The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-25
.LABOR| AFTER MERCER
Colonel Jousaust Shamelessly
Takes the Generals Part.
BODIES DREYFUS NO GOOD
Vain Officers in Full Uniform Pranc
and Strut Upon the Stage, Eager
to Corroborate and Help
One Another Out.

Rennes, Aug. 24.-To-day's session of
the Dreyfus court martial was marked
by one of the most exciting scenes of
the trial. The proceedings opened with
skirmish, favorable to the defense,
over Colonel Maurel president of the
court martial of 1894, who admitted
reading one of the secret documents to
the court which had not been seen by
the defense.
Colonel Jousaust upheld Colonel Maui
rel in his refusal to indicate the nature
of the document he read but NJ. Labori
announced that he would summon in
Captain Freystatter, another member
of the tribunal of 1894, and get his yer
sion of what passed behind the backs
of the counsel for the defense Colonel
Maurel felt his position keenly and
continually hesitated before replying to
Labori's questions.
All this, however was only prelimi-
nary to a fierce battle that ensued be-
tween NJ. Labori and General Mercier.
the latter receiving reinforcements
from General Roget, General Gonse
and General de Bosdeffre, as well as
invaluable assistance from Colonel
Jousaust himself.
NJ Labori took General MERCER over
the whole ground of his previous depo-
sition. This led to several sharp pas
sages at arms between the advocates
and Colonel J0usauSt. Whenever Gen
eral Mercier was cornered he declined
TO answer. and Colonel Jousaust in
variably supported him. NJ. Labori
protested most theoretically. His words
and manner breathed the deepest in
dignation. but the president of the
court martial was inteXible. The inter
vention of Generals Gonse. Roget and
de Bosdeffre and Major Lauth. who
in rapid succession mounted the stage
or rose in their seats and interposed
remarks, was very exciting and car
ried the spectators along on wave of
breathlessness. One after another,
these officers. who were to-day in fun
uniform, would jump and cry II de-
mand to be heard" and without fur
ther waiting ascend the stairs of the
platform and begin statement in sup
port of a brother officer.
Sometimes four officers were on the
stage at the same time. 1t was a mar
velous display of military clannishness.
At one time a perfect Babel of voices
reigned for several minutes, until
stored order NJ. Labori's cross-exami-
nation was successful SO far as it went,
but Colonel Jousaust prevented him
pressing his advantage to the utmost.
In fact, Jousaust's hostile attitude to-
ward the counsel for the defense then
and during the cross examination of
the witness. NJ. de Grandmaison,
part of the public present and bodies i'll
for Dreyfus.
Not only Colonel Jousaust. but the
other judges displayed considerable i'm
patience during Labori's scathing cross
examination, shifting restlessly in Their
seats and drumming on the tables with
the tips of their fingers.
General Mercier faced Laboris fire
with calm demeanor, standing on the
platform. his hands behind his back,
and his face only half turned towards
his uuestioner. Once or twice savage
look in the eyes, an elevation in the
tone and a swaying to and fro of the
body. revealed the inner fires of resent
ment.
General Roget faced the court with
an air of unblushing effrontery. His
handsome but unsympathetic features
expressed the bitterest scOrn, as he
spun round on his heel and with arms
crossed, faced Labori or the audience
or the Judges. He is extremely vain
and is always striking attitudes for the
benefit of newspaper artists, quite
number of whom regularly attend the
sessions His impertinent behavior was
strikingly illustrated to-day when he
interrupted M. Labori's examination of
General Chamoin, which had resulted
in Labori's scoring heavily against
Mercier, with the exclamation: This
examination is waste of time"
AS a matter of fact, the examination
of Chamoin showed Mercier In very
bad light. as it brought out that he
had privately communicated to Cham
DIN. on the first day of the secret ses-
sions a report on the Panizzardi dis
patch for insertion in the secret dossier.
General Chamoin admitted that he did
wrong in accepting the report but
pleaded ignorance in judicial mat
ters.
The report consisted of three pages.
of which the second and third, Chamoin
declared, contained fantastic and in
fact false representations. NJ. Labori
brought General Mercier to the bar in
reference to this. MERCER admitted
that the report emanated from Du
Patty de Clam. but claimed that he
himself did not understand its con-
tents, though he thought it would be
interesting and perhaps useful to
Chamoin. This explanation was re-
garded as very lame and combined
with other shady actions.
The correspondent of the associated
press saw Madame Labori this after
noon and conversed with her regarding
her husbands condition. She said he
was progressing rapidly, though still
suffering considerable pain. The way
he is recovering" she exclaimed, seems
to be almost miraculous"
When the court martial opened at
$50 O'Clock this morning Colonel
Jousaust ordered that the evidence
given by NJ. Penot, a friend of the late
Colonel Sandherr. chief of the intelli-
sence department, be read by the clerk
of the court. 1t was to the effect that
Sandherr said the Dreyfus family of
fered him $780, 900 francs on condition he
would clear Dreyfus.
Demange. for the defense, disposed of
the allegation by reading the actual
note written on the subject by Sand
herr, thereby proving that the cOlonePs
remarks had been distorted, the Drey-
fus brothers having only said:
I'VE are convinced of the innocence
of our brother and will spend our entire
fortune to discover the truth"
Tho taStiunOnV of the first witness Of