The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-08-25
Mercier and Others are Again
Submitted to the Torture by
Dreyfus' Counsel.
UNUSUAL SCENES ENACTED.
The Clannishness of the Military.
General Roget Airs his Vanity
Before the Public.

Of the trial. The proceedings opened
with a slllrmlsh entirely favorable to
the defense over Col. Maurei, president
OF the courtmartlal of 1894, who admit
ted reading one OF the secret documents
to the court which had not been seen
by the defense. He protested that
only one document was looked at, al
leging that this sufhced to enable him
to form conviction that could not be
shaken. This protest made matters
worse, because II. Laborl pointed out,
II he perused one It was his bounden
duty to peruse all, Col. Jouaust up
held Col. Maurel in his refusal to In
dlcate the nature OF the document he
read, but NJ. Labori announced that he
would summon Captain Freystatter,
another member of the tribunal of 1894.
and get his version of what then pass
ed behind the backs OF the counsel for
the defense. Col. Maurel felt his po-
sItlon keenly and continually hesltated
before replying to Labori's questions.
All this, however. was only prelimln-
airy to a fierce battle that ensued be-
tween II. Laborl and Gen. Bercler, the
latter receiving relnforcementa from
Gen. Roget, Gen. Gonse and Gen. De
Bolsdeffre. as well as invaluable as
distance from Col. Jouaust himself
M.Laborl took Gen. Mercler over the
whole ground OF his previous dlsposl-
tIon. This led to several sharp pas
sages at arms between the advocate
and Col. Jouaust. who upheld Mercier
in refusing to reply to several questions
which in the general opinion Of those
in the court room were distinctly peril
nent.
The remainder of the sitting was TAX
en- up with the deposition of minor
witnesses, mostly NJ. Beaurepaires
puppets, whose evidence, when 1t did
not bore the audience, produced merrl-
ment.
Two Interesting sccnes.
Two interesting scenes, however, took
place, the first when NJ. Laborl asked
Gen. Roget to give his opinion OF Es-
terhazy's role and his visit to the Ger
man embassy October %, 1887. Roget
replied. In a tone of studied dlsdaln,
which he habltually adopts towards
counsel for the defense: II absolutely
refuse to tell you"
N. Labori warmly Insisted, but the
president of the court crushed him with
q curt refusal even to ALLOW Gen. Roget
to respond.
The second scene was between NJ. La
borl and Col. Jouaust, after the deposit
ton of the Royallst deputy De Grand
nalson, which consisted Of a clap-trap
tlrade against foreigners intervening
in the affair and tlttle-tattle quite out
side OF the case, delivered In grandilo-
quent style and ending with the pre-
posterous words addressed to the judg-
es: "If you think Dreyfus innocent.
acqult him, but II you decide him gull
". you must pronounce his condemns
tIoR."
The deputy accompanied this instruc-
tlon to the court with sweeping sest-
ures and turned to leave the stage,
amid roars of laughter from the audi
ence, which De Grandmalson met with
fierce stage-aiIlain look that again
cOnvulsed the court
N. Labori. however, called the depu-
ty back. He wanted to examine sew
eral OF n. De GrandmaIson'a state
ments, but Col. Jounust refused to nl-
low the questions TO be put, ut which
counsel became tremendously lndlg-
nant and insisted upon his right to do
80, and a warm alteration ensued be-
tween the president Of the court and
counsel. The former. however. main
talned his decision, which was indisput-
ably unfair to Dreyfus, and II. Labori
sat down, gagged and boiling over with
Indignation.
Whenever Gen. Mercler was cornered
he declined to answer and Col. Iou-
aust invariably supported him. II.
1.abori protested most energetlcally.
His words and manner breathed the
deepest Indignation, but the president OF
the courtmartIal was inGexible.
4 Marvellous Scene.
The Intervention Of Gems. Gonse, Ro-
get and Dc Bolsdenre and Major Lauth.
who In rapid succession mounted the
stage or rose in their seats and inter-
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