Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-01
Dreyfus Succeeds in Clearing Up One
Charge Against Him.
GERMAIN'S TESTIMONY REFUTED
Artillery Expert Declares Bordereau
Was Written by Ignoramus.
PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL

RENNES. September 1.-Immediately af-
ter the opening of the Dreyfus trial this
morning the president of the court, Col.
Jouaust, aroused the interest of the audi
ence by remarking:
"Maitre Labori, the other day, asked that
information be obtained regarding the
character of a certain witness. l would not
have acceded If the witness had not ex-
pressed a similar desire. Information which
has now reached me will be read
The clerk of the court accordingly read
a report regarding NJ. du Brieul. the Paris
ian friend of NJ. de Beaurepaire who tes-
titled August 23 to the effect that Dreyfus
met German attache at the house Of a
mutual friend named Bodson, and whose
cross-examination reflected severely on his
reputation. The report was to the effect
that NJ. du Brieul never was a horse deal
er, as claimed by NJ. Labor, and that the
character of the witness was most respect
able he being held in general esteem.
A groom named German then deposed
to seeing Dreyfus at the German army ma
neuvers in A!sace Col. Jouaust questioned
Dreyfus on this point.
The general effect of the testimony of the
witness was rather unfavorahle to the
prisoner. Germain declared he saddled
horse for Dreyfus to follow the maneuv-
ers, and he said that Maj. 1nfreville ac-
companied Dreyfus, adding that the major
told the witness the name of his COM
panion.
Col Jouaust questioned Dreyfus, and al
though he did not confound the prisoner
in any way, Dreyfus made a weak reply IN
declaring that he could not remember
whether he hired horses of Germans en-
ployer or not.
The next two witnesses, however, gave
strong testimony in favor of Dreyfus and
sadly knocked Germains testimony about.
His employer. a man named kuhman, got
up and declared that all German had said
was untrue, and Major Infreville followed
and declared he never knew Dreyfus, SO
Germains illusions to him were baseless.
Captain LIE Monnier, who was proba-
toner on the headquarters staff at the
same time as Dreyfus, deposed that the
prisoner told him he was we'll acquainted
with a certain German position, because ha
had followed the Alsatian maneuvers.
Can't LIE Nonnfer Mistaken.
Dreyfus replied that Captain LIE Monniel
must have mixed up his remarks. The prts-
oner added that he was acquainted with
that part of Alsace because he had spent
his youth there, and not because he was
d
army there.
A witness named vfllon then told tala
of how he overheard a conversation in
Berlin cafe between two German officers,
in which a remark was made that mobili-
zation plans were expected from Dreyfus.
The cafe however, has since disappeared,
and, as there are no means OF verifying
Vilon's story, it certainly should not have
much effect on the judges.
Two or three witnesses, in support OF
Dreyfus artillery questions We're next
heard, and Commissary Fischery testified
that he was charged to investigate the
leakage OF documents at the gunnery school
at Bourges and found nothing to incrimin-
ate Dreyfus.
Lieut. Bernheim testified that he lent
Esterhazy documents dealing with artillery
and was unable to get them back, and Ar
tillery Lieutenant Brugere, who attended q
gunnery course at Chalons, testified that II
was easy for an outsider to obtain par
ticulars about the guns He said that he.
himself, had on one occasion lent his nr1na
manual to an infantry officer
General Roget asked to be confronted with
the witness and said the latter wrote NJ
Cavaisnac then minister of war, violent
letter of resignation, in which he declared
it was a dishonor to serve in the French
army.
This declaration caused scene for Lieu.
tenant Brugere, turning to General Roget
cried:
II protest against General Roget's words
1 affirm that 1 never said any such thing"
General Roget then backed down. saying;
well, that was the general sense of tha
letter"
The Audience Dfsgusted.
A roar Of disgust came from the audience
at this apparent underhandedness upon th(
part of the general and Lieut.. Brugera
again emphatically declared Gen. Roget
was wrong.
Maitre Labori. leading counsel for the
defense and Col. Jouaust agreed that tho
letter should be obtained from the ministry
of war and read in court. The lieutenant
expressed satisfaction at this step, while
the general returned to his scat with less
buoyancy than he left 1t.
The next witness, Capt Carvalho hand.
some young artillery officer, proved an ex-
cellent reinforcement for Dreyfus. He gave
his evidence clearly and boldly and en-
phatically declared that there were no spe-
cial precautions to keep the mechanism Of
the '12o short gun secret. Moreover. he
added from April. 1894. the artillery off,
GERS had a description Of the gun brake
given them.
Here" said Capt. Carvalho. sis an
actual copy of the manual. which l hand
over to the court-martial.'
NJ Labori then had an animated discus
sion with Col. Jouaust. who at first refused
counsei's request to read letter which the
latter had received yesterday evening sign
ed "Corningue.' setting forth that the fir.
ing manual had been copied by men re-
ferred to as a. and "B."
CO.. Picquart. in reply to NJ. Labori, con-
firmed the statements named in the letter,
and said he thought Major Lauth could say
on that point, whereupon the
major rose and declared he did not know
"Corningue."
NJ. Labori then asked to be allowed to
question Major Lauth, but Col. Jouaust re-
fused. Counsel insisted, but Col. Jouaust
waved him down. whereupon NJ. Labori
cried:
you suppress all awkward questions"
(Sensation.)
The government commissary, Major Car
riere, said:
II desire to point out that the defense il