Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-23

permit you to resume your duties, to-
day" Applause).
In spite of the presidents exhortation
not to fatigue himself NJ. Labor re-
piled:
Monsieur le President: Permit me,
Notwithstanding my weakness and
emotion, to say word in reply to
those you have done me the honor to
address to me in such touching terms.
1t was for me a visitation of a partic-
ularly painful nature to be struck down
at the time when this case was be-
ginning to realize my beautiful dream
of the last few years. namely, to plead
this case in all its amplitude before a
tribunal of soldiers. That was my as
piration. and that will explain to you
my emotion and sorrow, as we'll as
my joy, today. l will not revert to
that but l wish to thank all of my
friends or foes or Indifferent people.
who have honored me with these signs
Df sympathy, of which | am deeply
sensible. l thank you. Mr.. President
and members of the courtmartial and
also | thank all of the eminent men
who have expressed their sympathy,
though | have not the honor of know
ing them except in the course of these
long struggles in which we have met
and in the progress of which the faces
of our adversaries end by smiling a
little, like the faces of friends. or, at
least, like those of old acquaintance.
| thank you. friends and colleagues,
even the humblest correspondents, who
have done me the honor to write to
me without giving me their address.
l.,
though coming from the humblest
abodes. We're also the most sincere
and the most touching.
| resume my place in court. rather
to hear than to speak. If l am less
active | shall bring no less conscien-
tiousness nor less good temper into my
work 1t is a difficult task we are all
performing. You who are the arbters
and who will render justice-we, the
auxiliaries. But all of this will help
us on. for we shall have the sense OF
duty done.
Let us now continue the proceedings
in which we have yet to pass through
many vicissitudes. Thanks to the full
ness of these Investigations, we snail
see emerge from them perfect truth
and complete justice making for peace
In conclusion, NJ. Labor remarked
that they now had the right to hope
and declared the protests and recrimi-
nations after the success Of the work
of justice must be regarded as mad
missahlc. and that ii must be known
that error has ever Il larger share in
human affairs than treachery.' CAP
plause).
The eminent lawyer, whose face
showed emotion and fatigue. seated
himself amid prolonged hand ClappinS.
NJ. Grenier former project Of Belfort
was the first witness called. He said
he considered Esterhazy to be an ire
sponsble parsonage. Esterhazy. he
continued. was the orderly officer Of
the witness father. who always praised
his fidelity and devotion. Nevertheless
Esterhazy even then was a disappoint-
ed man He was always complaining
of deception, Srumbling at fate and
living in great style without means to
uphold it. He suuandercd successive
legacies.
The witness said he introduced t,s-
terhazy to NJ. Jules Roche. reporter of
the Budget Of the minister Of war. who
wanted an educated. intelligent officer
capable Of explaining military techni-
calities. No one, according To NJ. Grcn-
Ter. was better qualified for this than
Esterhazy. who spoke every European
language. ana was thoroughly posted
on military science and general mill
tary history of Europe.
At E,sterhazy's request. the witness
made numerous attempts to get the
former into the ministry of war, which
Estcrhazy declared was necessary in
order to enable him to pass for 4 lieu
tenant colonel.
NJ. Grenier continued that at that
time F,sterhazy attributed the resis-
lance which he encountered to various
people including the late Lieut.. col
Henry. But when the witness reas-
sured Esterhazy on this point. the lat
tDr exclaimed: 1T is the last thing |
should expect for Henry to he nasty.
col. Jouaust-"Did Esterhazy tell
YOU he believed in the innocence of
DreyfuS?
The witness could not reply definitely
TO this question He said his recOllec-
lions were not sufficiently exact he
rancied Estcrhazy had said 50, but he
could not swear to il.
Lieut.. COL. Rollin Of the intelligence
danartmcnt. was the next witness. lie
described the spy LajouX, employed III
the department as bad spy whom y
was found necessary to suppress
NJ. Labor asked the witness whether
he knew Lajoux had offered to make
revelations in the Dreyfus affair and
the witness replied that JaJouX wrote
"a the ministry Of war asking for as
sistance and referring to the Dreyfus
case.
The clerk of the court read letter
IN which. after dwelling upon his ser
vices. Laioux said it was in conse-
uuence Of Henry's exactions that the
env ,'uers had become an enemy IN
stead of an ally He also described a
conversation with Cuers. in which
Cuers declared Dreyfus had never been
heard of at army headquarters in Ber-
lin. and that on the news OF the arrest
| of Drevfus. Gen. Count Won Waldersee
summoned all the German military at
| taches in Europe to Berlin and they
unanimously declared that not one of
them had ever had relations with
| DreyfuS.
Cuers added that he, himself, had
never heard of Dreyfus.