Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-09-01
MAUREL N A BAD LIGHT
Captain Freystaeter Forces Admis-
sion of Equivocation from
the Colonel.
A HIGHLY DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT.
MERCER and Dreyfus' Former Judge
Face the Brave Witness-Ciose of
Bertillon Comedy-Expert Con-
cludes His Testimony-Abiy Sec
ondcd by Capt. Valerie.

BertiIIon Comedy-Expert Con-
cludes His Testimony--Ably Sec
onded by Capt. Valerie.
Rennes, Aug. 20. = When the sixth
session of the third week of the second
trial by court-martial of Capt. Alfred
Dreyfus, of the artillery, on the charge
of treason, began Saturday morning in
the Lycee M.Alphonse Bertillon, chief OF
the anthropometric department of the
Paris prefecture of police, resumed his
testimony interrupted Friday by the
adjournment of the court for the day
In this case NJ. Bertillon testified as a
handwriting expert and gave his reason
for believing Dreyfus to be the author
of the famous bordereau upon which
the prosecution mainly depends to es-
tablish the charge against the prisoner.
The comic aspect of NJ. Bertillon's
performance again appealed to the risi-
bilities of the audience, though the
onstrations, which We're concluded at
80 a. M, the witness saying in de-
| clamatory tone:
II am convinced that the writer OF
the bordereau is the prisoner sitting
there
Dreyfus heard him without finch
ing and with an expression of disdain
which he showed in still more notice
able manner just before the special
lists testimony, when NJ. Demange
handed him n paper which Bertillon
had submitted to the judges as convinc-
ing proof of the guilt of the accused
The prisoner perused it for few min
| utes and then handed it back with a
shrug of his shoulders and without ut.
tering a word
A Highly Dramatic Scene.
There was highly dramatic scene
toward the end of the session. Maitre
Labori, leading counsel for the defense,
asked to have Capt. Freystaeter, one OF
the members of the court-martial of
1894, which convicted Dreyfus, called
in contradiction of the deposition of
Col. Maurel, the presiding judge upon
that occasion, who had testified that
he only read one of the documents out
of the secret dossier communicated to
| the court-martial.
| The captain, who is a finely built Off
! Ger and who has handsome, honest
| face, assembled the platform with a firm
step and fearless air. When he was to
recount what occurred he said his con-
yiction of the guilt of the prisoner was
formed by the evidence of the experts
in handwriting, the deposition of Col.
Du Patty de Clam, and" he continued,
/, II must add, some slight influence was
exercised over my mind by hearing the
secret dossier read.'
The witness was then questioned as
to whether one or more of the docu-
ments were read and he said they We're
all read. This was in direct contradic
ton of Col. Maurel and M. Labori al
once demanded the conformation OF
Capt. Freystaeter with Col Maurel
The latter mounted the stage and pre-
sented a miserable object, his shifty
| eyes clearing out beneath heavy eye
| brows and looking around him with a
vicious hang-dog look.
"How do you explain this?" asked
M. Labori.
Then the colonel at bay, replied, say.
agely:
II said l only read one document.
did not say only one document was
read"
This statement called forth an out,
burst of Kisses and indignant "ohs'
from the audience, which looked upon
1T as an infamous confession. The wit.
ness, trembling with shame, but evi
IDENTIFY determined to fight to the last
threw fierce look of hatred at NJ
Labori and the audience as the gen,
darmes shouted: Silence, silence
After this the audience listened spell
bound as Capt. Freystaeter, in dis
tinct, bold voice, told exactly what the
documents of the dossier were and how
Col. Maurel not only read those docu
/ ments but made comment on them
This was practically calling Maurel Q
thorough liar, and the colonel glared al
the captain ferociously. Capt. Frey
staeter, however, was not dismayed. ant
his words, spoken in a tone of candol
and fearlessness, must have carried
conviction to every hearer.
Gen. Mercier then asked to be heard
and placed himself by the side o.
Maurel. The forbidding appearance O
these two men, both dressed in civilian
attire, was in striking contrast with the
erect, unflinching attitude of Frey
staeter, who wore the smart uniform o.
a captain of artillery, with medals OF
his breast. 1t was remarkable scene