The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-09
HUMBERTS ON TRIAL
MUST ANSWER CHARGE OF
"SWINDLES OF CENTURY"
"LA GRANDE THERESE"
CONDUCTED HER CASE AND PROM
ISED TO PRODUCE CRAWFoRDs.

/ OreAt CrOWO at the court buN only
Few Persons Admitted-Scene Re
called Dreyfus and lola Trials.
COquelin Said Trial Would BE One
of Greatest Dramas Ever Enacted.
Attorney for Defense Is Maitre
| LabOri - "La Grande Therese"
Plead Violent Illness in Court.
Husband Knows Nothing of Crav-
ford Millions.
Paris, Aug. S.-The notorious Hum
| bert family faced a Judge and jury to
meet the charge of having perpetrated
what ex-Premier Waldeck- Rousseau
described as the greatest swindle of
| the century"
Public curiosity which has followed
the fortunes of the family since the
days of its social brilliance, 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 of an inheritance
Of 500, 900, 900, which she put forward
as the security for the loans she OBJ
tanned, amounting to about. 100000 900.
The Palais du Justice was early
this morning surrounded by large
crowds eager to gain admittance to
the court room. OF the thousands who
sought admission only a few hundred
of the highly favored gained an en-
trance to the court. Coouelin, 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 zone of the greatest
dramas ever enacted" The scene
within the court room recalled the
tense days of the Dreyfus and lola
| trials.
Through Subterranean Way.
The prisoners were brought in from
the prison of the Concergerie, through
a subterranean passage leading to the
court room.
AS they entered every eye was strain
ed towards them. Therese Humbert
came first, then her husband, Frederic,
|
Roman D'Aurignac. Nine. Humbert' s
face was pale from her long confine-
ment. Her whole bearing, as she cold
ly surveyed the spectators, indicated
scorn and defiance.
Madame Humbert held whispered
conference with her counsel, Maitre
Labor, who defended Dreyfus at the
Rennes court-martial, while the indict-
ment was being read.
/ fraO11anfIV f1for-
rupted the reading of the indictment
with scornful explanations which could
| be heard throughout the court room.
When asked where she lived, she an
swered "In prison"
Conducted Her Own Case.
The interrogation of Madame Hum
| bert furnished the chief incident of the
day, but failed to develop any sur
prises or bring out the whereabouts of
the mysterious Crawford brothers, her
statement consisting mainly of vague
declarations of her honesty. AS the
Judge read extracts from the Dossier,
reviewing her family antecedants. she
waved Maitre Labori aside, and rising
with notes in her hand, insisted on d.
recting her own case.
Judge Bonnette inquired about her
| eccentric father, who assumed the title
of Count" Madame Humbert emphat-
| ically upheld the family character.
When the judge stated that Roman
D'Aurignac had followed his fathers
example in assuming the title of Count
! D'Aurignac," Roman half rose and ex-
! claimed, "It is false! 1t is false!"
Actions Excited Laughter.
Later, her calmness in putting off
her disclosures excited outbursts of
! laughter, in which judges and specta-
tors joined.
Questioned as to the Crawford broth
ers, she exclaimed: Il repeat that
! the Crawfords exist"
Then where are they?" inquired
J the judge.
| "Their presence will be made known
| in due time she replied, amid another
! outburst of laughter.
Judge Bonnette remarked that he had
given the same answer before, and now
was the time to produce the Craw-
| fords
Each question put to Nine. Humbert
brought forth lengthy declarations of
! her honesty, in the course of which she
asserted that her family was one of
! the most upright in France, and said
] that it was the victim of a far-reach-
! ing conspiracy. Despite the accusa-
! tions, she insisted her family never
wrongfully took penny.
Claimed violent Illness.
| At the Afternoon session while Judge
! Bonnette was reviewing the story of
/ the Crawford inheritance, Madame
| Humbert complained of being sudden
! ly taken with violent illness. The
! Judge, however, insisted on proceed
| ing with the case, intimating his belief
| that her sickness was feigned.
He then went into the details 'of the
alleged Crawford operations and their
] heeting residence at New York, where
! upon Madame Humbert revived suffi-
GENTLY to exclaim: Il will prove ev-
erything / will show my good faith,
but not to-day-not while l am sick"
| The examination of Frederic Hum
bert (Therese's husbanD followed. He
made insinuations against the Minister
of Justice, M. Vale, and exPremier
| Waldeck- Rousseau. Questioned as to
the whereabouts of the Crawford mill
lions, he replied that he knew Moth
Ing about them.
But l know about them" exclaimed
Madame Therese, rousing herself from
her supposed sick condition. The
hearing was then adjourned to Mon