The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1899-08-26

sion in explaining in unintellIgible
terms. his "falllble system" Of proving
Dreyfus the author Of the bordereau.
The majority OF the public. however.
utterly unable 10 comprehend Bertil-
Ions theory, had left the courtroom.
Even Madame Blanche abandoned her
post. In the meanwhile. Bertillon,
I with gestures and in the shrili. pitched
voice OF a quack at country fair, con-
tinued his monologue, producing every
minute some fresh covered paper COW
cred with wonderful hleroglyphics,
copies Of which he presented TO the
judges. who. with an expression Of
owI-like wisdom. carefully examined
them, their heads clustered together,
their eyes gazing on long, vide strips
Of paper, while BertIllon leaned over
their table, trying to explain his mys-
tlfying diagrams which were after
wards passed 10 Labor and Demange.
who. however. apparently did not de-
rive much profit from their perusaL
Dreyfus gazed at the scene with look
Of stupefaction. The ciearest utter
ance Of Bertillon during the course Of
his demonstration was that the hand
writing OF the bOrdereau "obeys the
geometrical rythm OF which / discover
ed an equation In the prisoners blot
ting paper"
The witness finally announced be
would give a practical demonstration
Of the writing OF the bordereau accord
ing 70 his system. Then he theatrical
ly cleared the desk attached to the wit
ness bar. drew his chair nearer. depos-
tied his high hat on the floor and, sit
ting down. began copying the border
eau. The audience watched him. bent
over the desk busily drawing letters,
the judges gazing at him, until at
the end OF ten minutes, the people and
the judges became restlessly impatient
and Jouanste remarked II was not
necessary to copy the whole bordereau,
and that few lines would suffice.
A few minutes later Bertillon rose,
strOde to the judges table and laid
before them his copy. Judges, counsel.
government commissary and the clerk
OF the court clustered around in one
group. eager to see the result. The
audience watched this strange specta-
Gle until Jouanste shrugged his should
ers. and then the spectators knew that
Rertillon had failed to satisfy. Bertil-
Ion noticed this and said apOlogetically
Il was too badly placed
Demange. OF counsel for Dreyfus, re-
turned to the counsel table and in an
swer to look OF inquiry from Drey-
fus. whispered a few words to the
prisoner. with a shrug OF his shoulders
and a smile on his face. Dreyfus ap-
peared perfectly satisfied. Jouanste
then, at 1l:45 o'clock. adjourned the
court. and Bertillon packed up his be-
longings, and the soldiers carried them
out The newspaper men who crowded
around Labori asked him for his inn
pressions. He said that there was a
certain resemblance to the bordereau.
adding. but that is all. N. Bertillon
only did what dozens could do 1t only
proves he is clever forger, that is
ALL"
After Bertillon. the handwriting ex-
pert who is at the head OF the anthrop-
ometric department Of the prefecture
police OF Paris. had concluded the first
installment OF his so-called demon
stration Of the guilt OF Captain Drey-
fus, a prominent Dreyfusard referred
to him as a I'm de steele OF cagliostro.
Dreyfusards refuse to regard him as
anything but prince Of quacks, Ney-
ertheless. even Dreyfusards do not
deceive themselves as 10 the effect
Bertillon's testimony OF "demonstra-
tion," may have upon the judges. who,
they fear. win be gulled by what the
Dreyfusards consider spurious. All the
judges have passed through the ecole
the highest school of
science in France, and are thus pecuu
arly Interested In such evidence" as
that Of Bertillon. Even Dreyfus. when
shown Bertillon's demonstrations, ad-
mltted the ingenuity and plausibility
Of the system, though he naturally de-
clared it built on a false basis.
The military witnesses followed Ber-
tillon's statements with grave and
wise expression of countenance, as
though they understood every word.
Evidently they had received a mot
d'ordre TO preserve this attitude, for
without seeing the diagrams they could
not have understood any better than
did the general public.
Echo de Paris announced today that |
for Dreyfus had obtained pos
session Of certain documents mentioned |
in the bordereau in Esterhazy's writ |
ing which they would produce in court |
next week as a coup de theatre.
A correspondent Of the Associated |
Press was assured that the statement |
was erroneous, but was told that the !
defense intended. in the event Of Drey- |
fus being recondemned, to ask the
German government to communicate
these documents proving his inno-
cence, and had reason to believe such
request would be granted.