The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-01
COL. C|)RD|ER TESI|F|ES.
Deputy Chief of Intelligence
Department, on the Stand
in Dreyfus Case.
MAKES JUDGES LAUGH.
Witness Tells How it Happened THAI
His Belief in the Guilt of Drey.
fus Was Shaken.

IA DE Freycinet Makes Quite a Pat.
rlotlc Speech to the Court-Labori
Not Allowed to Question the wit.
hess-Full Report of All the Pro.
ceedings.
hehhes, Aug. 31.-Gen. MERCER the
former Minister of War. and most of
the other Generals interested in the
ease were present in the hall of the
Lycee when the trial of Capt. Alfred
DreyIus, OF the Artillery, was opened.
COL Cordier, Deputy Chief of the In
'eillSence Department, was the first
witness called. lie testified that the
iate Col. Sandherr, and not Lieut. Col.
l nenrE' received the famous bordereau.
InG witness deposed strongly in favor
VI 'Fey1uS, and was most amusing in
uellVerlng his testimony. He kept the
court and even the judges in roars Of
laughter by his Comical manner and
Wlttlclsms. He is a short. stout man
Win n Jolly face and very red nose.
Inc Colonel declared that his belief
Ia the guilt of Dreyfus was first
shaken when the date of the bordereau
was given as May, and later, the wit
ness declared stou!ly, he was now con
Vlnced DreyfuS was innocent.
Inc evidence of Col. Cordier was de-
nVered in loud voice, accompanied by
humorous asides. He several times
mentioned the Ambassador of Ger
many which caused the President of
the Court, Col. Jouaust, to intervene
and tell the witness that he must not
Introduce the Ambassadors name or
refer to Germany.
The hasty corrections of the witness
When ne repeated the same slip of the
tongue, as he did more than once, and
the amusing manner in which he avoid
ed mentioning Germany at other times
caused the greatest merriment.
During his testimony no fewer than
nVe witnesses arose and asked to be
confronted with him. But the Colonel
received the Interruptions with the ut
most good humor
Dreyfus spoke a few words at the
conclusion Of Cox Cerdiers statements.
He said the scene which preceded his
arrest was so fantastic that it COM
rlatnlu hnl.'ill"-oI him and naralu Lott
a blunted impression on his memory.
The prisoner is now accustomed to
his surroundings, and has apparently re-
covered his self-cOnfidence. as he
speaks readily and clearly and follows
the witnesses closely, taking notes of
various points of his dispositions.
NJ. de Freycinet. the former Minister
of War, former Minister of Foreign At
fairs and Premier, followed Col. Cor
der on the witness stand.
The court room was packed to its
utmost capacity as the distinguished
French statesman began his deposition.
1t was evident the public was anxious
to see the former Minister at the wit
ness bar. He is notwithstanding
man, with scanty, snow-white hair and
mustache, and was dressed in a blue
serge suit He wore a little black bow
for n necktie and gave his testimony
seated and in low voice.
NJ. de Freycinet began by expressing
the pain which he experienced at the
troubles his country WIS undergoing,
and later he said he remembered a con-
versation with Gen. lamont. at which
there was a reference to money coming
from abroad in support of the Dreyfus
agitation, (which. while disintereSted
in France, might not be so abroad"
The statesman, however, did not re-
member the details Of The conversation,
nor could he say If an amount was
mentioned.
NJ. de Freycinet then alluded to his
fears that attacks on the chiefs Of the
army might be prejudical to discipline"
adding:
might not these attacks lead to the
disappearance Of discipline, and what
then would be the result If we found
ourselves in difficulties with a foreign
country
In short. NJ de Freycinet delivered
nafriotic speech rather than a deposit
ton. concluding with these words:
"All the world will accept your GER
dict, which will open an era of recon-
citation"
The President of the Court, Col Jou-
aust. declined to put to put to the wit
ness some questions from Maitre La
bori, leading counsel for the defense,
on the ground that they had no direct
bearing on the case.
NJ. de Freycinet was then conducted
to the witness seats, where he sat for
n few minutes beside Gen. BlllOt, chat
tin with that officer. He then left the
court.
The testimony Of two minor wit
nesses concluded the days proceedings.
Choosing a Wife Tor Her Teeth.
One of the most curious and interest
Ing of bridal customs among the Es'
kimos is the practice of choosing a
bride. not for her face, her figure or
her fortune, but for the excellence and
strength of her teeth.
Up in the polar circle, where mans
blood freezes, and parts Of him drop
off at the touch of the icy blast, it is
a difficult matter to KEEP the Unframed
skins from hardening and cracking.
There is only one process known TO
the Eskimo, that OF chewing. 1t is
necessary to perform this operation
every two or three months, and 1t IS
Dart of the wife's duties. 1t is for that
reason that an Eskimo selects his fu.
ulre helpmates for the size of their
teeth and the strength of their jaws
of course one wife cannot attend to
all the skins, and so sometimes an ES-
kimo has as many as ten loving help
mates.
wives are bought, sold and ex-
changed among the Esbimos. The
price huctuates in similar manner 10
the price of wheat or cor or stocks
- r1.-oLonoa 4 father viii n growing