Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-25
SHOWED 1T MORE PLAINLY THAN
EVER YESTERDAY.
IT BODIES ILL FOR DREYFUs
JOUAUST UPHOLDs GENERALS IN
REFUSING TO REPLY.
Military Contingent Make a Great
Clamor In Trying TO Defend Each
Other Against NJ. LaborPs
Searching Questions
and InsinuatiOns.

Searching Questions
and InsinuatiOns.
RENNES. Aug. A.-To-day's session of
the Dreyfus court-martIal was marked by
one of the most exciting scenes of the
| trial. The proceedings opened with a skr-
mish entirely favorable to the defense over
Colonel Maurel. president of the court
martial of 1894. who admitted reading one
of the secret documents to the court which
had not been seen by the defense. He pro-
tested that only one document was looked
at, alleging that this sufi1ced to enable him
| to form &. conviction that could not be
shaken. This protest made matters worse,
| because, NJ. Labori pointed out, IL he
perused one it was his bounden duty to
peruse all. Colonel Jouaust upheld Colonel
Maurel in his refusal to indicate the nature
of the document he read, but NJ. Labori
announced that he would summon Captain
Freystatter. another member Of the tribu-
nal of 1894, and get his version of what
then passed behind the backs of the coun-
|
position keenly and continually hesitated
before replying to Labori's questions.
All this. however. was only preliminary
to a fierce battle that ensued between NJ.
Labori and General Mercier. the latter re-
ceiving reinforcements from General Roget,
General Gonse and General de Boisdefrre.
as well as invaluable assistance from Colo
mel Jouaust himself.
M. Labori took General Mercier over the
whole ground of his previous deposition.
This led to several sharp passages at arms
between the advocate and Colonel Jouaust,
who upheld Mercier In refusing to reply
to several questions which in the general
opinion of those in the courtroom, were dis
tinctly pertinent.
Whenever General Mercier was cornered
he declined to answer, and Colonel Jouaust
invariably supported him. NJ. Labori pro-
tested most energetically. His words and
manner breathed the deepest indignation
but the president of the court-martial was
infexible.
The Intervention of Generals Gonse. Ro.
get and De Boisdeffre and Major Lauth
who in rapid succession mounted the stage
or rose in their seats and interposed re.
spectators along on a wave of breathless
interest. One after the other these off.
GERS, who were to-day in full uniform
would jump up and cry, II demand to be
heard!' and, without further waiting
ascend the steps of the platform and be-
gin statement in support of brother
officer. Sometimes four officers were or
the stage at the same time. It was mar.
velous display Of military clannishness
At one time a perfect babel of voices
reigned for several minutes, until Colone
Jouaust intervened and restored order.
!, NJ. Laborfs cross-examination was sue
cessful so far as it went. but Colone
Jouaust prevented him from pressing hi:
advantage to the utmost. In fact
Jouausts hostile attitude toward the coun
sci for the defense, then and during thu
cross-examination Of the witness, NJ. d.
Grandmaison. evoked the severest criti
cism on the part of the public present, ant
! bodies i'll for Dreyfus. Not only Colone
Jouaust, but the other judges displayed
considerable impatience during Labori':
scathing cross-examination, shifting rest
lessly in their seats and drumming thu
tables with the tips of their fingers.
/ General Mercier faced Labori's fire will
calm demeanor, standing on the platform
his hands behind his back and his fac,
, only half turned toward his questioner
! Once or twice savage look In the eyes
an elevation In the tone and swayins
to and fro of the body revealed the innel
! | fires of resentment.
, General Roget faced the court with an all
J of unblushing effrontery. His handsome
but unsympathetic features expressed thu
bitterest scorn, as he spun round on hi!
heel and, with arms crossed, faced Labor
or the audience or the judges. He is ex
tremely vain, and is always striking atti
tudes for the benefit of newspaper artists
quite a number of whom regularly attenc
the sessions. His impertinent behavior wa.
, strikingly illustrated to-day when he in
terrupted NJ Labori's examination of Gen
eral Chamoin, which had resulted in La
boris scoring heavily against Mercier. will
the exclamation: This examination is
,, waste Of time"
AS q matter Of fact the examination O.
Chamoin showed Mercier in very bac
light, as it brought out that he had pri
vately communicated to Chamoin, on tn,
/ first day of the secret session, a report OF
. the Papizzardi dispatch for insertion in TIL,
secret dossier. General Chamon admitted
, that he did wrong in accepting the report
l but pleaded ignorance in judicial matters
: The report consisted of three pages, O.
, , which the second and third, Chamoin de
! clared, contained fantastic, and, in fact
false representations.
NJ Labori brought General Mercier t.
the bar In reference to this. Mercier ad
mitted that the report emanated from Dt
Patty de Clam, but claimed that he himsel
did not understand its contents, though h,
thought it would be interesting and per
haps useful to Chamoin. This explanation
( was regarded as very lame, and, combined
/ with other shady actions. would damn
4 Mercier as a witness in the eyes of an,
: impartial tribunal.
i The correspondent of the Associate,
j Press saw Madame Labori this afternoon
and conversed with her regarding her hus
: bands condition. She said he was pro
3 crossing rapidly, though still suffering con
siderable pain. THE way he is recover
ing" she exclaimed, seems to me almos
; miraculous"
4 When court opened this morning, Col
onel Jouaust ordered that the evidenc,
given by NJ. Penot, a friend of the lat,
Colonel Sandherr. chief of the intelligenc,
department, be read by the clerk. II wa
to the effect that Colonel Sandherr SAT-
the Dreyfus family offered to him 1906
francs on condition that he would clea
Dreyfus.
} NJ. Demange, for the defense, disposed o
: this allegation by reading the actual not
. on the subject written by Sandherr, there
: by proving that the coloners remarks hat
. been distorted. Dreyfus' brothers having