Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-29
TESTIMONY
DISPROVElss
Bertillon's Extravagant Evi-
dence and Calculations
Made Light OF.
MERCER rs sTILLTHERE
Rumors That He Had Fled the Coun-
try Are Disproved by IAis Presence
nCourt-Rumors That Others
Will Abandon the staff

Rennes. Aug. 2s.-(By Associated
Press .)-Mercier was present at the
opening of the fourth week of the
Dreyfus trial thus making the report
that he had fled false. Boisdeffre has
not been present for several sessions.
There are rumors that he is preparing
ito desert the general staff as a sinking
ship. This was n field day for ex-
perts. Para,Javal, the draughtsman,
resumed his testimony interrupted by
the adjournment on Saturday in refu-
Hation of Bertillon's argument and
graphometrio illustrations to prove
that Dreyfus wrote the bordereau.
With the assistance Of blackboard he
proceeded to show the fallacy of the
calculations of Bertillon and the lat
ters unfairness in not submitting the
handwriting of Esterhazy to the same
tests as the prisoners. He declared,
however, that even if Bertillon had
done 80 the results would not have
proved anything. He declared that
Bertillon's Investigations were vicious
and partial. He avowed that geomet-
ric regularities claimed by Bertillon
did not exist. He pointed out irregu-
larities in the bordereau which are
characteristic of Esterhazy's hand
writing, and proceeded to show that
all Bertillon's proofs applied equally
to Esterhazy. Finally he declared
Bertillon's measurements of the key
wore. interest as the basis of the
whole system, entirely false. He as
serted that the bordereau could not
have been traced; it was an impossi-
bility. Bernard, inspector of the
mines, followed Para-Javal, arguing
Along the same lines in favor of Drey-
fus. He said all Bertillon's evidence
was based on false calculations. He
insisted that the bordereau was writ
ten in natural hand, and not fabri-
Gated. He exhibited page of manu-
script which he said contained pecu-
liarities which were not found in the
examination of fifty million docu-
ments. Bertillon would therefore in
sist that it was fabricated. But in
fact it was a specimen of Bertillon's
own handwriting. Bertillon demand
ed to be allowed to reply but Jouaust
would not permit it.
.Teyssoniers followed, asserting the
belief that Dreyfus wrote the border
eau. He pointed out the resemhlances
in it, letter by letter, to Dreyfus'
handwriting. Replying to the court
Teyssoniers said he had never seen the
document dictated to Dreyfus. A copy
of the bordereau was made by Dreyfus
and then handed the witness who de-
clared it had never been given him for
comparison. (Sensation.) He said it
would require three days to give an
opinion upon it. A member of the
court martial said: '"rhe letter L
in the bondereau is always isolated at
the beginning of words" Teyssoniers
replied that this peculiarity was found
in the prisoners handwriting. Drey-
/ fus, in replying, said that Teyssoniers'
remarks seemed TO him to be quite in
correct; but, in order to reply prop
erly, he must have the documents un-
der his eye.
Charavay, an expert in ancient man.
uscripts. testified concerning q
specimen OF Esterhazy's hand.
handwriting, which had been
submitted to him since the trial OF
1894, and it's examination had convinc-
ed him that Esterhazy, not Dreyfus
wrote the bordereau. His conscience
was relieved to be able to eXculpate
Dreyfus from the charge formerly
4 made by the witness.
Pelletier, another expert, declared
.that there was no likeness between the
writing Of the bordereau and that OF
lDreyfus', and said that the bordereau
could be ascribed to Esterhazy only
Couard, an expert in the Esterhazy cast
in 1897, took the stand and adhered tC
: his opinion expressed in 1897, that the
bordereau was not the work of Ester
hazy. He would wager his head on this
He declared that the bordereau was
not in natural hand, and was appa
rently an attempt to initiate another:
writing. The witness would not com
nit himself in regard to Dreyfus
whose handwriting he had never exam
( ined. Varinard, another expert in the
Esterhazy case, also persisted in the
opinion that the bordersau was moi
the work of Esterhazy, despite Ester
hazy3 confession that he wrote it. AT
ter it was announced that DE treycinet
former minister of war, Galifet, ant
Col. Cordier would be examined tomor
row, and a commission ordered TO tax,
deposition of d,I Patty de Clam, the
court adjourned
GUERlN CASE PAST A JOKE.