Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1899-08-25
He Produces an ALLEGED Imlta-
tion of the Writing In
the Bordereau.
GREETED WITH LAUGHTER
Appearance In Court Decidedly
Comlcal-O others Testify
for Dreyfus.

RENNEs, August 20 AT the opening
of the Dreyfus trial this morning thu
clerk read medical certificate declar
ing it impossible for Colonel Du Patl
Clam to come to Rennes to testify. NJ
Labori asked the president of the court
M. Jouaust, to Instructive well knowr
medical men to examine sDus Clam
Jouaust refused.
Rowland Strong, an English news
paper man, deposed that Major Count
Esterhazy confessed to him that he
wrote the famous bordereau.
The next witness was M. Colbert, an
expert of the Bank of France, who was
the first man in France to have declared
in favor of Dreyfus. He reported on
examining the documents In the case
that Esterhazy, not Dreyfu wrote the
bordereau. The witness opened his
deposition with a personal statement
protesting against being characterized
as doubtful experrt7 by the military
party. g ~
"But," he added in tones of profound
pity, turning towards Dreyfus, Il have
no right to complain and am silent
when Isee before me the unfortunate
man.who sits there"
Colbert was. emphatic in attributinc
the bordereau to Esiefhazy. Answer
ing the questions of the judges, Colbert
declared his conviction that the bor-
dereau was written in running, ma
tural hand and said there was no trac-
ing or other trickery.
M. Bertillon, the noted anthropomo-
tist, was called next. He entered with
All infantry sergeant and four privates
staggering under the weight of I'M
merse leather satchels bulging with
documents, charts, etc.
Laughter echoed throughout. the
court. The court room presented a
cnIious scene while Bertillon, whom
the Dreyfusardsr describe as danger
GUS maniac spent the three remaining
hours of the session in explaining IN
unintelligible terms his "infallible sys'
tenn pFoving that Dreyfus is The auth
or of the bordereau. A majority Of
the public was, however, utterly unable
to comprehend Bertilion's theories and
left The court room. Meanwhile, Ber.
tilion with gestures and in shrill
pitched voice, eentiAueda a mOnologue
producing every minute some frest
paper covered with wonderful hierOg-
iyphics, copies of which he presented
to the Judges who, with an expression
of owl like wisdom, carefully examined
them. SO
The clearest utterance Bertillon made
during his demonstration was that tht
handwriting of the bordereau "obey'
the geometrical rythm of which | dis
covered an equation in the prisoner
blotting paper"
The witness finally announced hi
would practically demonstrate the writ
ing of the bordereau according Il
his system. Then he began copying
the bordereau. Colonel Jouaust re
marked A few lines would suffice Ber
tillon then laid before the judges hi
copy. Judges, counsel, Government
COmmissary Major Carriere and ,clerl
of the court clustered around in on'
group eager to see the result. Jouaus
shrugged his shoulders.
Then the spectators knew that Der
tillon failed to satisfy them. Bertillor
said apologetically: # was too badl!
placed" .tt =
M. Demange of counsel for the de
fense, whispered few words to Drey
fus, who appeared perfectly satisfied
Col. Jouaust at II as adjourned court
The newspaper men crowded arount
Labori, asking him for his Impressions
Counsel said there was certain resem
blance to the bordereau, adding
"But that is ALL. tBertiIlon only dit
what dozens could do. 1t only. prove
he is a clever forger. That-is ALL
MORE R1oTING IN PARIS. -
NEW York, August 25. -Ai dispatel
from Paris to the Evening Post say
there was serious rioting today between
anti Drefusites and friends Of Dreyfu
in the Rue Lafayette, St. Denis, II
which twelve persons were badly hurt
The police charged upon the riotel
and made many arrests.