The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-23

murderously assaulted Aug. IA, was
present in court this morning at the
beginning of the second day of the
third week of the second trial by court
martial of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus of the
artillery, charged with treason. The
! proceedings opened at $3.50 a. m.
The arrival of M. Labori at the Lycee
was the signal for extraordinary en-
thusiasm. AS M. Labori, still accom-
panied by Madame Labori and a ply
sician, entered the court room, the au-
dience GREETED him by standing up and
| there was a general roar of applause,
accompanied by the clapping of
hands.
At first the audience seemed to be
apprehensive that Colonel Jousaust,
president of the court, might treat the
| applause Of M. Labori as a demonstra-
ton which would warrant him in clear
| ing the court.
Dreyfus entered the court room soon
after, and after having saluted the
| judges, turned to NJ. Laborf with out
stretched hands, a smile of keen pleas
ure lighting his pale and usually i'm
| passive features. The lawyer took the
prisoners hand and shook it warmly,
whereupon Dreyfus gave him another
| look of gratitude and took his seat in
| front of the counsers table with his
back toward them.
Colonel Jousaust next read an ad-
| dress to M. Labori, the tone being quite
sympathetic. The lawyer made an i'm
! passioned reply.
Labori's reply to the president con-
siderably fatigued him and he sat down
flushed and holding his side. He after
ward once or twice nervously twitched
| his fingers and an expression fitted
over his face as though he were suf-
| fering. Nine. Rejane, the celebrated
actress, was among those present in
court to-day.
The first witness to-day was M. Gre
nier, former prefect of Balfort His
testimony was favorable to Dreyfus
and distinctly hostile to Esterhazy.
Major Rolin of the intelligence de-
partment was asked by Labori during
the course of the formers testimony
how certain documents of a later date
than Mercier's ministry came into Mer-
cier's possession. Rolln said it was
! not his business to explain, but counsel
| insisted, asking whose business it will
be. Finally Labori asked Jousaust to
| request Mercier to explain. The gen.
! eral rose and said he declined to an
swer Labori insisted, but Mercier s i'll
! refused to answer and Major Carriere.
y,
| him on the ground that the eXamina-
ton was entering upon a matter which
/ ought not in the interest of the country
! to be discussed publicly. Labori then
! declared in a loud voice that he would
reserve to himself the right to take the
necessary measures to obtain the de-
/ sired information.
The next point was made by Dreyfus
| in his reply to Rollin. The latter had
remarked that all the prisoners papers
were seized when his rooms were
/ searched in 1894 and that certain pa
pers from his text book, THE School of
| War" were found missing.
To this the prisoner retorted: mot
| in 1894. my colonel"
This caused some sensation. as the
obvious Interpretation rswas that the
| pages were torn out at the war office
and that the fact was urged against
| him as an insinuation that he commu
ncated the missing pages to foreign
agents.
NJ. Ferrel, former secretary Of the
war office. next testified to seeing
| Dreyfus prying into other officers
work during their absence and the
prisoner replied, eXcitedly that Fer
rels statements We're concoctions by
| the former minister of war, which
| caused sensation.
! Then in cooler manner the prisoner
made statement, explaining the diff
! culties in the way of a civilian, such as
| Ferrel, entering the offices of the gen.
! eral staff. The general thercun1n pre-
sented two letters to he effect that the
| writer's, both of whom were civilians,
obtained easy admittance to the offices.
| Dreyfus retorted that the regulations
| were very strict in this respect, and
| therefore some persons were guilty of
| gross breach of discipline, and De-
mango scored by adding that If entry
| fhAe, TNfJtn CIV 1yyo
procure the Information Dreyfus was
alleged to have obtained so surrep-
| tftiously.
| A Virulent Enemy
The next witness, Lieutenant Colonel
| Bertin, who was the head of the Drey-
| fus office in 1894, showed himself to be
a most virulent enemy of the prisoner.
He had evidently learned his testimony
| by heart and reclaimed it III n Str!'lent
aggressive tone, which grated upon the
ears of the audience. Some of his re-
marks particularly his declarations
| that he was convinced of Dreyfus' guilt
| by Bertilon's chart, and his introduc-
tion of Esterhazy's statements against
Dreyfus, ELECTED general smiles.
Esterhazy Rake.
M. Grenier. former prefect of Belfort.
was the first witness called. He said
he considered Esterhazy to be an IL
responsible parsonage. Esterhazy, he
continued, was the orderly of witness
father. who always praised his fidelity
and devotion, but Esterhazy even then
was disappointed man. He was al
ways complaining of deception, grumb-
ling at fate and living in great style
| without means to uphold it. He
! squandered successive legacies The
witness said he introduced EsterhaZy
to NJ. Jules Roche, reporter of the bud
get of the minister of war, as an
educated. intelligent officer. capable of
| explaining military technicalities. No
ter qualified for this than Esterhazy
| who speaks every European languag ge