The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-26

saying HIS explanations would be UNDER
stoon only by very limited number, there
fore he asked the ocurt 60 permit him to
refer TO documents which he had brought
In order 90 make his evidence more IN
telIlRible. (Laughtsr.
Il The specialist then unpacked the photo
graphs, plane, etc., and another table
was brought In for the mass OF papers
prcduosd.
In monotonous tones, M. Bertiilon pro-
/ decided In the manner Of q schooIboy recit-
ing lesson to demonstrate technicslly
how he reached the conviction of Drey
fus's guilt. reciting the facts published
April ~ He said he proposed TO prove
to the court. tirst, that the bordereau was
a doctored document; second. that IL could
only be manufactured by the prisoner;
third, that It had been written in a free
hand by means of key word placed be-
meath tracing paper in such way as to
be quits visible. The witness declared
Dreyfus did not have recourse TO Initial
! ing ksterhazy's free handwriting because
IL required too long 20 study and he used
the tracing process because 10 was easier
to learn and more likely to he successful
| With the view Of illustrating his mean
ing Nj. Bertillon handed round photo
graphs of the bordereau and during tbs
course OF denomination the specialist.
with his finger, pointed out Illustrations
I of his theories.
NJ. Demanze and Labor, the judges and
Others, gathered In a group around the
witness. Dreyfus appeared to be stupe-
fled by the comparatively incomprehen-
sihle 1argon and many OF the audience
left the court. Suddenly the waning
attention of those remaining In the hall
was revived by the crlptographic remark
enunciated by NJ. Bertillon. in low
tones: 1--WE clearly have before us a
fabricated document. The one word al
ways rests upon the other with as diver
l 80 4 n
| tres. That is phenomenon which Is un-
! usual"
Nj. Labor . watched the specialist for
q few moments and then returned 10 his
seah holding up both hands and exclaim-
Ing: III is most extraordinary"
NJ. Bertillon continued his exhibitions
and caused such a whirl In the brains of
his hearers that Col. Jouaust finally re-
marked: 1--WE must have few minutes
rest
When the session OF the court resumed,
hi. Bertillon made further demonstra-
lions. He compared words Of the bordereau
with words in the documents of compare
sun. Leaning on the judges bench he
| placed the entire bordereau over q graphic
canvas and proceeded to show that by do
| ing so Dreyfus succeeded In formulating
the principal rules which served to guide
him, remarking that any copyist pofssss-
| Ing key to these rules could learn to
reproduce the entire bordsreau.
The witness continuing, proceeded to
demonstrate the practicability of this.
When persons ar3 accused, he said, Ii is
not sufficient TO meet the charge with
denials, but IL Is necessary to prove that
| they have not done what they are charged
with. In this case the handwriting was
disguised. There is, therefore. pres ump-
| tive proof that the prisoner Is guilty.
After this, M. Bertillon pointed out
that five questions in the bordereau were
traced in the same manner and added,
81 had reached this point in my expert
ments when I was summoned TO the
CheIos Midi prison BY Major de ornes.
chsville. The Major explained that he
| wished personal opinion In cryto-
| graphic methods, sympathetic inks,
etc., which might help the family of
Dreyfus In corresponding with him. The
request was partly due to the fact that
q number Of letters addressed to the pris-
oner by his family had been received by
the govern ment."
! During the course of the interview
Major D'Ormescheville produced one of
these letters. had hardly cast my eyes
on 1t than was astonished to notice the
same kind OF a negative 80" with which
had been so struck. 1t was in a letter
from Mime. Dreyfus. The specialist then
pointed out how he found the same Pc
| culiarities Of Dreyfus's handwriting In
the letters OF other members of his family
and proceeded TO give long and perfect-
ly unintslliRible exposition designed to
dem onstrate that this proved tbs guilt
OF the prisoner. The audience, quite in
the dark regarding the meaning of the
technicalities, punetuated the queer sx-
pressions with peals OF laughter.
"My theory" said the witness, Twas
in 1894, considered by the ministry OF war
| TO be favorable to the prisoner. II the de-
fence accepted it theyisaid the long inves.
| tiration would have to be recommended
and So" Here the witness raised his
| IA Ia Wi h 4a Het
when the word grille perforated card
used for oyphers) was uttered at the court
martial OF 1894, the prisoners face con-
| tracted. When spoke Of fabrication of the
bordereau he exclaimed. oh, the wretch,
| he saw me write them.' l did not hear
the remark, but when it was repeated to
me it was reve lation. for If innocent thu
word fabrication would have delighted
instead Of Tightening him."
Dreyfus listened iinpassibly to this
TRADE. The audience again became ami
mated when M. Bertillon announced he
would give pratical demonstration of
how the bordereau was fabricated by
means Of key word. The witness seated
at table began to copy the bordereau
on shest of paper. After a quarter of
| an hour Col. Jouaust suggested that
1t was not necessary to copy Tho en-
tire bordereau TO iiniah the demon
stration, and III. bertillon rose and showed
the judges the result of his labor, remark
| Ing: II was In u bad position. The
audience concluded from this remark that
the experiment bad not succeeded and
the expression of the judges seemed to
bear out this opinion.
The court adjourned for the day at
/ IL. As a. m.
| at the close of proceeding crowd sur
rounded III. Labor, anxious to know his
opinion of NJ. Bertilfon's imitation bor-
dereau. The lawyer answered that so far
as he could judge by hurried glance 1t
contained a resemblance to the original,
but by no means any identity with the
| document. "But that is all, he added.
He only did what dozens could do. 1t
only proves that he Is clever forger; that
is all.