The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-18
COMMENTS ON THE EVIDENCE.
WHAT MRS. CRAWFORD THINKS OF
THE SEVERAL WITNESSES.
When Deposing Before the Judges
of the Court Martial.

copyrighted, 1899, by Associated Press
Rennes, August 1f.--General Roget, NJ.
Bertuus, the investigating magistrate, the
widow of the late Lieutenant Colonel Hen
ry, and Colonel Picquart were on the stand
today.
Nine, Henry, after NJ. Bertulus had de-
posed, asked leave to speak. She stood
up in stacy manner, raised her left hand
aud said lie demande la parole" Il ask
to be heard) She wanted to contradict
what Bertulus had said regarding the
friendship of her husband and Esterhazy,
She would be a handsome woman did not
the vugarity of the drinking house she
originally came from cling to her. subal-
tern officers revolve around her, but Mer-
cier and the other generals, among whom
she sits, seem embarrassed by her pres
ence, What she said was tiradesiearned
by heart and scarcely evidence It, how
ever. was not wide OF some points that NJ
Bertulus brought out. She wanted to show
tfat Bertulus could not possibly have
wrung an avowal from Henry that he and
EsterhaSy formed an association OF trail
tors.
Her story coincided with what General
Roget said on this subject. So far from
bertulps appearing TO suspect Henry and
crushing the latter with words of suspl-
eion, she said her late husband HAD de-
scrlped that magistrate as Charming"
She said Bcrtuus even embraced Henry
when the latter was taking his leave, cir
cumstances which struck the wife when
she heard of IL, as boding no good. She
Jumped TO the conclusion that falsehood
lay behind the kiss and that Bertulus
was Judas. This idea she then devel-
oped in a passionate peroration that
seemed lesson learned by heart
Nine, Henry was very like the late Nine
Agar, the actress, as she INDUCED In this
piene OF dramatic vengeance.
Nj, Bertuus felt that 1t would never do
TO argue with her for tears We're standing
IN her eyes and the judges were looking
sympathetic. So he said that he pre-
ferred saying nothing to a lady whose
griel ne respected and whose angry excite
ment he pardoned.
General Roget again today showed ex-
,raofdinary forensic ability. do not
know what the military worth is OF the
generals who are acting here as witnesses,
but do wonder at the old Judges of the
court OF cessation being Jealous of their
arsnmentative capacity, their skill in turn
ing case inside out. in puzzlng innuendo,
IN casuistry and In elegant verbal facility.
MERCER Is Wonderful In these respects
blilot IL not Inferior TO him. but Roget Is
the best In forensic skin, acumen and ag-
gressiveness. Roget Is very able man.
he Is the son OF u gendarme in the gov
ernment He Is fair, rather English look
ing regular in features and cool ana de-
nnerate IN manner. He speaks distinctly
ana rather slowly, but does not fall into
the defect In which Nine. Henry fell, OF
making every syllable long one.
Dreyfus was under Roget as an outsider
at the general staff and seemed tortured
by his arguments and the points he mauc.
judges and We're intended to poison their
minds. Finally be could stand 1t no long
err and. starting up. his eyes cleaning
with anger, cried; ''You deal only In argu-
mentation I have listened to you for
hours without hearing q single fact"
There were nevertheless some facts to-
day. but they were adduced to destroy the