The Van Buren press., 1899-09-02

| OSSu
RenneS, Aug. 31.-At the opening in
the Lycee of the third session of the
fourth week of the court-martial of
Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, NJ. Paul Meyer
member of the institute and director
OF the school of ancient manuscripts,
was the first witness called. He de,
posed in favor of Dreyfus.
Closed Session Thursday.
After hearing NM. Molinier and Giry
and M. Picot, a member of the insti.
tute, all of whom testified in favor OF
Dreyfus, Gen. Deloye testified against
the prisoner on the artillery references
in the bordereau. Then the court, on
the application of the government
comrnissary, Maj. Carriere. ordered
that the opening part of Thursdays
session be behind closed doors, fol-
the purpose of discussing documents
relating to the artillery.
Strong Point For Dreyfus.
The evidence of MN. Meyer, Mo,
lier and Giry, all of whom are hand,
writing experts of the first rank, was
a strong point for Dreyfus. They
were most emphatic in declaring the
bordereau was written by Esterhazy,
and created better impression than
NJ Bertillon by not Introducing tha
fantastic diagrams which the latter
deemed necessary.
Puzzled the Audience.
The action of Gen. Mercier in ASH
ing to be allowed to reply to Gen.
Molinier, and then getting up and con-
firming the professors statement that
Esterhazy changed his handwriting
since 1894, puzzled the audience. That
Esterhazy should have deemed it ad-
visable to change his handwriting
since the date of the bordereau, which
appears, at first sight, to indicate that
he wrote it, and NJ. Mercier should
support Prof. Molinier, aroused dis
cussion as to the generals motives.
How Some Look at 1t.
There are some people who see III
Merciers unsolicited testimony, Tues
day, in support of the honorable ma
ture of NJ. Matthew Dreyfus' visit TO
Col. Sandhcrr, in 1894, in behalf of
his brother, and the generals move
to-day, an indication of some change
of attitude, perhaps prelude to Il
candid avowal of his mistakes of 1894.
On the other hand, many persons
think Gen. MERCER, fearing that Sat
urday's exposure will discredit him
altogether with the judges, has con-
ceived the idea of giving way on GER
tain points, which, moreover, are al
most incontestible, and thus, to some
extent, reinstate himself by an affec,
tation of impartiality.
Evoked Protest.
NJ Picot related an interesting con-
versation which he had with the
Austro-Iungarian military attache,
| Col. Schneider, mention of whose
name evoked a prompt protest from
Maj. Carriere, in the name of the gov
crnment and state. Col. Schneider
according to this witness, admitted
that Esterhaly acted as "A spy and
wrote the bordereau.
shrewd Gen. Roget.
Gen Roget, with his usual shrewd-
ness, seized upon NJ. Picot's statement
that Col. Schneider expressed astonish-
ment that French officers should have
the bad taste to question the word of
foreign officers, to mount the plat
form and make a short speech in de-
| tense of the attitude of the French
officers, concluding with the remark:
~ intervene, because when French Of
ficers are attacked, they have the right
to defend themselves"
| These words will be published all
over France and will tend to make
| Capt. Roget more popular with the
army.
| Gen. DeIoyc's Testimony.
Gen. Deloye repeated his testimony
before the court of cessation relating
to the 12O short cannon hydro-pneu-
matte brake and the Robin shell.
| Dreyfus, in reply, made really clear
statement, explaining that he saw the
| hydro-pneumatic brake once at Bour-
ges, once at he school of war, and
that he never saw it used because,
while on the general staff, he was
never present at firing practice.
Mai. Carriere's Application.
Maj. Carriere then made his appli-
| cation to have the court sit behind
closed doors Thursday, explaining that
he desired to submit to the court GER
tain documents prepared by the gun
merry bureau, containing information
which it was not desirable to discuss
in public.
Granted By the Court.
The court, after deliberation, grant
ed the application and also acceded to
the request of the defense that their
witness, Maj. Hartmann, of the artil-
lery. be allowed 10 be present, as he
would give important testimony show
inc that Dreyfus could not have writ
ten the paragraphs in the bordereau
concerning artillery.
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