Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-14
NJ. CRsfmir-Perier.

announced when suddenly NJ. Jaunay. syn
die of the judiciary press, rushed into the
room and shouted:
M. Labori has been shot
All present gave gasp of horror and sur
prise and then every man jumped to his
feet and a voiley of questions was hurled
at NJ. Jaunays head who, crying, That is
all | know rushed out of court again. fol-
lowed by a number OF his hearers. Those
who remained eXcitedly discussed the crime
and vigorously denounced the authors.
Colonel Jouaust, president of the court,
when the news reached him, suspended the
sitting of the court-martial until 7:15 a m.
1t appears that Madame Labori herself
broke the news to the court and Informed
NJ. Jaunay of the crime, having rushed
from her husbands side to the court crying
for doctor and shouting that her hus-
band had been shot.
Mercier COntradicted.
When the court-martial was resumed Gen
Mercier was confronted with NJ. CasiElir-
Perier the former president of France
The latter declared that MerCier's story,
told on the witness stand Saturday. of the
imminence of war between Germany ard
France in 1894 was grossly exaggerated,
and complained of the action of the then
minister of war (Mercier) in moving oo,oOo
troops to the frontier without consulting
him.
AS it was NJ. Labori's task to take Gen.
MERCER in hand and NJ Demange, assoc
ciate counsel, quite unprepared for
the task, the few questions the latter put
We're practically of little effect, and Gen.
MERCER escaped cheaply.
Moreover NJ. Demange was deeply affect
ed by the attempt to assassinate his col
league, and was quite unable to do himself
justice.
NJ. Demange, when court assembled 1T
72O a. M, announced that. though his col
leagues wound not serious as at
first supposed, it would be impossible for
the latter to participate in the proceed
mgs
When Gen MERCER was recalled, in reply
to the president of the court, he reiterated
his belief that Major Count Esterhazy,
in spite of the latters own declaration,
was not the author of the bordereau, which,
the witness claimed, was written on trac-
ing paper and was found in an embassy.
The president asked NJ. Casimir-Perier to
explain the circumstances of the confession
Dreyfus is alleged to have made to Capt.
Iebrun- Renault NJ Casimir-Perier per
sisted in his statement of Saturday that he
had never received any condolences OF this
character from Capt. Lebrun-Renault. He
added that NJ. Dupuy. the then premier,
was present when Capt. Lebrun- -Renault
called at the Elysee palace.
Letter From NJ. Dupuy.
Moreover" said NJ Casimr-Perier. here
is a letter from NJ Dupuy which L ask may
be read
The letter asserted that Capt. Lebrun-
Renault when questioned by NJ. Dupuy, re-
piled that Gen. MERCER had sent him to the
president to receive a dressing down for his
indiscreet disclosures to the Figaro.
Gen. Mercer here interposed, saying:
Capt Lebrun- Renault spoke to me in re-
gard to the confessions in the presence of
Gen. Gonse who will testify thereto 1t
was then that ! ordered him to so to the
president of the republic
Regarding Gen. Mercier's declarations on
Saturday last on the witness stand, NJ. Cas-
imir-Perier said:
Gen. MERCER had no right whatever to
intervene in diplomatic conversation. L
would have prevented such interference 1t
was l alone who conferred with the minis
ter, and declare that the impression l de-
rived from that conversation was one of
complete calm, otherwise the incident would
not have been closed by the framing of
note.
We had no telegram from Berlin that
evening. 1t was in regard to a note the
minister referred TO Berlin. II there had
been any news in regard to the matter on
the evening of the 9th We should not have
waited until the Sth to publish the note
There was not a dispatch addressed to
friendly power relative to the incident. The
incident has been maGnified. Besides in
the event of diplomatic complications the
president would have communicated with
the minister of foreign affairs.
Acted as Minister of War
Gen. MERCER replied that he went to the
Elysee Palace minister of war. He re-
called that Gen. De Boisdeffre could tes-
tify in regard to the orders received.
NJ. Demange seized upon this declaration
and insisted that Gen. Mercier repeat the
statement that he had given orders to Gen.