The record-union., 1899-08-23
AT $50 A. M.

Bertin expatiated on the injury which
could result from the treachery OF
Dreyfus and the harm which might re-
suit if he escaped.
| According to NJ. Bertin, President
Casimir- Perier appeared much inn
pressed and the witness gained the i'm
preston that he was speaking to sol
dier who regarded the matter from the
same point of view as himself. (Sen-
| Sation.)
| Referring to his interviews with NJ
| Scheurer- Kestner former Vice-Presl-
1 dent of the Senate), whom I always re-
garded as an honorable man, obeyine
the dictates of his conscience, Lieu
tenant Colonel Bertin controverted part
of Colonel Picquart's evidence on the
subject.
/ At the conclusion of his deposition
| the witness declared he never ordered
/ Dreyfus to procure information con-
| cerning the entire network of rail
roads, (which the prisoners ought to
acquire from Captain Cuignet."
Replying to questions on the subject
of the alleged untimely visit of Dreyfus
to his office, witness said that the plans
were kept in his office, and that Drey-
fus knew the word necessary to open
the press containing them
M. Scheurer- Kes ner, it also appeared
often told the witness he was unable
to fathom the affair and Berth was ad-
yised to have a talk with the Minister
of War.
At this juncture the Clerk of the
Court read a letter from NJ Scheurer-
| Kestner, excusing himself for being un-
able to attend the session of the Court
The letter referred to the steps of Ma
thieu Dreyfus to secure the rehabilita-
ton of his brother, and described the
writer's Investigations and how 1t was
ONLY when Esterhazy's handwriting was
| shown him that his hesitation ended.
The letter also described the mo-
ments of anguish the writer expert
enced during the course of the cam
paign, and dwelt on the opinion ex-
pressed in the judgment of the Court OF
Cessation and the confessions of Ester
hazy that he was the writer of the
bordereau In conclusion the letter
said: You will permit an old Alsa-
tian Mr. President, to express the SEN
timent that the hour of justice will
soon strike in the interests of the army
| anu COuIlIy. NN1lCcI oCAASoeIioAA'i
Replying to M. Demange, Bertin fur
ther explained his connection with
/ Scheurer- Kestner at the maneuvers
that year; witness told General Billot
of the action M Scheurer- -KeStner was
taking and the General replied: Tell
him not to do anything. l shall appeal
to my old friends.
"I telegraphed to M. Scheurer- -Kest-
| ner accordingly" said Bertin, for
could not enter Alsace the Germans
having brutally forbidden me to &C
| there
M. Demange reminded the witness OF
| a remark he made to M. Scheurer-
Kestner, namely, There are only five
of us who know this terrible secret
One out of the five must betray it be-
fore you can know anything"
Counsel asked if the secret was not
that Dreyfus was in Nice.
/ NJ Bertin-Oh, no.
] M. Demange According to the
| terms of the conversation?
| Iieutenant-C Colonel Bertin energetic
/ ally)-No, no, and I'll tell you why.
never concealed two things from the
| ily. Firstly that NJ. Scheurer- KestneI
would be doing a great service if his
efforts resulted in establishing the in
nocence of a man who had worn the
uniform of a French officer. Secondly
that I was convinced of the guilt OF
| Dreyfus. (Sensation)
NJ Demange-Did you not once make
the following remark: This Jew was