Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-24
HE WAS ROUGHLY HANDLED ny NJ
LABoRI YESTERDAY.
EVIDENCE TORN TO PIECES
DAY WAS A POOR ONE FOR MEM
BEBS OF GENERAL STAFF.
1t Was Proved That They Engineered
Esterhnzy's Escape From Justice
Strange ForsetfuInexs of
Two Anti-Dreyfus
Witnesses.

RENNES. Aug. 2S.-The session of the
Dreyfus court-martial to-day was compara.
lively uneventful The dispositions were
not productive of any really thrilling in
cidents. The systematic production of the
nlrnsiest trash, which the prosecution
deems profitable to infict on the Judges,
and which the latter accept as evidence,
was proceeded with. Much of the ridicu-
lous testimony of the morning was devot-
ed to an attempt to blast Dreyfus' private
character, though, when Maitres Labori
and Demange had finished with the wit
nesses, their bubbles of title tattle were
badly priclied.
Much of the time was occupied in read
ing the testimony of Esterhazy and Mile.
Pays before the court of cessation, dur
ing which many of the audience left the
court.
NJ. Labori again distinguished himself in
laying bare the weak points of the evil
dence. He was less fierce, however, than
yesterday, though quite aggressive enough
TO arouse the latent hostility of the judges,
which showed itself in various little ways.
III. Labori is no favorite, either, with Major
Carriere, the governments commissary,
and the latter makes no serious effort to
conceal his feelings toward the lawyer.
M. Labori bore little traces OF the effects
of the outrage upon him. He rose, sat
down and moved his body and limbs appar-
emily without much difficulty, only, occa-
ElOnSliV- m hof
though suffering pain. His wife followed
his every movement through a gold and
tortoise shell lorgnette.
Madame Rejane, the actress, was again
an interested spectator In court to-day, es-
pecially when NJ. Labori was on his feet
and his voice was vibrating through the
hall Her eyes watched his mobile feature
across which fitted everchanging express
sions of Indignation, anger or satisfaction,
with the keen interest which spectators in
theater follow her own acting. During
some of the dispositions, NJ. Labori ap-
peared very nervous. He was unable to
remain still an instant. twitching his fin
gers and shaking the papers in his hand.
Counsel was almost too impatient to wait
till the witnesses concluded their testi-
mony.
The only dangerous opponent of Dreyfus
to-day was General Gonse, who mounted
the stage with a quick step and apparently
light heart. But he left it badly mauIed
by NJ. Labori.
General Gonse began by declaring he
came TO defend his honor against those
''driVelling" against him. But, when his
cross-examination was finished, he returned
10 his seat with his tail between his legs,
for NJ. Labori had driven him into a cor
ner ON the affemntS of tna ,n
shield Esterhazy, and had shown that the
general staff, for which Gonse was re-
sponsible, had engineered Esterhazy's es-
cape from the hands of justice. The con-
ftdent tones of the general had by then
dwindled into the proverbial STILL small
voice, and his defiant bearing had changed
into the abashed air of a school boy caught
telling a lie.
The day proved certainly poor one for
the general staff. Two good samples of
the men put up to sully Dreyfus' private
character were the third and fourth wit
nesses.
First, Major Du Chatelet repeated an all
legged conversation with Dreyfus regarding
lady at whose house Dreyfus is alleged
TO have gambled and lost money, but when
cross-examined Du Chatelet's memory
failed him entirely, especially when asked
the name of the lady and the street she
resided in and the sum Dreyfus lost.
Next, NJ. Du Brueil showed equally as
founding forgetfulness of important points
of his evidence concerning Dreyfus' ac-
quaintance with a foreign attache, and
when NJ. Demange capped his successful
examination of those points by promising
10 show that NJ Du BrueiFs record in the
law courts is far from clean, the witnss.
left the stand badly discredited
The corresnondent of the AcSooIa,,a
Press talked this afternoon with NJ.
Juares, the Socialist leader, who, with
Matthieu Dreyfus. sees Maitre Labori ev-
cry day after the session and who is ac-
quainted with the entire tactics of the
defense. NJ. Juares said:
Il am convinced that Dreyfus will be
acquitted. He must be acquitted. for no
new fact has been brought up against him,
The generals, believe, are going to make
their stand on Bertillon's system, which
they intend to submit as proving Dreyfus
guilty. Intelligent men laugh at 1t, but
st is very ingenious and has the merit. in
the eyes Of the generals. of being incom-
prehensible to an ordinary man and thus
calculated to impress him if supported by
the puppets of the general staff Bertil-
Ions theory has already been introduced
by some of the military witnesses. who
declare their confidence In It. The trial
in my belief, will last about another twen-
ty days"
The session began with the testimony of
minor witnesses, including Comptroller Row
and Major Drevieli. The latter deposed
that Dreyfus, while on the general staff
could have had access unperceived TO docu,
ments during certain hours of the day The
prisoner, replying, admitted that ne was
present during those hours, but explained
that his presence was connected with his
duties.
The fourth witness, M. Dubrieul, describ-
ing himself as 4 private gentleman. proved
most entertaining, and, moreover, gave M
1abori the first opportunity of making a
few points in favor of Dreyfus
NJ Dubrieul. one of NJ. Quesnay de Beure-
paire's witnesses, told a gossipy story of
meeting Dreyfus at the house of an ac-
quaintance, NJ. Bodson, in 1894 when Drew
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