The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-25
JOUAUST AIDS MERCER
THE GENERALS SEEK TO FROWN
LABORI DOWN.
THEY FILL THE LYCEE With WILD TUMULT
Jouaust's Support of hercier and UnconceaIed
Hostility Toward Labor Bodies III for
Dreyfus Most Exciting Day
Of the Trid.
Of the Tri,l.


of the Dreyfus court martial was mark
ed hy one of the most exciting scenes
Of the trial. The proceedings opened
with skirmish entirely favorable to
the defence over Colonel Maurel, pres-
dent of the court martial of 1894. who
admitted reading one of the secret docu-
seen by the defence. He protested that
only one document was looked ut. aileg-
ing that this sufficed to enable him to
form a conviction that could not be
shaken
This protest made matters worse, he
cause, as Nj. Lab0ri pointed out, il he
perused ONE it was his bounden duty to
peruse all. Colonel Jouaust upheld Col
onel Maurei in his refusal to indicate tile
nature Of the document he read. nut NJ
Labori announced that he world sum
mon Captains Freystatter, another tacm-
Der Of the tribunal of 1894 ami ret his
version of what then passed behind the
backs of the counsel for the defence.
Colonel Maurel felt his position keealv.
and continually hesitated before replying
to NJ Labori's questions.
ALI this, however. was only pre!imi
nary to fierce battle that enslled be-
tween Labori Mld General Ne; cier, The
latter receiving reinforcements from
General Roget, General Gonse and Gen
eral De Boisdeffre, as well as individual
assistance from Colonial Jouaust nim-
self.
NJ Labori took General Mercier over
the whole ground of his Drevioas de-
position. This led to several sharp pas
sages at arms between the advocate
and Colonel .Iouaust, who upheld Mer-
cier in refusing to reply TO several cues
toins which in the general opinion of
those in the court were distinctly per-
tinent.
Whenever General MERCER was COR
nered he declined to answer, and Colonel
Jouaust invariably supported him. NJ.
Labori protested most energetically. His
words and manner breathed the deepest
Indignation. but the president of the
court martial was infexible.
The intervention of Generals Gonse.
Roget and De Boisdeffre and Major
Lauth who in rapid succession mounted
the stage or rose in their seats and IN
teTposed remarks, was very exciting, and
carried the spectators along on a wave
of breathless interest. One after the
other of these officers. who We're today
in full uniform, would jump up and
cry Il demand to be heard" AMI with
out further waiting, ascend the steps of
the platform and begin statement iii
support of brother officer. Sometimes
four officers were ON the steps at the
same moment. 1t was a marvellous dis
play of military clannishnesS. Ait one |
time a perfect babel of voices reiSned for
several minutes until Colonel Jouaust in |
tervened and restored order.
NJ. LaboIi's cross-exa examination was
successful so far as it went, but Col
Onel Jouaust prevented him pressing his
advantage to the utmost. In fact Jou-
aust's hostile attitude toward the coun-
sci for the defence then and during tho
Cross-eXamination Of the witness M. De
Grandmaison evoked the severest cliti-
cism on the part of the public present
and bodies all for Dreyfus. Not only Col
onel Jouaust, but the other judges dis
played considerable impatience during
Labor's scathing cross-eXaminatiom,
shifting restlessly in their seats and
drumming the table with the tips Of their
fingers.
General Mercier faced Labori's fire
with callous demeanor, standing cn the
platform, his hands behind his back and
his face only half turned toward his
questioner Once or twice a savage
loOl, in the eyes IAN elevation in the tone
and swaying to and fro of the body
revealed the inner fires of resentment.
General Roget faced the court with am
a:r of mblushing effrontery His hand
some but msympathetic features ex-
pressed the bitterest scorm, as lhe spun
around ON his heel and with arms cross
ed, faced La'bori or the audience or the
judges He is extremely vain, and is al
ways striking attitudes for the benefit
of newspaper artists, quite a number
of whom regularly attend the sessions.
His impertinent behavior was strikmgly
illustrated, today when he interrupted
NJ Iabor's examination of General
Chamoin, which had resulted in NJ. La
boris scoring heavily against MERCER
with the exclamation: '"rhis examina
lion is a waste of time"
AS matter of fact that examination
of Chamoin showed MERCER in very
bad light, as it brought out that he had
privately communicated to Chamoin, on
the first day OF the secret sessions,
report on the Panizzardi dispatch for in
sertion in the secret dossicr. General