The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1903-08-13
nUMBERT FAMILY.
AGAIN FACES JURY
Charged With tho Greatest
SWindle of Century.
PUBLIC CURIOSITY IS GREAT.

Palaio DO Justice In Paris Beeleged by
Eager and Morbid Crowd to Hear
Testimony In One Of the Most CeIe
brated Cases Known.
Paris, AUGUST 10.-The notorious
Humbert family today faced a judge
and jury to- meet the charge Of having
perpetratod what former Premier Wal.
deck-Rosaeau described as "the great.
est swindlo Of the century" Investi.
eating Magistrate Leydet in May decid.
ed to commit Therese Humbert, her
husband Frederic, and her brother, for
trial On the charges OF forgery, the
use Of forged documents and swindling.
he dismissed the cases against Eve
Humbert tThereses daughter) and
Marie d'Aurignac cher sister}.
Public curiosity which has followed
the fortunes of the family since the
days OF It's social brilliance is again
intensely wrought up. the chief inter.
est centering In LA Grande Thercse,"
who has promised to produce at this
trial the mysterious American million.
aires, The brothers Crawford, on whom
she based her story OF an inheritance
OF $20,0U0.0O which she put forward
as the security for the loans she Oh.
tainod, amounting to about $4,000. 900.
Curious Crowds Assmeble.
The PIiais de Justice was early this
morning surrounded by large crowds
eager to gain admittance to the court.
room. A heavy force OF municipal
guards preserved order. Many excur.
slons came from distant points, the
railroads treating the trial as they
would a national holiday. One Of the
excursions came from Melun which
was the constituent that Frederic
Humbert represented in the chamber
Of deputies and where was located the
famous Humbert chateau, with It's
parks, yachts and fleet Of gondolas.
or the thousands who sought admission
only few hundred of the highly ia.
vored gained on entrance to the court.
Coquolin. the celebrated actor. was
among the throng Of artists. actors and
authors seeking admission and when
he was turned back he remarked that
the trial would be "one Of the greatest
dramas ever enacted" The scene
within the courtroom recalled the tense
days Of the Dreyfus and Zola trials.
The audience included diplomats,
academicians and members OF the lie.
gion Of Honor Many ladies were pres.
ont, their rich gray gowns contrasting
w h, o1Tfk - Il,>t,
Manyof the ladies carried dainty
luncheon bags, evidently expecting to
spend the day in court
TO the right Of the judges was the
prisoner dock, raised four feet above
the level Uf the room and bringing out
the faces OF the prisoners against the
dark background. They were brought
In from the prison Of the concier.
gerie. through a subtcrrancan passage
leading to the courtroom.
Nine. Humbert Defiant.
AS they entered evory eye was
strained tow ards them. Therese Hum.
bert came first. then her husband Nred.
eric, followed by her brothers Emile
and Romain d'Aurlgnac. Nine. Hum.
bert's face was pale from her long
confinement. Her whole bearing. as
she co'dly surveyed the spectators,
indicated scorn and defiance. She
wore becoming steel gown and a
dainty round hat, bearing a cut steel
ornament and cluster Of white roses,
Frederic Humbert was the picture OF
q crushed. miserable man. He bore
O. hagg&rd expression, showing more
despair than defiance. His scanty
beard hns become very gray. Emile
d'Aurignac has grown thin and cadav.
erous looking, but his brother, Ro.
main. still looks the type Of the sleek
promoter.
Mme. Humbert had a whispered con.
ference with her counsel, Maitre La.
bori, who defended Dreyfus, at the
Rennes coutrmartial while the
indictment was being read. There
was a large array of counsel. repre-.
Eenting the numerous interests on
both sides. The early hours OF tho
hearing we're occupied by the reading
OF the Indictment, the formal plead.
Ing and the selecting Of the Jury from
the regular panel.
Nine. Humbert frequently interrupt.
cd tho reading OF the indictment with
scornful exclamations, which could be
heard throughout tho courtroom. Whom
asked whore sho lived, she answered.:
I'm prison."