Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-08-09
HUMBERT FAMILY
AGAIN FACES JURY
Charged With the Greatest
Swindle of Century.
PUBLIC CURIOSITY is GREAT

PaIais Gle Justios In Paris Besieqed by
Eager and Morbid Crowd to Hear
Testimony In One of the Most ceie.
brated Cases Known.
Paris, August S.-The notorious
Humbert family today faced judge
and jury to meet the charge of having
perpetrated what former Premier Wal
deck -RosSeau described as ''the great
est swindle 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 (Therese's daughter) and
Marie d'Aurignac cher sister,.
Public curiosity which has followed
the fortunes of the family since the
days of its social brllliance is again
intensely wrought up, the chief inter
est centering in La Grande Therese," "
who has promised to produce at this
trial the mysterious American million
aires, the brothers Crawford, On whom
she based her story or an inheritance
of $40, 100000, which she put forward
rs the security for the loans she OBJ
tanned, amounting to about $10,000,000.
Curious Crowds AssmebIe.
The Paiais 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-
sions came from distant points, the
railroads treating the trial as they
would 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 a fleet of gondclas.
OF the thousands who sought admission
only few hundred of the highly IA
vOred gained an entrance to the court.
Coquelin 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 Le-
gion Of Honor. Many ladies were pres
ent their rich gray gowns contrasting
with the gravity of their surroundings
Manyof the ladies carried dainty
luncheon bags, evidently expecting to
spend the day in court.
To the right of the judges was the
prisoners s dock, raised four feet above
the lev0l Of 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 subterranean passage
leading to the courtroom.
Mms- Humbert Defiant.
AS they entered every eye was
strained towards them. Therese Hum
bert came first, then her husband Fred
eric, followed by her brothers Emile
and Roman d'AHrignac. Nine. Hum
berts face was pale from her long
confinement. Her whole bearing, as
she coldly surveyed the spectators,
indicated scorn and defiance. She
wore a becoming steel gown and a
dainty round hat, bearing a cut steel
ornament and cluster of white roses.
Frederic Humbert was the picture of
tsushed, miserable man He bore
q haggard expression, showing more
despair than defiance His scanty
beard has 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
Nine. 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 large array of counsel, repre-
senting the numerous interests on
both sides. The early hours of the
hearing were 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.
ed the reading of the indictment with
scornful exclamations, which could be
heard throughout the courtroom. When
asked where she lived, she answered: !:
| I'm prison"
EFFORT TO lMPEACH EVEN.