while the late Lieut.. Col. Henryss
evidences would have been more forcible
IL less exaggerated. At the same time he
believed Henry has spoken without
hatred or passion. The prisoner's atti
L.. &~sa .~.1w
letter handed to Col. Maurei during the
course OF trial was not brought by Col.
Picquart. The letter moreover was re.
turned the same evening 60 the officer
who brought It. Replying TO NJ. Lsbori
Maurei said he did not know Gan. Msr-
oier and had never seen him since the
trial until June last.
N. Labori-'Can Col. Ma urel tell us
to what he attributes the secret communi-
cation of the dosslerf"
Col. Maurel-"I have not the slightest
idea."
NJ. Labori-"Can you tell us the name
Of the officer who brought you the pri-
vate letterS''
Col. Maursl-"It was Du Paty de
Clam" (Sensation.)
NJ. Lsbori-.sWers there many docu.
msnts in this secret dossierf Can you
state what they weres'
Witness-ssI saw only one Of them.
mind was already made up.
H. Labori-"Had the other members OF
the court also made up their mindsfn
Witness" Yes"
Witness added that two members OF the
court conaded to him on this subject.
knowing as the judge that 1t was your
duty TO seek consoientiously information
and to expect sincere communications
from the public prosecutor that Is TO say
communication setting forth all the
points In the case both for and against
the prisoner, you could be Of the opinion
that your mind was Loyalty made up
after reading single dooumentp (Pro-
longed sensation.
Col Maurel said he failed to clearly
grasp the question and III. Labort
repeated his query whereupon the witness
replied that he could not answer because
il be did he would have TO speak of tha
fret document in the dossier (which
convinced the court OF the prisoners
guilt"
At this point NJ. Labori said he would
like to confront Col. Maurel with Capt.
Frsistattar, another Of the judges at the
court martial of 1894 But Ereist after
to wait a few days and give the captain
an opportunity OF attending.
A lively incident followed M. Lahori
having asked leave TO interrogate Gen.
Msrcier, the government commiEsary
took the occasion to remark that while
counsel had the right to ask QUESTIONS
he had no business to draw deductions TO
which the lawyer dryiy replied that he
had always acted with full knowledge
Of restrictions imposed upon counsel and
that he had no need of lessons from Mai
or CarrieTe and wuuid not accept them.
skGan. Mercier was then recalled and 1t was
noted that he had donned his uniform for
the first time. The impression thereby
created was that tie general expecting q
hot croes-examination thought that his
uniform would perhaps protect him.
hi. Labori said he desired to know If
Gen. Meroier admitted ordering Col.
Maurel Co communicate secret docunents
to the court martial of 1894.
Gen. Mercier-"I knew / did not have
the right to give formal orders to that
elect but gave moral orders in a man
ner sufficiently clear
Counsel proceeded TO closely question
the general referring 60 the "Dlxi' ar
ticle in the Libre Parole. Meroier replied
that he was SO accustomed to violence
from the press that he paid no attention
to that article. He added that he paid no
more attention to the eulogies of the
Libre Parole than TO the statements of
the newspapers. Replying TO further
questions the general said that when
Dreyf fus was arrested he knew OF no other
proof against him than the bordereau.
There were therefore only suspicious but
IL was urgently necessary not to lose
time in arrestins him In order to stop the
reasonable pra3tices.
NJ Labori here asked Col. Jouaust to
secure the evidence of III. papiliand,
editor OF Libre Parole. in regard to the
ssDixi' letter In which the name of Drey-
fus was disclosed and that officer arrested
for espionage.
As Col. Jouaust hestitated III. Labori
insisted upon the necessity of an examin-
alton of the latter, sin order to reach the
truth am seeking for"
The whole responsibility for this case,
counsel added, really rests upnn the late
Lieut.. Col. Henry and Col. Du Patty de
Clam.
Resuming examination of Gen. Mercier.
Labori asked him questions as to why he
ascribed the date of the bordereau to the
month Of April. Gen. Meroier said In
1884 that he was only acquainted with
the general reasons which existed for
believing Dreyfus guilty aud had not paid
much attention to the details. The gen.
eral refused TO reply to many of the ques-
tions. For instance he declined to say
whether he had examined the proofs in
advance against Dreyfus