River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-09-07
INTERESTING TESTIMONY.
Most Important Features of the Drey-
fus Court-Martinf MT
Rennes.

Rennes, Sept. 4.-The interest in the
Dreyfus court-martial Saturday CEN
tered in the testimony of Maj. Hart
mann, Of the artillery, which was inter-
rupted by the adjournment of the court
Friday. The major, who has done great
service for the defense, resumed his inn
portant deposition regarding artillery
matters and the bringing out of points
and phraseology in the bordereau indi-
eating that the writer could not be
Dreyfus.
in response TO questions from Maitre
Labori and M. Demange. counsel for
the defense, Maj. Hartmann said any
officer attending the Chalons camp
could have obtained sufficient informa-
ton to write notes on the covering of
troops and Madagascar matters.
An interesting witness was NJ. de
Fond-Lamotte, a former officer of ar
tillery, who testified that in 1894 Col.
Picquart lent him a firing manual
which he might have kept as long as
he pleased.
49," the witness added, "there was
little secrecy at that time. Any officer
could have obtained one in August,
1894. Another point in favor OF Drey-
fus is that no probationer could have
believed in 1894 that he would go to the
maneuyers."
IF, as at first asserted, the bordereau
was dated May" the witness argued,
'Dreyfus could not have written i am
going to the maneuvers,' because a cir
cular was issued in May informing the
probationers that they would not go
to the maneuvers, while il the border
eau was dated in April, as now assert
ed, Dreyfus could not have spoken of
the firing manual, which was only
printed at the end of May"
Gems. MERCER and Roget then went
on the stage and confronted M. de
Fond-Lamotte and heated discussion
ensued.
Gen. Roget was greatly excited dur
ing the foregoing scene, but NJ. de Fond
Lamotte did not finch. He retorted
quickly to all the generals observa-
tions. The two men glared at one an
other and once Gen. Roget addressed NJ.
de Fond-Lamotte in such a bullying
fashion that the audience hooted him.
Rennes, Sept. 5.-Monday's session of
the Dreyfus court-martial opened
rather badly for Capt. Dreyfus, as sur
prise was sprung upon the defense in
the advent Of an Austrian political refu-
gee, Eugene Cernuschi, who came out
with a fiat-footed denunciation of the
accused.
Cernuschi's testimony, which was in
the form of letter to the president
of the court-martial, Col. Jouaust, was
most unequivocal. He claimed that on
three different occasions, twice in
France and once at Geneva, he was told
by a high-placed foreign officer that
Dreyfus had communicated treason
able documents to foreign power. In
the third instance Cernuschi and the
officer showed him documents emanat-
ing from Dreyfus, and that this officer
left France hurriedly two days prior to
the arrest of Capt. Dreyfus. The allu-
sion was evidently to Col. Schwartz
koppen, the military attache of the
German embassy in Paris in 1894, whose
movements were coincident with those
described as the movements of the Off
Ger of Cernuschi's deposition.
This introduction of foreigner as
witness for the prosecution gave NJ.
Labori an opportunity to submit the
most important request he has made
throughout the trial, request which, If
granted by Col. Jouaust, though this
is extremely doubtful, would certainly
have momentous consequences. NJ. La
bori announced his intention, in view
of the step taken by the prosecution in
calling foreign evidence, o ask that
inquiry should be made through the
regular diplomatic channels as TO
whether the documents mentioned in
the bordereau were actually commune
Gated, and if so, by whom. This in
wolves an application to the German
government, which the eourt-martial
is scarcely likely to approve. In any
case the application means the length
ening of the trial for several weeks.
Vienna, Sept. 5.-Eugene Cernuschi,
who testified at the Dreyfus court-mar-
tial at Rennes, France, Monday, is not
connected with the Servian royal fam
lily, as claimed. His real name is Hadu-
eek. He is very eccentric and some doc
tors have pronounced him lunatic.