The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-25


insisted upon learning the name of th'
suspect
'.It was not proper said NJ. Colbert
"for me to accuse any one without beine
| perfectly cognizant of the facts, especially
in circumstances of SO grave nature
(Sensation.) / would not accuse any ont
anonymously for to do SO would be con.
trary to the law"
Amidst laughter in court, the witness
described how, from an examination OF
an official report on Dreyfus. from which
Dreyfus' name had been removed, NJ
Colbert had the malicious satisfaction OF
telling General Gonse the name of the
officer they wanted to arrest.
1t was after NJ Colbert had refused tc
incriminate Dreyfus that NJ. Bertillon was
entrusted with the examination of the
bordereau. and. after few hours study
NJ. Bertillon positively attributed the bor-
dereau to Dreyfus From that time for
ward NJ Colbert heard no more of the
Dreyfus case. He was not asked to sub
nit a report. but described to the then
Minister of Justice, NJ Guerin, the cir
cumstances in the case. NJ Guerin. con-
tinued the witness, intimated that these
were soldiers affairs which did not con-
cern him as chief of the civil Judiciary.
Colonel Jouaust asked NJ. Colbert for a
more definite criticism of the bordereau
and the witness replied that he noticed
certain simlarities between the handing
OF the bordereau and that of Dreyfus.
But, he added, there were many import
ant differences which proved to him that
Dreyfus was not the author of the bor-
dereau, and his opinion had since been
4 n0 sfaxrda s& s..
the bordereau was the work of Ester
| hazy (Sensation.)
Replying to the court, M. Colbert sue-
gested that the judges compare the bor-
dereau with a letter admitted to be in
Esterhazy's handwriting and dated from
Rouen, August II, 1894, and with docu-
ments written by the prison.
You will then unmistakably reeog-
hlze,' M. Colbert added, that the bor-
dereau is in Esterhazy's handwriting and
nor IN the handwriting of Dreyfus
! Great sensation.)
The witness at this juncture identified
the pordereau as the same which was
supmitted to him and he proceeded TO
point out the identfcality of letters there
IN with letters admittedly written by Es-
terhazy, saying that while the resem-
piance was not apparent In Dreyfus's
handwriting, in Esterhazy's there were
marked peculiarities of punctuation and
| the manner of beginning fresh lines which
We're also noticeable in the bordereau.
but which were not found in the pris-
oner's caligraphy.
Proceeding the witness traversed the old
ground OF the pecnliarities of the tracing
paper which it is known Esterhazy used
and said the date of the bordereau must
be July "a 1894
The expert refused, in reply to a ques-
ton by the court TO admit the bor-
dereau was written in disguised hand.
He said it hal been written with great
rapidity precluding all idea of doctoring
or tracing.
General Gonge asked permission to
question ~ Colbert and said:-
In what army list did you look for the
name Of Dreyfus?"
NJ Goebert-"I used the list which is
generally kept in business houses
The General pointed out that this did
not give the information claimed by M.
Colbert. But the latter maintained he had
stated nothing but the pure and simple
truth
General Gonse having alluded to certain
undesirable acquaintances formed by NJ
Colbert the latter replied, amid sensation
in COURT
Il emphatically protest against the in
situations of General Gonse. There is not
a single word of truth in what he says.
There was further dispute between
General Gonse and NJ. Colbert over cir
cumstances in connection with the latter's
examination of the bordereau. NJ. Colbert
said that Colonel d'Abovi1le was present
but the Colonel promptly advanced and
said he had never seen NJ. Colbert before
today, adding
IF NJ. Goberts other recollectIons are
as exact as this the Court will draw its
own conclusions" (Adurmurs of disap-
provaI.)
Dreyfus here declared, in the most posi-
tive manner, that he had never been at
the Bank of France where M. Colbert
was employed, or had relations with any
one there The prisoner reasserted that
his sole desire was to know the truth
He admitted he had been engaged in va
rious financial operations, but said he had
never asked either for written or verbal
information from the Bank of France.
There was a general movement of cu-
riosity when M. Bertillon, the well known
anthropometer Cor specialist in the meas
urement of the human body), was
called and the interest deepened when
the Chief of the Identification Department
advanced TO the witness bar. He was
soon afterwards followed by four soldiers
and a non-commissioned officer bearing
portfolios, drawing boards and a variety
of packages and paraphernalia, which
were deposited on the platform, to the
amusement of the audience
NJ Bertillon prefaced his evidence by
saying his explanations would be UNDER
stood only by a very limited number,
therefore, he asked the Court to permit
him to refer to documents which he had
brought, In order to make his evidence
more intelligible. Gaughter)
The specialist then unpacked packages
Of photographs, plans, etc, and another
table was brought in to hold the mass of
papers produced.
In monotonous tones. NJ. Bertilon pro-
ceeded, in the manner of a schoolboy re-
citing lesson, to demonstrate technically
how he reached the conviction of Drey-
fus guilt, reciting the facts published
April e. He said he proposed to prove
to the Court
First-That the bordereau was doc
tored document.