Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1899-08-30
BERTILLON A FAILURE
Gives No Convincing Testimony
at Dreyfus Trial.
DRAMATIC SCENE IN COURT.

Witness Stand-A Distinct Victory for
the Defense-Ge ndarmes Have to Keep
the Audience in Order-Scenes aud In
cidents of the Day.
Rennes, Aug. 2S.-When the sixth
session of the third week of the second
trial by court-martial of Captain AL
fred Dreyfus of the artillery on the
charge of treason began in the Lycee
M. Alphonse Bertillon, chief of the
Anthropometric department of the Par
is prefecture of police, resumed his tes-
timony interrupted by the adjourn
ment of court the previous day. In this
case M. Bertillon testified as a hand
writing expert and gave his reason for
believing Dreyfus to be the author Of
the famous bordereau upon which the
prosecution mainly depends to estab-
lish the charge against the prisoner.
Says Dreyfus Wrote 1t.
The comic aspect of M. Bertillon's
performance again appealed to the ris-
Utilities of the audience, though the
Judge paid close attention to his DEM
constructions, which were concluded at
$3.50 a. m, the witness saying in de-
clamatory tone:
81 am convinced the writer of the
bordereau is the prisoner sitting
there"
Dreyfus heard him without fiinching
and with an expression Of disdain,
which he showed in a still more no.
ticeable manner just before the spe-
cialist's testimony, when M. Demange
handed him paper which M. Bertillon
had submitted to the judges as con-
vincing proof of the guilt of the ac-
cused. The prisoner perused it for a
few minutes and then handed it back
with shrug of his shoulders and
without uttering word.
Highly Dramatic Scene.
There was highly dramatic scene
toward the end of the session. Matter
Labori, leading counsel for the defense,
asked to have Major Freystaeter, one
of the members of the court-martial Of
1894 which convicted Dreyfus, called
in contradiction of the deposition Of
Colonel Maurel, the presiding Judge
upon that occasion, who had testified
that he only read one of the documents
out of the secret dossier communicated
to the court-martial. The major said
his conviction of the guilt of the pris-
Oner was formed by the evidence of
the experts in handwriting, the deposit
ton of Colonel Du Patty de Clam,
sand" he continued, 81 must add, some
slight influence was exercised over my
mind by hearing the secret dossier
read"
The witness was then questioned as
TO whether one or more of the docu-
ments were read and he said they were
all read.
Direct Contradiction.
This was in direct contradiction of
Colonel Maurel and M. Labori at once
demanded the conformation of Major
Freystaeter with Colonel Maurel The
Halter mounted the stage and presented
a miserable object, his shifty eyes
blearing out beneath heavy eyebrows
and looking around him with vicious,
hang-dog look.
4How do you explain this?" asked
M. Labori.
Then, the colonel at bay, replied saw
agely: 81 said ! only read one docu-
ment. l did not say only one docu-
ment was read"
This statement called forth an out
burst of Kisses and indignant "ohs"
from the audience, which looked upon
1t as an infamous confession. The
witness, trembling with shame, but ev-
identity determined to fight to the last,
threw fierce look of hatred at M. La
bori and the audience as the gendarmes
shouted: Silence, silence"
MaureI a Thorough Liar.
After this the audience listened
spellbound as Major Freystaeter, in a
distinct, bold voice, told exactly what
the documents of the dossier were and
how Colonel Maurel not only read
those documents, but made comment
on them This was practically calling
Maurel a thorough liar and the colonel
glared at the major ferociously. Major
Freystaeter, however, was not dis
mayed and his words, spoken in tone
of candor and fearlessness, must have
carried conviction to every hearer.
General Mercier then asked to be
heard and placed himself by the side
of Maurel. The forbidding appear
ance of these two men, both dressed
I'm civilian attire, was in striking con-
frast with the erect, unfiinching atti-
tude of Freystaeter, who wore the
smart uniform of a major of artillery,
with medals on his breast. 1t was a
remarkable scene.
GUERIN HOSTS THE BLACK FLAG.
Anti-semite Thus Indicates Death In His
Paris Fort.
Paris, Aug. 28.-All was quiet in the
vicinity of Rue Chabrol throughout the
night, but at o'clock in the morning
a black flag appeared in the attic win
dow Some DAVIS ago Guerin stated