The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-28
BERTILLON PULvERIZED
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parison of which the defense had no
knowledge.
Col JOuaust-Certainly.
NJ. Trissonieres thereupon added that
on referring to his report of 1894, he
found he had concluded the writer had
attempted to disguise his handwriting,
but toward the end he had relapsed into
his ordinary handwriting.
The witness having begged leave to
speak of a personal fact. addressing the
judges, said:
Before you I am only witness but
turning toward the defense) before
this other tribunal I am perhaps an ac-
Col. Jouaust-Not at ALL You are not
accused.
NJ. Trissonieres-I am an accused per-
SON
Here the witness picked up a news
paper which he had brought with him
and began to read, Whereupon Colonel
JOuaust said:
You cannot read newspaper"
TT is a newspaper it is true" replied
NJ. Trissonieres, but it is also the re-
port of NJ. Ballot Beaupre.
COLJouaust-We have no need to con-
slider the report OF the judge. The Incl
dent is closed.
ANOTHER EXPERT CALLED
After a brief suspension of the ses-
sion the court resumed hearing testi-
mony and NJ. Charavay, the archivist
and expert in ancient manuscripts was
called to the witness bar. His deposit
ton was so inaudible that he had to be
requested to speak up.
In 1894" said NJ. Charavay, 81 with
two colleagues, though acting under
separate instructions was commission
ed to examine the bOrdereau and a
number of documents for comparison
unsigned and in different handwritings.
l examined first the latter documents
and by the process of elimination fixed
upon one resembling the bordereau. l
was then furnished with specimens of
the handwriting in question but was
not told the name of the writer. / ask
cd if the document CODId he regarded
as genuine and was told the place
whence it emanated, which could not be
mentioned by me and which could leave
no doubt IN regard to It's value.
make this remark because think it
explains my opinion; for 1 could not
consider a document of this nature was
not marked by a certain discrimination
of handwriting. I therefore attributed
to discrimination on the differences was
careful to note in my report.
Nov 1 must inform the court that in
view of the fact that handwriting,
which was not produced in 1894 and
which is evidently akin to the hand
writing of the bOrdereau and the
handwriting of DreyfuS has since been
submitted to me I cannot maintain
with the certain degree of certainty the
conclusions of my former report and
can only make one statement, namely
that those two handWritingS resemble
the bOrdereau. 1 should however, point
out one of the typical dissimilarities
upon which I laid stress between the
ments submitted for comparison, name
~ that the doubles is not found between
the bOrdereau and the new handwrit-
ing. In other words the double s of the
bOrdereau is found in Esterhazy'S
writing"
WHY HIS MIND CHANGED.
After repeating the evidence. he gave
before the court of cessation NJ. Char
away declared it was the new element,
the handwriting of Esterhazy, which
led him to declare he did not adhere to
his conclusions in 1894
In conclusion NJ. Charavay energet-
icalIy protested against Gen. Mercier'S
accusations, adding that what cOnYinc-
ed him that he had made a mistake in
1894, was the publication of Esterhazy's
letters, the discovery Of the Henry for
gerry, the inquiry of the court of
cessation and Esterhazy's confession.
The conscience of the witness cOmpelI-
ed him to say that in 1894, he was mis-
led by similarity in handwriting.
1T is a great relief to my con-
science" NJ. Charavay added, ito be
able to say before you and before him
who is the victim of my mistake, that
the bOrdereau is not the work of Drey-
fus, but of Esterhazy.'
An immense sensation was caused in
court by this statement.
Replying to Col. JOuaust the witness
said that the mere examination of the
bOrdereau and the dOcmentS presented
for comparison were sufficient to con-
vince him that the bOrdereau was not
written by Dreyfus.
The prisoner on being asked the GUS
tomary questions, requested NJ. Char
away to give further particulars as to
the reasons which led him to modify
his opinions in regard to the writer of
the bOrdereau whereupOn the witness
entered into a lengthy technical detail.
He explained how he found unmistake-
able resemblances between the border
eau and Esterhazy's writings.
NJ. Pelletier, another expert prefaced
his evidence by saying he desired to
make definite statement on the point
upon which he was in entire disagree
ment with Gen. MERCER. The latter
| had testified that the witness refused
to use certain documents submitted to
/ him for comparison in common with
the other experts and said he had been
led to regard NJ. Pelletier's work with
! some suspicion, because of certain Incl
dents in which NJ. Pelletier. being sum-
mOned to appear simultaneously in
two different courts. had written to
both, eXcusing himself on the ground
! of attendance at the other.
suspicious OF PELLETIER.
Gen. MERCER declared this morning
! that he was suspicious of Pelletier's
report in favor of Dreyfus, inferring
| that his failure to comply with the
| summons of the examining magistrates
! in November, 1894, was connected with
/ his report, which report, witness point
ed out was handed in October &c.
Il have only to oppose facts to Gen.
! Mercier's inferences," said NJ. Pelletier.
ION October %, I was entrusted with
| the vertificatiOn in question. handed
! in my report October % and it was only
! in November that I was summoned to
| undergo cross examination a COM
| plant lodged by the military authori-
/ ties.
Gen. MERCER in short, had not the
slightest reason to suspect the con-
| illusions which I had reached
After replying to a question or two
I from the court NJ Pelletier continued:
/ After settling this personal matter
there remains nothing but to maintain
/ in their entirety my conclusions to the
I effect that there is no likeness be
/ tween the writing of the bordereau and
/ that of the prisoner
Continuing the witness said that af-
! ter a fresh superficial examination Of