The record-union., 1899-08-26
a roar of laughter echoed throughout

PAOSS q Sulfie DIS Iney gaZ6Q on M. B0f-
tillon's stage properties strewn over
half the platform. A table was brought
IN upon which the plans he was using
could be placed.
The witness began by saying that
only intelligent men could follow his
explanations.
M. Bertillon commenced his deposi-
ton at S:30 a. m. 1t occupied the whole
of this session, and will perhaps oc-
cupy a good part of to-morrow's ses-
sion. The courtroom presented a GU
rlous scene While NJ. Bertillon, whom
the Dreyfusards, in their most indul-
gent moments, describe as a dangerous
maniac" spent the three remaining
hours of the session in explaining, in
unintelligible terms, his ''infallible sys-
tenn of proving Dreyfus the author of
the bordereau. The majority of the
public, however, utterly unable to COM
prehend NJ. Bertillon's theories, had
left the courtroom. Even La Dame
Blanche abandoned her post.
In the meanwhile M. Bertillon, with
gestures and in the shrill, pitched voice
of quack at country fair. continued
his monologue, producing every minute
some fresh paper covered with wonder
full hierogliophics, copies of which he
presented to the Judges, who with an
expression of owl-like wisdom, carefully
examined them, their heads clustered
together their eyes gazing on the long,
wide strips of paper, while NJ Bertil-
lon leaned over their table, trying to
explain his mystifying diagrams, which
QftprxKa arflc no 70 oh
and Demange, who, however, apparent
ly did not derive much profit there
from.
Dreyfus gazed at the scene with a
look of stupefaction. The clearest ut
terance of NJ. Bertillon during the
course of his demonstration, was that
the handwriting of the bordereau
"obeys a geometrical rythm, of which
L discovered the equation in the pris-
oner's blotting paper
The witness finally announced that
he would give a practical demonstra-
ton of the writing of the bordereau,
according to his system Then he the
atrically cleared the desk attached to
the witness bar, drew his, chair near
er, deposited his high hat on the floor,
~AAA N'AASa14S oONlI, OtSdD Copying lIl6
bordereau. The audience watched him
bent over his desk busily drawing let
ters, the Judges gazing at him, until
at the end Of ten minutes the people
and the Judges became restlessly i'm
patient and Colonel Jouaust remarked
that it was not necessary to copy the
whole bordereau, and that a few lines
would suffice. A few minutes later.
M. Bertillon rose strode to the Judges
table and laid before them his copy
The Judges, counsel, Government Com
missary, Major Carriere and the clerk
or the court clustered around in one
group, eager to see the results The
audience watched this strange spec
tacle until Colonel Jouaust shrugged
his shoulders. and then the spectators
knew that NJ. Bertillon had failed to
satisfy them. NJ. Bertillon noticed this.
and said apologetically: 81 was too bad
ly placed
M. DeHange, of counsel for the de-
fense, returned to counsel's table. and
in response to a look of inquiry from
Dreyfus, whispered few words to the
prisoner, with a shrug of his shoulders
and smile on his face. Dreyfus ap-
peared perfectly satisfied.
Colonel Jouaust then, at II :45 O'Clock.
adjourned the court, and NJ. Bertillon
packed up his belongings and the SOL
diers carried them out
The newspaper men who crowded
M. Labori asked him for his impress
sions. He said there was a certain re-
semblance to the bordereau, adding:
But that is ALL III. Bertillon only did
what dozens could do. 1t only proves
that he is a clever forger. That is all. y
Following are the proceedings in de-
tail:
At the opening of the session of the
Dreyfus court-martial considerable
comment was caused by the request of
the headquarters staff for permission
TO absent himself for twenty-four hours
owing TO a summons of the Minister of
War who desired to see him in Paris.
1t was suggested that the Minister Of
War wished to refresh NJ Gribelin's s
memory, which has been so strongly
anti-Dreyfus.
Then followed the reading of a medi-
cal certificate signed by two doctors.
whose names We're not familiar to the
audience. setting forth that Colonel Du
Patty de Clam is too i'll to leave his bed
and appear at Rennes, at which the au-
dience was not surprised.
Mime. Du Patty de Clam also wrote
to the Government Commissary offer
ing written supplementary deposition
from her husband.
NJ. Labori, after securing the names
of the doctors who signed the certifi-
cate, asked the court to appoint two
well-known physicians to report Off
cially on Du Patty de CLAIMS condition
Colonel Jouaust, however, declared it
was useless to do so, as the condition Of
the invalid was well known.
Rowland Strong, correspondent of the
New York Times" and a member of
the staff of the observer of London.
was the first witness called. He de-
scribed at length the interviews which
he had with Esterhazy, saying the "Ob-
server" offered Esterhazy $500 for GER
tain documents and a confession that
he wrote the bordereau, as published
April 25th.
Replying to the court, Mr. Strong
said that Esterhazy. while admitting
the authorship of the bordereau, said
the documents enumerated in it had
been betrayed by Dreyfus to Germany.
M. Henri Weill former officer of the
headquarters staff, was then called,
but he was absent and his, deposition
was read The facts of the case were
published April Goth. M. Weilrs state
ment, in substance, was that Esterhazy
told him in 1894 that Dreyfus was in
nocent, but that this would not prevent
his conviction, because he was Jew
(Sensation)
A brief discussion ensued regarding
fha pha of Colopal DioO,,o e.,