Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-08-22
TO-DAY'S TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
The Dreyfus Court Martial.

J Drey1uS court mHTtlal, Al. AduOTl, GULL
sci for the defense, who has been absent
from the trial since Saturday the 18th,
having been wounded by sn assassin's
bullet, entered the court room amid a
salvo of hand clapping and cheering.
M. Labor walked to his place without
q sign of feeDleness. AS the advocate
reached the tribune, the witnesses for
the prosecution and anti-Dreyfusites in
The audience themselves joined in the
aneering which greeted him. At this
moment Captain Dreyfus entered the
court. After saluting the judges his
stiff demeanor departed and. smiling,
he grasped Labori's hand and
shook it heartily. President Jouast
then expressed his pleasure that
NJ. Labori had suffered no grave
result from his wound and wish
ed him speedy and complete recovery.
Labori responded in few words of
thanks to all for the considerable regard
they had shown him. The pleasan-
tries over, however. NJ. Labori instant
" became the keen man OF law.
Major Grenier was the first witness
called. His testimony was favorable to
Dreyfus. He said that Esterhazy was
known as o man of bad character. Wit
ness had heard Esterhazy say that
Dreyfus was innocent. Major Rollin
then took the stand. He was scarcely
seated when Labor demanded if wit
ness was responsible for the Schneider
forgery which Mercier and other gen.
erals mad declared was most important
evidence against Dreyfus. Judge AID
vocate Carriere here attempted an OBJ
lection on the ground that the
Schneider letter was secret document.
Labor replied st was not we who
brought this letter into the trial, bu,
MERCER, and he used it against the de-
PENDANT. We have every right to know
ALL" Labor then put the question to
General MERCER. MERCER replied 81
have no right to answer" "You have
no right to hide the truth behind pre-
text of secrecy" answered Labor
fiercely. Il insist on an answer. Gen
eral MERCER, are you yourself the au-
thor of this translation" General Mer'
cer: II have no right to answer" La
bori then asked Mercier by what right
be was in possession Of any part of the
secret dossier (Which includes the
Schneider letter., when he was no long
or member Of the cabinet nor con-
uected with the government. The gen.
eral grew confused, stammered some
thing end then declined to answer. 1--WE
will let it stand then, General" said La
Dori, that you refuse tc answer. | am
not surprised if we encounter similar
refusals during the trial." General
Gonse then submitted a letter re.
laling how Dreyfus visited the various
bureaus after hours contrary to the
rules. which, Gonse said, was an easy
thing TO do. Dreyfus rejoined: 81 am
surprised to hear French general say
it is easy to break the rules" This
was greeted by apprecative laughter by
the audience. Ferret, servant at the
War Office, supported Gonse's letter as
to Dreyflls's visits. Dreyius denounced
the witnesses testimony as false.
The deposition of NJ. Scheuer-Kest,
ner, a former vice president Of the
senate, was then read. This outlined
the origin and progress ofthe Dreyfusite
movement ending with an eloquent
plea for justice. Lieutenant Colonel
Berlin Mourot then took the stand and
denied ever admitting that Dreyfus
was innocent. Then Labor got in
his cross-examination. Ignoring the
witnesses testimony he said pleasantly {:
Il believe you were among the frs
partisans Of Dreyfus, were you not ?'
Never, cried Berlin Mourot. Labor :
II know at q private dinner three
years ago you vivaciously explained the
accused's innocence to the company"
81 would remind NJ. Labori," said the
witness, THAT was private occasion"
Privacy assumes a certain reticence,"
replied Labor, sternly, "but what be-
comes OF the loyalty of man to man,
when an officer repudiates simple
fact ?" Berlin Mourot got red at this
rebuke, and protested against Labori's
statements.
Capt. Dreyfus, on being asked if he
cared to speak, then rose and charac-
terized Berth. Mouret's testimony as q
tissue of gossip and baseless suspicious
II never sought to betray my country
he cried. My love, my life is all for
france ana the army.
The court next listened to a number
of officers, all of whom testified against
Dreyfus. Major Gendron testified to
having seen the accused at the house
of prostitute who was reputed to be q
spy. Captain BESSIE said he had seen
Dreyfus copying documents after hours.
Lieut.. Jeannel testified that be had
loaned Dreyfus the secret shooting
manual. NJ. Labori here raised the
question OF the date mentioned by the
witness saying that it was irreconcilable
with the date of the bordereau, in
which this firing manual is mentioned
Dreyfus replied to all these with deny
ing or explaining away their points.
After Captain Maistre had testified
to conversation he had with Captain
Lemonnier, who saw Dreyfus at Il Q
German manoeuvres at Mulhauser il
August 1894, the court adjourned for
today. AS Labor issued from the
court room, he was greeted with an
enthusiastic demonstration by the
crowd in the street. The police be-
lieved that NJ. Guerin, The anti-semite
leader and his companion will be
forced to surrender as starvation stares
them in the face. Guern's cook who
escaped from the house last night says
their are no provisions left except some
canned vegetables.
Got Ahead of the Detective.