The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03
LAB0RI SCORES AGAIN.
Gonse Forced to Admit That He Tampered
With Picquart's Letters Prisoner Did
Not Apply for Permission to At
tend Maneuvers Military
Clique Is Frightened.

Rennes, Sept. 2.-Elation is the only
word that expresses the feelings Of the
Dreyfusites after today's work. The
tide has turned at last, they say, and
Dreyfus can not be condemned after
the evidence given this morning. The
spirits of the Dreyfusards are quite
mercurial. Every day since the open
ing of the trial has seen them rise or
fall; and recently they have been fall
| ing, the morning sessions usually find
| ing them in anxious condition. Today's
buoyancy, therefore is all the more
good day, but todays session, they
claim, puts the verdict out of doubt,
and the judges must acquit Dreyfus.
Maj. Hartman of the artillery occu-
pied nearly half the session with the
conclusion of his expert evidence to
the effect that. Dreyfus, as an artillery
officer, would not have displayed such
| ignorance regarding guns as was shown
in the boFdereau, while the other sub
jects of the bordereau were matters
upon which any officer could inform his
| friends. Maj HarGnan's testimony
| stood uncontested, as Gen. MERCER, who
replied. failed to refute any material
point therein.
M Hayet, a member of tie institute,
then entered upon the grammatical as
pect of the bordereau, and, in vigorous,
but elegant language, devoted himself
to showing that the construction of the
bordereau bristled with strong and-in
his opinion---c6nclusive marks of Ester
hazy work; while the phraseology bore
no resemblance to Dreyfus style.
The next stage of the proceedings
was the reading of the Gonse-P icquart
correspondence exchanged at the time
Col. Picquart suspected Esterhazy and
wanted Gen. Gonse to probe the matter
to the bottom. This brought M. Labor
to the front, and in a series Of ques-
lions he brought out sharply before
the court the Vaccinations of which
Col. Picquart was the victim from the
moment that he showed a desire to
sift the matter.
M. Labori for the first time got Gen
Gonse to admit that he ordered the
tampering with Picquart's letters, in
order, as he said, to ascertain Pic
quarts doings while he was chief of the
intelligence bureau. A little later, NJ.
Labor evidently disconnected Gen.
Gonse, for the latter blurted out that
Lieut.. Col. Henry committed his forgery
IN orQer 10 nave 1reSn proofs against
Dreyfus. The audience smiled audibly
at this exclamation.
Finally, on Roget declaring that
Dreyfus might have written, Il am go
ing to the maneuvres," before he could
have asked special permission which
is invariably granted Maitre Demange
asked him if there was any proof that
Dreyfus did ask such permission. To
this Roget replied, II don't know; no
trace has been found of his application"
This answer broughta chorus of "oh'st"
from the audience, because, had Drey-
fus asked traces would easily haN Q
been forthcoming. Roget then said
that Dreyfus might have asked verbal
ly in which case no trace of his appli-
cation could be found.
quite so" rejoined Maitre Demange,
"but the head of the bureau could be
asked whether any such suggestion was
made"
This ended the session, which was one
of the most interesting and infinitely
the most favorable to Dreyfus yet held.
The military witnesses followed the evil
dence with ell their eyes and ears, cx-
changing condolences which, Judging
from the expression on their faces, were
evidently far from agreeable.