The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-30
On the Dreyfus Trial For a
While Tomorrow
For the Purpose of Discussing
Official Documents.
IN FAVOR OFDREYFUS.
Three Experts Give Evidence
Tending to Show
That Prisoner Did Not Write
the BOrdereaus

Rennes. Aug. 3O.-At the opening IN
the Lycee this morning of the thlru
session of the fourth week of the sec
ond trial by court martial of Captain
Alfred Dreyfus of the artillery. charg-
ed with treason. NJ. Paul Meyer, mem
ber of the Institute and director of the
School of Ancient Manuscripts, was the
first witness called. He depOsed in
favor of Dreyfus.
After hearing NJ. Molinier, and Giry
and NJ. Picot, a member of the Insu-
tute, all of whom testified in favor OF
Dreyfus, General de Loye testified
against the prisoner on the artillery
reference in the bOrdereau. Then the
court on the application of the govern
ment commissary, Major Carrlere' or
dered that the opening part OF IoInor-
rows session be behind closed doors,
for the purpose of discussing documents
relating to the artillery.
The evidence of NM. Meyer, Molinier
and Giry. all of whom are handwriting
experts of the first rank, was strong
point for Dreyfus. They We're most en-
phatic in declaring the bOrdereau was
written by Esterhazy and created a
better impression than NJ. Bertillon by
not introducing fantastic diagrams
which the latter deemed necessary.
MERCER WEAKENS.
The action of General Mercier in ask
ing to be allowed to reply to General
MOUnlGr ana IDen SeLLlQB up anu COLI
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 ap-
pears at first sight to indicate that he
wrote it and that MERCER should sup
mort Prof. MOlinier aroused discussion
as to the generals motives There are
some people who see in Mercier's un-
solicited testimony yesterday support
of the honorable nature of M. Matthew
Dreyfus visit to Colonel Sandherr in
1894 in behalf of his brother, and the
generals move today, an indication of
some change of attitude, perhaps a pre-
lude TO candid avowal of his mistakes
OF 1894
On the other hand, many persons
think General MERCER, fearing that
Saturdays exposure will discredit him
altogether with the judges. has con
ceiVed the idea of giving way on GER
tain points which. moreover, are almost
incOntestible and thus, to some extent,
reinstate himself by an affectatiOn of
impartiality.
NJ Picot related an interesting con
versation which he had with the Aus
rO-Hungarian military atUache, Colo
mel Schneider, mention of whose name
evoked a prompt protest from Major
Carriere in the name of the government
and state.
witness admitted that Esterhazy acted
as spy and wrote the bordereau.
GEN ROGET MAKES A PLAY.
General Roget with his usual shrewd-
ness seized upon NJ. PicOt's statement
that Colonel Schneider expressed as
tOnishment 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 Of
hcers, concluding with the remark: I
intervene because when French officers
are attacked they have the right to de-
6end themselves
These words Will be published all over
France and Will tend to make General
Roget more popular with the army.
General de L4Oye repeated his teSti-
mony before the court of cessation re
lating to the. 120 short cannon hydro
pneumatic brake and the Robin shell
Dreyfus in reply made a really clear
statement, explaining that ne saw the
hVdrO-pneumatic brake once at Bour-
ges, once at the school of war. and that
he never saw it used, because while
on the general staff he was not present
It firing practice.
Major Carriere then made his appli-
cation to have the court sit behind
closed doors tomorrow. explaining that
he desired to submit to the court GER
tain documents prepared by the gun
merry bureau, containing information
in public.
The court after deIiberation granted
the application and also ac@eded to the
request of the defence that their wit
ness, Major Hartmann of the artillery
be allowed to be present as he would
give important testimony showing that
DTeyfuS could not have written the
paragraphs in the bordereau concern
ing artillery.
PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL.
Following are the proceedings in de-
tail:
The first witness today NJ. Paul
Meyer, member of the Institute and di-
rector of the School of Ancient Manu-
scripts. described his researches in con
nection with the Dreyfus case. which
led TO his conviction that the bordereau
was not only in Esterhazy's handwrit-.
ing. but was actually written by Ester
hazy.
The witness explained that in his
evidence before the Assizes court he
was unable to be so positive in regard
TO the writer because he had only seen
a fac simile of the bordereau but at
the court of cessation, he saw the orig
inal bordereau.
Il convinced myself said M. Never
by magnifying glass that the bor-
defeau was written in a free hand and
without hesitation, whereas it is pre-
eisely hesitation in the fOrma tion of the
strokes which reveals the use Of a
method Of tracing. I can affirm thar if
IS IN the writing and in the very hand
OF ESterhaZy- That is perfectly clear
to me" CCommotion) At the con
clusioh OF his testimony, the witness
the BertillOn system
ProI- Auguste Molinier of the School
u .AHclenI Manuscripts. gave similar
evidence He said that each fresh ex
aIlIhallon OF the bOrdereau only serv-
eu TO further convince him that II was
the work of Esterhazy. Amid deem ar
tentlon the witness demonstrated how
the conclusions of the experts who at
Sr1buted the bordereaH to Dteyfus were