Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-08-26

RENNEs, Aug. 26.-When the opening
Of the fifth session of the third week OF
the second trial by courtmartial of Cap
tain Alfred Dreyfus of the artillery,
charged with treason, occurred, tine
clerk of the court read a medical GER
titicate, signed by two doctors whose
names We're unknown to the audience
declaring it was impossible for Colonel
Du Patty de Clam to leav his bed, come
to Rennes and testify.
Maitre Labori, leading counsel for the
defense, asked the president of the
court, Colonel Jouaust, TO instruct two
weIl-kuown medical men to examine
Du Patty de Clam, but Colonel Jouaust
refused.
Rowland Strong, an English news.
paper man, was then called to the wit
ness bar and deposed to the fact that
Major Count Esterhazy confessed to
him that he wrote the famous bor-
dereau.
Replying to the court, Mr.. Strong
said tuat Esterhazy, while admitting
the authorship of the bordereau, said
the documents enumerated in it had
been betrayed by Dreyfus to Germany.
NJ. Henri Well, i former officer of
the headquarter' staff, was then called,
but he was absent and his deposition
was read. The facts i'll the case were
published April 20. NJ. Weiil's state
ment, i'll substance, was that Esterhazy
told him III 1894 that Dreyfus was inno-
cent, but that tnis would not prevent
his conviction, because he was "a Jew.
Sensation.
4 brief discussion ensued regarding
the character of Colonel Picquart's for
mer orderly, Savaignaud, who testified
The day before 60 posting letters IN May
and June, 1897, addressed by the colo
nei to NJ. Schuerrer-kestner, the former
vice president of the senate, who was
prominent i'll obtaining revision of the
Dreyfus case. During this discussion
Savaignaud protested that he had been
contounded with bandsman of the
same name who had bad character.
\ former sergeant, who was at one
time employed i'll the war office, testi-
fed to seeing Dreyfus copying tine list
of railroad stations mentioned in the
plan of mobilization, to which Dreyfus
replied:
at is true, but copied the list by or
der of Captain Besse." Sensation.
The evidence OF the handwriting ex-
perts followed. NJ. Colbert referred to
his 80 years of service during which he
had reported on thousands of docu-
meDts and added, visibly affected: 81
protest against the term interested ex-
pert. adding, turning toward the prls-
oper, "ifter all have no right to COM
PLAN when | look at this unfortunate
plan now before You Great sensa-
ton
The court closely followed NJ. Co.
bert's exhaustive story of his examina-
ton of the bordereau and his interview
with Generals Mercier, De Boisdeffre
and Gonse.
NJ. Colbert asserted that the handwrit-
ing OF the bordereau was natural and
fluent, but that it was almost illegible,
whereas Dreyfus, even when writing
rapidly, always wrote most legibly.
The witness asked General Gonse if
an envelope accompanied the bordereau,
as he, NJ. Colbert, wished to see what
the writer's careful cahgraphy was like,
explaining that the address of letter
is always in a firmer hand than its con-
tents.
General Gonse refused the request on
the ground that the witness must not
know the name of the addresSee.
General Gonse, it appears from the
testimony, vas greatly enraged when
he learned of the result of NJ. Gobert's
examination OF the bordereau and WIS.,
tied the expert repeatedly. The latter
always insisted upon learning the name
of the suspect.
The witness described how, from an
examination of an official report on
Dreyfus. from which Dreyfus' name
had been removed, NJ Colbert had the
malicious satisfaction of telling General
Gonse the name of the officer they
wanted to arrest.
1t was after NJ. Colbert had refused to
Dreyfus that M. BertilIon
the bordereau, and, after few hours
study, NJ. Berulllon positively attributed
the bordereau to Dreyfus.
Colonel Jouaust asked NJ. Colbert for
d more definite criticism of the border
eau, and the witness replied that he no.
ticed certain similarities between the
of the bOrdereau and that
of Dreyfus, out, he added, there were
many important differences which
proved to hlm that Dreyfus was not the
author OF the bordereau, and his opin-
ion had since been confirmed, because it
was now proved the bordereau was the
work OF Esterhazy. [Sensation.
Replying to the court NJ. Colbert sug-
gested that the judges compare the bor-
dereau with letter admitted to be Ill
handwriting and dated
from Rouen, Aug. II, 1884, and with
documents written by the prisoner.
lyon will then unmistakably recog-
uize," Nj. Colbert added, "that the bor-
ereau is i'll EsterhaZy' s handwriting and
not i'll the handwriting of Dreyfus."
Great sensation. The witness ut this
Iuncture identified the borderauu us the
came which was submitted to him and
he proceeded to point out the identity
Of letters therein with letters in docu.
ments admittedly written by Esterhazy,
saying that while the resemblance was
not apparent in Dreyfus' handwriting
III Esterhazy's there were marked pecu-
liarities of punctuation and the manner
OF beginning the lines, which were also
III the bordereau, but which
were no; found i'll the prisoners calig-
raphy.
Proceeding, the witness traversed the
old ground OF the peculiarities of the
tracing paper which it is known Ester
hazy used and said the date of the bor-
dereau must be July "a, 1894.
General Gonse asked permission to
question M. Colbert and said:
In what army list did you look for
the name of Dreyfus?"
NJ. Gobert-I used the list which is
generally kept Ill business houses.
The general pointed out that this list
lid not give the information claimed
BY NJ. Colbert. But the latter main
tanned that he had stated nothing but
the pure and simple truth.
General Gonse having alluded to GER
Laiu undesirable ocnrointanceS formed