The record-union., 1899-08-26

The evidence of the handwriting ex-
perts followed.
NJ. Colbert, a Ser testifying to the
facts published April 22d and 24th, We
hemently protested against the insinua-
tion that he was an interested witness
The court closely followed NJ. Go
bert's exhaustive story of his eXamina-
tion of the bordereau and his interviews
with Generals Mercier, De Boisdeffre
and Gonse.
NJ Colbert asserted that the hand
writing of the bordereau was natural
but that it was almost illegible, where
as Dreyfus, even when writing rapidly
always wrote most legibly.
The witness asked General Gonse il
an envelope accompanied the border
eau. as he, NJ Colbert. wished to see
what the writer's careful caligraphy
was like, explaining that the address
of a letter is always in a firmer hand
than its contents.
| General Gonse refused the request on
the ground that the witness must not
know the name of the addresses. The
General also refused to allow the bor-
dereau to be photographed. alleging
that if the War Office photographers
were allowed to photograph it, al
Paris would be acquainted with the
bordereau the next day. 0aughter)
Thereupon the witness remarked
General Gonse. this is very interest
ing confession"
NJ. Colbert then suggested that the
work be intrusted to the Prefecture OF
Police, where NJ Bertillon is the pho
}
said, he had never heard of NJ. Bertil-
Ion as a handwriting expert, saying he
| became an expert for this special occa-
sion, when he was called into the War
| Office. Laughter)
General Gonse, it appears from the
testimony, was greatly enraged wher
he learned of the result of NJ Gobert's
examination of the bordereau and Wis
/ tied the expert repeatedly. The latter
always insisted on learning the name
| of the suspect.
1T was not proper" said NJ. Colbert
for me to accuse any one without be-
! ing perfectly cognizant of the facts
| especially in circumstances of so grave
nature. (Sensation.) / would not ac-
cuse any one anonymously, for to do sc
would be contrary to the law
| Amidst laughter in court, the witness
described how, from an examination o1
an official report on Dreyfus, from
which Dreyfus' name had been re-
moved, M. Colbert had the malicious
satisfaction of telling General Gonse
the name of the officer they wanted tC
arrest. 1T was after M. Colbert haC
refused to incriminate Dreyfus that NJ
RpTtillon was entrusted with the ex.
animation of the bordereau, and after
few hours study, NJ Bertillon posi-
lively attributed the bordereau tt
Dreyfus.
/ From that time on NJ Colbert heard
no more of the Dreyfus case. He was
not asked to submit a report but de.
scribed to the then Minister of Jus
tice NJ. Guerin. the circumstances in
/ the case.
| NJ Guerin continued the witness, sin.
timated that these were soldiers af
fairs. which did not concern him as
chief of the civil judiciary"
Colonel Jouaust asked NJ. Colbert fol
a more definite criticism of the Dor.
dereau. and the witness replied tha'
he noticed certain similarities between
the handwriting of the bordereau ant
that of Dreyfus. but he added tha
there were important differences which
proved to him that Dreyfus was no
the author of the bordereau, and his
opinion had since been confirmed, 'be.
cause it was now proved the borderea,
was the work of Esterhazy." (Sensa
| tion)
Replying to the court, NJ. Gober