The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-01
COL. C(|RD|ER ES1F|ES.
Deputy Chief of Intelligence
Department, on the Stand
in Dreyfus Case.
MAKES JUDGES LAUGH,
witness Tells How it Happened Thu
HIS Belief in the Guilt of Drey-
fuS Was Shaken.

' De Freycinet Makes Quite Pat.
riotic Speech to the Court-Labor,
Not Allowed to Question the Wit
ness-Fun Report of All the Pro.
ceedings.
hehnes, Aug. 31.-Gen. Mercier. the
former Minister of War, and most of
tne Other Generals interested in the
ease were present in the hall of the
LVcee when the trial of Can't Alfred
Dreyius, Of the Artillery, was opened.
0oi' Cordier, Deputy Chief of the In
teiilsehce Department, was the first
"lthess called. lie testified that the
iate Col. Sandherr, and not Lieut.-Col.
mehry' received the famous bordereau.
Ane witness depOsed strongly in favor
VI bfeytus, and was most amusing in
uellVeilng his testimony He kept the
court and even the judges in roars of
"hshtef by his Gomical manner and
"!ttlclslns. lie is a short, stout man,
VII. Jolly face and very red nose.
Inc colonel declared that his belief
III the guilt Of Dreyfus was first
shaRen when the date Of the bordereau
was given as May, and later. the wit.
ness declared stouhy, he was now con.
yinced Dreyfus was innocent.
The evidence of Col. Cordier was de.
livered in loud voice, ACCOMPANIED by
humorous asides. He several times
mentioned the Ambassador Of Ger
many which caused the President Of
the Court Col. Jouaust, to intervene
and tell the witness that he must not
introduce the Ambassadors name or
refer to Germany.
Inc nasty corrections of the witness
when he repeated the same slip of the
tongue. as he did more than once. and
the amusing manner in which he avoid
ed mentioning Germany at other times
caused the greatest merriment.
During his testimony no fewer than
tve witnesses arose and asked to be
confronted with him. But the Colonel
received the Interruptions with the ut
most good humor
Dreyfus spoke a. few words at the
conclusion Of Cox Cprdier's statements.
He said the scene which preceded his
arrest was so fantastic that it COM
ni9tnlu h9"'ill"""a him and marnlu iAft
a blunted impression on his memory.
The prisoner is now accustomed to
his surroundings, and has apparently re-
covered his self-confidence, as he
speaks readily and clearly and follows
the witnesses closely, taking notes Of
various points of his depositions.
NJ. de Freycinet the former Minister
of War, former Minister Of Foreign AZ
fairs and Premier, followed Col. Cor
dier on the witness stand.
The court room was packed to its
utmost capacity as the distinguished
French statesman began his deposition.
1t was evident the public was anxious
to see the former Minister at the wit
ness bar. He is venerablelooking
man, with scanty, snow-white hair and
mustache, and was dressed In a blue
serge suit He wore little black bow
for a necktie and gave his testimony
seated and in a low voice.
NJ. de Freycinet began by expressing
the pain which he experienced at the
troubles his country ws undergoing,
and later he said he remembered con-
versation with Gen. lamont. at which
there was a reference to money coming
from abroad in support Of the Dreyfus
agitation, (which. while disinterested
in France, might not be so abroad"
The statesman, however, did not re-
member the details Of the conversation,
nor could he say If an amount was
mentioned.
NJ. de Freycinet then alluded to his
fears that "attacks on the chiefs Of the
army might be prejudical to discipline"
adding:
"Might not these attacks lead to the
disappearance of discipline and what
then would be the result If we found
ourselves in difficulties with a foreign
country?'
In short, NJ. de Freycinet delivered a
patriotic speech rather than depOsi-
ton. concluding with these words:
"All the world will accept your GER
dict. which will open an era of recon-
ciliatiOn."
The President of the Court, Col. Jou-
aust, declined to put to put to the wit
ness some questions from Maitre La
bori, leading counsel for the defense,
on the ground that they had no direct
bearing on the case.
M. de Freycinet was then conducted
to the witness seats, where he sat for
a few minutes beside Gen. Billot, chat
tin with that officer. He then left the
court.
The testimony Of two minor wit
nesses concluded the days proceedings.
Choosing a wife Tor Her Teeth.
One of the most curious and interest.
Ing of bridal customs among the Es-
kimos is the practice of choosing a
bride, not for her face, her figure or
her fortune, but for the excellence and
strength of her teeth.
Up in the polar circle, where a mans
blood freezes, and parts of him drop
off at the touch of the icy blast, it is
a difficult matter to KEEP the uDtanned
skins from hardening and cracking.
There is only one process known to
the Eskimo, that OF chewing. 1t is
necessary to perform this operation
every two or three months, and ii is
part of the wifes duties. II Is for that
reason that an Eskimo selects his fu-
ture helpmates for the size of their
teeth and the strength Of their jaws.
OF course one wife cannot attend to
all the skins, and so sometimes an 1s-
kimo has as many as ten loving help
mates,
Wives are oought, sold and ex-
changed among the Eskimos. The
price fluctuates in similar manner 10
the price of wheat or COR or stocks
an EXCHANGE 4 father wit n growing