The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-25

Ion was entrusted with the examination
OF the bordereau and after few hours
study, Nj. Bertillon, positively attribu-
ted the bordereau to Dreyfus.
From that time forward NJ. Colbert
heard no more of the Dreyfus case. He
was not asked to submit a report, but
described to the then minister of JUS
ice. NJ. Guerin, the circumstances in
the case.
m. Guerin.' continued the witness,
1nt1mated that these were soldiers az
fairs which did not concern him, as
chief of the civil judiciary
WORK OF ESTERHAZY.
Col Jouaust asked NJ. Colbert for a
more definite criticism of the bOrdereau
and the witness replied that he noted
similarities between the handwriting of
the bordereau and that of Dreytus,
but he added, there We're many inn
pOrtant differences which proved to him
that Dreyfus was not the author of the
bordereau and his opinion had since
been confirmed, because it was now
proved the bOrdereau was the work of
ESterhazy." (SensatiOn.)
Replying to the court, NJ. Colbert sug-
gested that the judges compare the bor-
dereau with a letter admitted to be in
Esterhazy's handwriting and dated
from Rouen, August H. 1894, and with
documents written by the prisoner.
You viii then, Enthusiastically recOg-
niZe,'' Colbert added, that the bOr-
dereau is in Esterhazys handwriting
and not in the handwriting of Dreyfus."
(Great SensatiOn.)
Ihe witness at TINS JunCJufe, 1QenIl-
fed the bOrdereau as the same which
was submitted to him and he proceeded
to point out the identity of letters
therein with letters in documents ad-
mittedly written by Esterhazy, saying
that while the resemblance was not ap-
parent in Dreyfus' handwriting, in Es-
terhaZy'S there were marked pecul1ar1-
ties of punctuation and the manner of
beginning lines which We're also notice
able in the bOrdereau, but which were
not found in the prisoners caligraphy.
Proceeding, the witness traversed the
old ground of the peculiartties of the
tracing paper, which it is known ES-
terhazy used and said the date of the
bordereau must be July p, 1894.
WRITTEN RAPIDLY.
The expert refused in reply TO ques-
-tion by the court to admit that the bor-
dereau was written in a disguised hand.
He said it had been written with great
rapidity, precluding all idea of doctor
ing or tracing.
General Gonse asked permission to
question NJ. Colbert and said. In what
army list did you look tor the name of
Dreyfus ?'
NJ Gobert-I used the list which is
generally kept in business houses
The general pointed out tnat this list
did not give the information claimed
by NJ. Colbert, but the latter maintain
ed that he had stated nothing but the
pure and simple truth.
General Gonse having alluded to GER
tain undesirable acquaintances formed
by NJ. Colbert, the latter replied amid a
sensation in court:
I emphaticany protest against the
insinuatiOns of Gen. Gonse. There 5
not single word of truth in what he
says"
There was a further dispute between
Gen GOnse and NJ. Colbert over circum-
stances in connection with the latter's
examination of the bordereau. NJ. Go
bert said that Col D'AboVille was pres
ent but the colonel promptly advanced
and said he had never seent NJ. Colbert
before today, adding:
If NJ. Gobert's other -ecollectiOns
are as exact as this the court will draw
it's own conclusions (Murmurs of dis
apprOvaD.
Dreyfus here declared in the most
positive manner that he had never been
at the Bank of France, where NJ.
Colbert was employed or had relations
with any one there. The prisoner as
serted that his sole desire was to know
the truth. He admitted he had been
engaged in various financial operations
but said he had never asked either for
written or verbal information from the
Bank of France.
BERTILLON IS CALLED.
There was a general movement of
curiosity when M Bertillon, the we'll
known anthrOpOmeter Cor specialist in
the measurement of the human bOdy)
was called and the interest deepened
when the chief of the identification de-
partment advanced to the witness bar.
He was soon afterwards followed by
four soldiers and a nOn-cOmmissiOned
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 un-
derstOod only by a very limited number,
and, therefore, he asked the court to
permit him to refer to documents
which he had brought in order to make
his evidence more intelligible. (Laugh-
ter).
The specialist then unpacked pack
ages of photographs, plans, etc. and
another table was brought in to hold
the mass OF papers produced
In mOnotOnOus tones, NJ. BertillOn
proceeded in the manner of a school
boy reciting a lesson, to demonstrate
technically how he reached the con-
viction of DreyfUs' guilt, reciting the
facts published April 21. He said he
proposed to prove to the court:
F'irst-That the bordereau was a doc
tored document.
SecOnd-That it could have only been
manufactured by the prisoner.
Third-That it had been written in
freeS hand by means of key-word
placed beneath tracing paper in such a
way as to be quite visible
The witness continuing, declared
Dreyfus did not have recourse to imi-
tadng EsterhaZy'S free handwriting be-
cause it required too long to study and
he used the tracing process because it
is easier to learn and more likely to
be successful.
WIN the view OF illustrating his
meaning, NJ BertilIon handed round
photographs of the bordereau, etc Dur
ing the course of the demonstration
the specialist advanced to the judges
bench and with his finger pointed out
illustrations of his theories
NM. Demange and Labori the judges
and others gathered in group around
the anthrOpOmeter
AUDIENCE GOES OUT.
Dreyfus appeared to be stupefied by
the comparatively incomprehensible
jargon. and many of the audience left
the court.
Suddenly the wondering attention of
those remaining in the hall was rivited