The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-22


Gen. Fabre, former chief of the fourth
bureau of the general staff, was the first
witness today. He said that in his Off
cial capacity he compared the handWrit-
ing of various officers in his bureau in
! Guiding the handwriting of probationary
who had been in the bureau during the
previous year. and who had not favora-
bly, impressed his comrades.
This prObationer Dreyfus, who was re-
garded as untrustWorthy and insincere
in his pretensions, was, according to the
witness, equally disiked by his comrades
and superiOrs; was, Fabre added con-
stantly endeaVoring, by all sorts of
means, to learn the secrets of the plan
of concentration of the Eastern railway
system, and, in his anxiety to secure in
formation, neglected his duties. His Of
hclal duties, witness also said, placed it
IN Dreyfus power to disclose the docu-
ments referred to in the bordereau.
Witness could emphatically deny all
Dreyfus had said on this subject.
When Maj. Bertin showed the witness
the Dordereau, the latter was struck with
the resemblance of the caligraphy Drey-
fus was the only officer who made bad
impression on the bureau, and the opin-
ions of the chiefs of staff and heads of
other departments confirmed witness be-
lief. Gen. Fabre, in conclusion, declared
| he was still as firmly convinced as in
/
the bordereau. (Sensa tion.)
| After M Demange had pointed out the
| discrepancy in Fabre's present state
ments and those he voiced in 1894 Col.
! Jouaust invited Dreyfus to reply. The
prisoner said Gen. Fabre quite correctly
ueSc'|ped the work on which he was en-
! gagged when probatiOner especially en-
/ phaslZlng that he had to keep the dossfer
feIatlng to the concentration centers on
the Eastern system posted up. This was
! not a fictitious task. The prisoners re-
ply was made in calm, measured tones.
ana MS trankness seemed to favorably
impress the judges.
! Col. d'AbbeyvilIe former danutv obiof
Of the fourth bureau, related how Fabre
mad showed him photograph of an
anonymous note, in which the writer in
tmated to his correspondent "evidentlv
dorelgn to the army" that he had con-
hdentaI documents to communicate.
/ The witness told Fabre that the docu-
| mehts mentioned showed the writer could
only be an artillery officer. belonging to
the general staff, who participated in the
| expedition of the headquarters stair in
! June and July, 1894. The position Of Drew
| rus corresponded with those conditions
anu 10 their great surprise" striking
IesgIlpIahce was apparent in the writing
Oh Dreyfus and the anonymous letter
Greater interest in the proceedings was
manifested when the name of the nav+
! W1tness was announced, former Chief of
the detective Department Cochefert who
was present when Dreyfus underwent 49,
6lctatlon test in Du Patty de CLAIMS Of
M. Cochefert declared that bo Lneu- ah
solutely nothing of the Dreyfus "a ca T,,bo,,
lhe minister of war, Gen Mercier sun
Hnoned MIN to confer with him o, tba s11h-
JecI OIL the bordereaU and the susnicions
~ regard to Dreyfus. Gen. Merciar
CocLIeIert continued, asked his advice os
Io 10 .ne procedure which ought to be fol-
CIov~ Gu e' introduced him to Du Patty de
lam, subsequently. after NJ. RertiIio,,s
report, the arrest of Drevf,1e NO. 5Itl S1iIUIi
upon. was ueclded
ARREST OF DREYFUs
me WItness proceeded to descrihA tho
arrest and the famous scene of tbe AZ
al1I .eei3Ii Test TEST SAYING that from the first re-
i-,IN. 'IN uloPped by Du Patty de Clam the
prisoner displayed evident unea e,ras-
Ihen the eX-chief of detectives Dn Pa+,,
de Clam, placing his hand on tho 80
oner's shoulder, said: pms
Capt. Dreyfus, in the name of +ho
minister of war, arrest YOU"
AL the time Of the examination o4
DIeytus' witness gained the imnraee.o,7
--,' elaI ne might be guilty, and so reported
ion. Ills opin'
During this formal examination
Coche1ert added, Dreyfus protested bis
innocence very violently, and declared ho
did not know what they wanted or of
what he was accused. Witness after
wards sealed up the papers Du Patv de-
Clam seized at Dreyfus residence.
Replying to the court Cochefert said
that since his first appearance on ths
scene he had nothing to do with the
Dreyfus affair, which was in the hands
of the military authorities He had NOT
then seen the writing of the bordereau
otherwise his impression might have been
modified.
During the course of his reply, witness
mentioned Esterhazy, but his remark
was inaudible.
After the remarks of NJ. Demange, Col.
| Jouaust invited Dreyfus to speak The
prisoner replied:
mo; will reply when Du Patty de Clam
is here"
NJ. Gribenn, principal archivist of the
headquarters staff, was the next witness.
He testified with great volubiIity and ex-
pressed the opinion that when Dreyfus
was arrested, in 1894, he was enacting a
role by Systematically denying all the
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