The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-16

u6tle 10 conceive. MERCER, B3liot and cav
airnac. with the others, held the moor just
a. their predecessors IN the trial OF p0&
while the prisoner was left almost Witaoas
defense.
..DoubtIess N. Demange Is a great law-
yer, and he may well have been upset sy
the terrible event. but bis formal and anti
ouated methods stood him In sad stead To-
day. and It was today that was most
Ayeaded by All the ad9ersaries of Dreysus.
sarhen, To cap all. Mercier called upon
Madame Labor 10 profYer his sympathy.
II must be remembered that Labor lad
lust recovered from the typhoid Fever. aNd
hts ardent. nervous organism. overstfuns
by the tension Of this trial. Is n bad
condition for combating q fresh shock
The worst news would surprise nobody.
.ror reasons which I am bound rot 70
Ave. the event Is a national calamity.
A Hysterical Melodrsma.
dispatch To the Tribune says:
"Meiodrama strained 10 a pitch yerg.ns
upon the hysterical prevails both at Eshnes
and Paris The attemp; TO MURDER Maisfc
IAbori sxayed witnesses from the searching
ordeal OF incisive questioning when tue AZ
toruey had intended to submit 20 the court
martial In orLer that they might De put
IN them. a method OF procedure which 10
the nearest approach to an American cross
examination provided for by French tu.ts-
prudence.
.sThis was 10 have been Laborss day at
the Dreyfns trial The brilliant iunicr
coupse, lad mastered his facts and prirnec
his talents with the object of putting the
screws upon Mercser and Cavai2nac WITH
unreient.ng force. From purely techni-
cal point OF view. therefore. the ex-m,n.s-
ters OF war who are now upon their de-
Tense for Dreyfus iniquiiies have scared a
trick hut this Is much mote than offset
BY the moral effect Of an attempt at assas-
s.nation which, happening at critical
phase OF Gen. Mercier's testimony. had
dealt the prosecution such telling BOW
that In order 20 accentuate lis enects upon
the public mind, MERCER called upon Ma
dame Labori a. he left the courtroom and
assured her Of his deepest and heartfelt
sympathy"
PIeaasng im Their Own Defense.
The testimony of 1--WE ex-m!nisters-< Mer-
cier. Biliot, Cavaignac, Zurlinden and Cha
noine--was nothing else but an elaborate
pleading OF their own defense: IL was ir-
relevant to the issue before the court The
Ave ex-ministers were unabla to produce
any substantial facts tending to incrimi-
nate Dreyfus: they related vague. refu-
table hearsay stories which no American
court would have admitted as, evidence.
they all stood firmly together and stub
bornly affirmed that Dreyfus. not Ester
haxy, wrote the bordereaa The testimony
Of n Hanotaux II regarded as skillful
bit OF diplomatic hedging TO enable him 10
re-e4,ter polfica! life. He admits having
declared to Gen. Mercier when both were
In Office that the evidence OK preyfus guilt
did not justify a couri-martiai. but the ex-
minister Of foreign affairs ahstained from
expressing his opinion al to the guilt or
innocence Of the prisoner. II. Hanotaux.
after giving his testimony. shook hands
with Gen. MERCER In the court room and
conversed earnestly with him for Ave min
utes. As the generals. wearing the large
silver insignia Of the grand officers Of the
Legion Of Honov. leit the f.ycee. they were
acclaimed IN the streets by crowds shout
inx 'svive rArmee." ''tive Mereier."
Most pathetic Of all the dramatic events
Of the Dreyfus affair was I4abori, prostrste
and bleeding on the pavement. with his
pale blonde head supported on hts wffe's
knee His eyes were half closed. and as
he believed that he was dying. he uttered
the words. Notify the court-nartiai to
supead the session