The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-26


The evidence of the handwriting ex-
perIs followed Nj. Colbert after testify
ing to the facts published April % and
April "a. Vehemently protested against the
insinuation that he was an interested wit
ness. He referred to his thirty years of
| services, during which he had reported
on thousands of documents and added,
vlsiby affected; II protest against the term
interested expert, adding, turning to-
ward the prisoner, after all / have no
right to complain, when ] look at this un-
fortunate man now before you" Great
| sensation.)
The court closely followed NJ. Gobert's
exhaustive story OF his examination of the
| bordereau and his Interview with Gems.
| Mercier, De Boisdeffre and Gonse. Nj. Co
bert asserted that the handwrtIuS Of the
bordereau was natural and fluent, and that
it was almost illeglble, whereas, Dreyfus,
even when writing rapidly, always wtoie
| legibly.
| Gen Gonse, it appears from the testi-
mony, was greatly enraged when he learn
| ed of the result of M. Goberts examina-
| tion of the bordereau and visited the ex-
! pert repeatedly. 1t was after NJ Colbert
| had refused to incriminate Dreyfus that
| NJ. BertillOn was entrusted with the exam
ination of the bordereau, and after few
hours study. Mr. Bert.llon positively at
| trihuted the bordereau 10 Dreyfus. From
| that time forward Nj. Colbert heard uo
| more of the Dreyfus case. He was not
asked TO submit a report
The witness Identified the bordereau as
| the same which was submitted to him,
and he proceeded to point out the identity
| of letters there in with letters and deco
ments admittedly written by Esterhazy.
| saying that the resemblance was not ap-
parent in Dreyfus' handwriting. The eX-
| pert refused, in reply to question by the
court to admit that the bordereau was
! p-rf in 8
| had been written with great rapidity. pre-
! Guiding all idea of doctoring or tracing.
| Dreyfus here declared in the most positive
manner that he had never been at the
Bank of France where NJ. Colbert was em-
ployed or had relations with any one
there.
Then Came Bertillon.
There was a general movement Of cur os-
fly when NJ. Bertillon the well known an
| thropometer, or specialist in the measure
ments 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 fol
lowed by four soldiers and a ncn-commis
stoned officer bearing portfolios, drawing
boards and variety of packages and par
aphernalia, which were deposi ed on the
platform, 10 the amusement o. the eu-
dience
M. Berti,lon prefacel his evidence ty
saying his explanations would ! e under
stood only by very limited numbsr T. ard
therefore, he asked the court 10 -ermil
him to refer TO documents which he hal
brought, in order to make his evidence
more ineligible. CLaughter).
The specialist then unpacked photo
graphs, plans, etc, and table was
brought in to hold the mass of papers pro
duced. In monotonous tone, NJ. Ber
tillon proceeded, IN the manner Of a schoo
boy recting a lesson, to demonstrate tech
nically how he could prove Dreyfus' guilt
reciting the facts published April p. The
witness, continuing declared Dreyfus die
not have recourse to initiating EsterhaZy'
free handwriting, because it required toe
long to study and he used the tracing
process because it is easier 10 learn srt
more likely 10 be successful.
Dreyfus appeared to be stupefkd by the
comparatively incomprehensibe jargon
and many of the audience left the court
Suddenly the wondering attention of thos,
remaining in the hall was riVetGd by tht
cryptographlc remark enunciated by NJ
Bertilon in loud tones: I'VE clearly have
before us fabricated document The on,
word always rests upon the other with
divergence of 125 millimetres and 20
milimetres. This is a phenomena whict
| is unnatural"
NJ. Labori watched the specialist for
few moments, and then returned to his
seat, holding up both hands and exclaim
ing: ut is most extraordinary.
M. Bertillon continued his explanat ations
and caused such a whrl In the brain,
of his hearers that Col. Jouaust finally
remarked: 1--WE must have a few minutes
rest" When the session of the cour
was resumed NJ. Bertillon further demon
strated. The witness INDUCED in a Ions
argument and TRADE against the prisoner
like a lawyer summing up for the prose
cution Dreyfus listened unmoved NJ
Bertillon then announced that he woul(
give a practical demonstration Of how tn,
bordereau was fabricated by means of
key word. The witness, seated at the ia
BILE, began to copy the bordereau on
sheet OF paper, similar in character to tn,
famous document.
After a quarter of an hour Col. Jouaus
suss ested that Il was not necessary t,
finish the demonstration, and II. Bertlior
rose and showed the judges the result o
his labor renarking: II was in a bad 20
stion." The audience concluded from thf
remark that the experiment had not sue
ceeded, and the expression on the judges
faces seemed to bear out this opinion.
The court adjourned for the day at 11:4
q. m.