The record-union., 1899-08-26
The Handwriting Expert Gives Tss-
tImony in Dreyfus Case.
While the Friends of the Accused Ridicule
His Theories Of Evidence,
Yet They Realize That It is Likely
to Have Great Weight With the
Judges of the Court-MartiaI-
Detailed Account of the Testi-
mony at Yesterdays Session.

mony at Yesterdays Session.
RENNES, Aug. 25.-After M Bertil-
Ion, the handwriting expert, who is al
the head of the anthropometric depart
ment of the Prefecture of Police OF
Paris, had concluded the first Install
ment of his so-called demonstration OF
the guilt of Captain Dreyfus, a promi-
nent Dreyfusard referred to him as the
I'm de steele cagliostro. The Dreyfus-
ards refuse to regard him as anything
but the prince of quacks. They cover
his remarks with ridicule, and pro-
test that the admission of his fantastic
theories as evidence before the court
martial is a disgrace to France. "C'est
unehonte" was the remark heard on al
sides when the session closed, and the
audience, mainly made up of Drey-
fusards, was being pressed outside by
the gendarmeS, who clear the court
room as soon as the court adjourns.
Nevertheless, even the Dreyfusards
do not deceive themselves as to the ef-
feet of NJ. Bertillons testimony or dem
onstration' may have upon the Judges
the Dreyfusards consider spurious AL
the Judges have passed through the
Ecole Polytechnique, the highest school
of science in France, and they are thus
peculiarly interested in such evidence
as that of Bertillon. Moreover, with
the aid of innumerable diagrams and
specimens Of writing which he submits
to them, they may be able to follow
his reasoning intelligibly which is more
than any member of the audience could
do to-day.
If the Judges accept Bertillons prem
ises-that Dreyfus as an expert spy, did
not write in ordinary handwriting, but
in close imitation, even contriving tC
give letters the appearance of having
been traced, in order to be able to re-
pudiate them as a forgery if detected
then the structure built upon this
groundwork may be scientifically cor
rect. Even Dreyfus, when shown Ber-
tillon's denominations, admitted the in
i5erstrit-r and plausibiIity of the systenl,
though he naturally declared that it
was built upon a false basis.
The Echo de Paris" announced to-
day that the counsel of Dreyfus had OBJ
mentioned in the bordereau in Ester
Hays handwriting, which they would
produce in court next week as a coup
de theater. The correspondent of the
Associated Press inquired as to this
in competent Dreyfusard quarters this
afternoon. He was assured that the
statement was erroneous, but was also
told that the defense intended. in the
event of Captain Dreyfus being recon
demned, to ask the German Govern
ment to communicate these documents
proving his innocence, and that they
had reason to believe such a request
would be granted
YESTERDAYS TESTIMONY.
RENNES, Aug. 25-The opening of
to-day's session of Dreyfus' second trial
by court-martial occurred at $50 this
morning, without any extraordinary in.
cidents. The clerk of the court read
a medical certificate, signed by two
doctors, declaring it was impossible for
Du Patty de Clam to leave his bed to
come to Rennes and testify.
NJ. Labori, leading counsel for the
defense, asked the President of the
court, Colonel Jouaust, to instruct two
we'll known medical men to examine
Du Patty de Clam, but Colonel Jouaust
refused.
Rowland Strong, an English newspa-
per man, was then called to the wit
ness stand, and he deposed to the fact
that Major Count Esterhazy confessed
to him that he wrote the famous bor-
dereau.
The next witness was M. Colbert, an
expert of the Bank of France, who can
claim the honor of being the first man
in France to have declared in favor of
Dreyfus. He reported, on examining
the documents in the case, that Ester
hazy, not Dreyfus, wrote the border
eau.
The witness opened his deposition
with brief, personal statement, pro-
testing against being characterized as
a doubtful expert" by the military
party.
But" he added, in tones of por-
found pity, and turning towards Drey-
fus, Il have no right to complain, and
am silent when I see before me the
unfortunate man who sits there"
murmur Of approval from the aud
fence greeted these words of sympathy
NJ. Colbert then repeated the evidence
he had given before the Court of Cas-
sation. He gave his testimony in a
clear, convincing manner, and was
most emphatic in attributing the bor-
dereau to Esterhazy.
Answering questions Of the Judges.
M. Colbert declared his conviction that
the bordereau was written in a run
ming natural hand, and said there was
no tracing or other trickery.
General Gonse asked to be confront
ed with M. Colbert, and put a number
of questions, over one or two of which
the witness stumbled to the infinite
satisfaction of the military witnesses,
who smiled and exchanged joyful
glances.
Nj. Bertillon, the noted anthropome-
ter, was called as the next witness. He
wore dark blue frock coat and car
ried high hat in his hand. NJ. Ber-
tillon requested permission to bring his
drAagrams and papers. The request was
granted. and M. Bertillon retired for
moment. returning at the head of a
squad composed of an infantry sergeant
and four privates, all staggering under
the weight OF immense leather satchels,
bulging with documents, charts, etc,
which they deposited on the stage as