The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-29

FR[Yc|NET
SPEAKS.
He Denies That There Was
Any 100000 Franc
Dreyfus Syndicate.
HARD BLOW FOR MERCER
Colonel Cordier, an Amusing
Witness. Declares the Ac-
cused Innocent.
MATTHEW DREYFUs SIZED Up
Tables Turned on Lauth and
the Anti-Semites BY an
Honest Man.

(By cable to The Associated Press.)
RENNES. August %, 1ss9-General Mer-
cier. the former Minister Of War. and
most OF the other generals interested In
the case were present In the hall of the
Iyce this morning when the second ses-
sion of the fourth week of the second
trial by court martial of Captain Alfred
Dreyfus. of the Artillery, charged with
treason. was opened in the usual manner
and without special incident.
Colonel Cordier, Deputy Chief Of the In
telligence Department under the late
Lieutenant Colonel Henry, who, since MS
previous appearances in court had been
released by the Minister of War General
de Naruisd de Galifet. from his oath OF
professional secrecy, was the first witness
called today. He testified to the effect
that the late Colonel Sandherrr, ana not
Lieutenant Colonel Henry received the
famous bordereau.
The witness deposed strongly in favor
of Dreyfus and was most amusing IN
delivering his testimony. He kept the
court and even the judges in roars OF
laughter by his comical manner ana
witticisns. He is a short, stou. man win
a ;ollv face and very red nose
The Colonel declared that mis- beilef ID
the guilt Of Dreyfus was first shaken
when the date Of the bordereau was
given as May, and. later the witness oe-
clared stoutly he was convinced Dreyfus
was innocent.
Colonel Cordier then spoke up strongly
far Colonel Picquart, as conscientious
soldier an dan honorable man, and threw
light upon the situation which EXISTED IN
.41,a offices Of the Intelligence Department
~ the war once He explained fnal
Henry was Jealous of Picauart because
the latter was given charge of the Statis-
tieal section. which Henry hoped 70 get
far himself Cordier expressed the pehsA
that Il was because of Picquart tnae
Henry committed his forgery
Tba evidence of Colonel Cordier was de-
a;verea in a loud voice, accompanied oy
humorous asides. He several times men
toned the Ambassador of Germany
which caused the President Of the Court
Colonel Jouaust. to intervene and tell the
witness that he must not introduce the
Ambassador's name or refer to Germany
The hasty corrections of the witness wneh
he reneated the same slips of the tongue,
as he did more than once, and the anus
ing manner in which he avoided men
tioning Germany at other times caused
the greatest merriment During his tes-
tfmony no fewer than five witnesses rose
and asked to be confronted with him.
But the Colonel received the interrupt
tions with the utmost good humor.
Dreyfus spoke a few words at the con-
clusion Of Colonel Cordier's statements
He said the scene which preceded his ar
rest was so fantastic that it completely
bewildered him and merely left blunted
impression on his memory.
THE prisoner is now accustomed to his
surroundings and has apparently re-
covered his self-confidence, as he speaks
readily and clearly and follows the wit
nesses closely, taking notes of various
points of their depositions.
Major Lauth first confronted Colonel
Cordier and tried to score against him
by pointing out that Cordier was incor-
rect in saying there were anti-Semites on
the General Staff, since Cordier himself
was one. The Colonel retorsed turning
the tables on tine Major, as, raising his
hand, he cried
Quite true I was an antf-Semite, but
/ never bore false witness against the
Jewl ] am an honest mani"
The audience applauded these remarks
Colonel Cordier then administered a
wel-deserved snub TO Major Lauth by
reniarking that he. the Cblonel, might
be allowed to know more than Major
Iauth with reference 10 the work of the
Intelligence Department, since he, Cor
dler, replaced Colonel Sandherr as Chief
OF the department whenever Sandilerr
was absent while Major Laalth the wit
ness conchded, was merely my assist
ant. My assistant, mark you!'@
Major Lauth did not enjoy this little
scene at ali.
General Roget next confronted Colonel
supercilious air which characterized him
when he appeared at the witness bar,
struttlng about the stage in disdainful
attitudes. His evidence however. was not
very striking nor was that Of Colonel
Fluer. or Arehivist Gribelin who also
contested minor points Of Cordiers deposit
flon.
Finally, General Mereier. who evidently
confronted the prisoner in order to DEM
onstrate the baselessness of the stories of
his intentions to fly and to show his deter
mination to fight to the last. confronted
Colonel Cordier. The Generals rernarks 3
were of small Importance the most in
sandherr's opinion Of Mathieu Dreyfus
when the prisoners brother werft to see
the Colonel to ask for justice in behalf
nf Captain Dreyfus Mercier admitted
sMafhieu Dreyfuss impressed me as
an honest man who was prepared to make
any sacrifice TO. save his brother -
NJ. de FFeycinet, the former Minister of
War former Minister Of Foreign Affairs
and Premier followed Colonel Cerdier on
the witness taHd
The cours room was packed to its ut
most capacity as the distinguished
French statesman began his deposition
It was evident the public Was anxious
to see the former Minister at the witness
bar. He Is a venerable looking man
with seanty. snow white hair and mus
taclae and was dressed III a blue serge
suit lie wore little black how for a
necktie and gave his testimony seated.
and in q low voice.
This prisoner was exDected to speak
about the thifty-five million francs SUP
posed to have been contributed abroad,
mainly III England and Germany, to the
DresduEian war chest.
III dc Frevcinet, began BY expressing
the pain which he experiepceA at the