Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-25
HE HAD MASS Of CHARTS AND MAPS|
'ut One Was Able to Follow His Argument=-First
r1an in France To Take Up the Question of Dreyfus
Innocence Was Also Witness--Labori Does Not
Seem to Fear the Outcome of the Trial.

Rennes, Aug. 25.-At the opening Of the
session of the Dreyfus court martial this
morning a medical certificate signed by
doctors unknown here was read, declar-
ing that it was impossible for Col. Du
Patty du Clam to leave his bed and come
to Rennes to testify. Labori asked that
; two we'll known medical men should be
| instructed to examine him but Colonel
Jouaust refused.
Rowland Strong, the English news
paper man, then deposed to the circum-
stances in which Esterhazy confessed to
him that he wrote the bordereau.
At the opening of todays session Of the
Dreyfus court martial. which occurred
without extraordinary incident. the clerk
of the court read medical certificate
signed by two doctors, declaring it was
| impossible for de Clam to leave his bed
to come to Rennes and testify. Labori
asked Colonel Jouaust to instruct two
we'll known medical men to examine de
Clam, but Colonel Jouaust refused.
Rowland Strong, the English newspa-
per man, then deposed to the fact that
| EsterhaZy confessed to him that he wrote
| the famous bordereua.
The next witness was NJ. 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 Esterhazy,
not Dreyfus, wrote the bordereau.
The witness opened his deposition with
a brief personal statement protesting
against being characterized as doubtful
expert by the military party. But" he
added, in tones Of profound pity and turn
ing towards Dreyfus, II have no right to
complain, and am silent when I see be-
fore me the unfortunate man who sits
there"
| A murmur of approval from the audi
ence greeted these words of sympathy.
| Colbert then repeated the evidence he
had given before the court of cessation.
He gave his testimony in clear. convinc-
ing manner, and was most emphatic in
attributing the hordereau to Esterhazy.
Answering questions of the judges, Co.
bert declared his conviction the bordereau
was written in a running natural hand,
and said there was no tracing or other
| tr.ckery. General Gonse asked to be con-
fronted with Colbert. and put a number
of questions over one or two of which
the witness stumbled to the infinite salts
faction of the military witnesses, who
smiled and exchanged joyful glances.
Bertillon, the noted antrophometer,
was called as the next witness. Bertilon
requested permission to bring in his dia-
grams and papers. The request was
granted and Bertillon retired for a mo-
ment, 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 a
roar of laughter echoed throughout the
court. Even the judges were unable to
suppress smile as they gazed on Ber-
tllon's stage properties strewn over half
the platform.
The witness began by saying only in
telligent men could follow his expana-
tions. Bertillon commenced his deposi-
ton at $50. 1t occupied the whole of this
session, and will perhaps occupy a good
part Of tomorrow's session. The court
room presented curious scene while Ber-
tillon, whom the Dreyfusards in their
most indu!gent moments describe as "a
dangerous manac," spent the three re-
naming hours of the session in explain
ing in unintellig.ble terms his ''infallible
system" of proving Dreyfus the author of
the bordereau. The majority of the pub
lic however, utterly unable to compre-
hend Bertillon's theory, had left the court
room. Even Madam Blanche abandoned
her post. In the meanwhile Bertillon with
gestures and in the shrill pitched voice
of quack a country fair, continued his
monologue producing every minute some
fresh paper covered with wonderful hier-
ogliphcs, copies of which he presented to
the judges. who, with an expression of
owl-like wisdom, carefully examined
them, their heads clustered together,
eyes gazing on long wide strips Of paper,
while Bertillon leaned over their table,
trying to explain his mystifying dia-