The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-09
Great Crowds Flock to See the
 Notorious Crooks
ORfYfUS CASE RECALLED
Many Ladies Crowd In the Court Room and the Gay colors of Their Gowns Lend Brilliancy
 to the Scene.

bert family today faced a judge and jury to meet the charge of having per-. petrated what former Premier Waldeek- Rosseau described as "The Greatest Swim dle of the Century,
 Investigating Magistrate Leydet in May decided to commit Therese Hum bert her husband Frederic and her brother for trial on the charges of for gerry, the use of forged documents and swindling. He dismissed the case against Eve Humbert CThereses daughter). and Marie Daurignac. her sister.
 Public curiosity which has followed the fortunes of the family since the days of it's social brilllance is again intensely wrought up, the chief interest centering in La Grande Therese," who has prom ised to produce at this trial the mys- terious American millionaires, the broth CTS Crawford, on whom she based her story of an inheritance of $20,O00. GOO which she put forward as the security for the loans she obtained. amounting to about s10oOO,000.
 Large Crowds Gathered.
 The Palais 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 excursions came from distant points, the railroads treat ing the trial as they would national holiday. One of the excursions came from Melun, which was the constituency that Frederick Humbert represented in the chamber of deputies, and where was To- cated the famous Humbert chateau, with it's parks, lakes yachts and fleet of gondolas. Of the thousands who sought admission only a few hundred of the highly favored 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.
 Dreyfus Trial Recalled.
 The scene within the courtroom recalled the tense days of the Dreyfus and Zola trials
 The courtroom is comparatively small, the walls and ceiling panelled with ma hogany, giving 1t sombre hue. The judges bench forms high semi-eirele at the end of the room. The presiding judge Gaston Bonnet, occupied the center of the semi-circle, his associates being Judges Monier. Planteau, Pignard and Du Desert. Bonnet Is a man of middle age and bears an expression of benignity, but has a reputation of inhexible sternness. The judges wore red silk gowns and velvet I caps which they removed as they ascend ed the bench. Within a reserved en- closure were the leading members of the bench and bar in black silk gowns and wearing stiff white neckcloths. To the rear was the small public area, each seat | ba of "a cupant. The audience included diplomats academieians and members of the Legion of Honor.
 Beautiful Gowns.
 Many ladies were present their rich, gay gowns contrasting with the gravity of their surroundings. Many of the ladies carried dainty luncheon bags, evi- denty expecting to spend the day in court.
 To the right of the judges was the prisoners dock. raised four feet above the level of the room, and bringing out the faces of the prisoners against the dark background. They were brought in from the prison of the Conciegerie through subterraneon passage lead ing to the courtroom.
 As they entered every eye was strained toward them. Therese Humbert came first, then her husband Frederic followed by her brothers, Emile and Romain D'Auraignac. Mime. Humbert's face was pale from her long confinement. Her whole bearing, as she coolly surveyed the spectators, indicated scorn and defiance She wore a becoming steel gray gown and a dainty round hat, bearing a cut steel ornament and a cluster of white roses. Frederic Humbert was the pic- ture of crushed and miserable man. He bore haggard expression. showing more despair than defiance. His scanty beard T1 A1Trof fcv. nae has grown thin and cadaverous look ing, but his brother Romain still looks the type of the sleek promoter.
 Mime Humbert had a whispered confer ence with her counsel, Maitre Labori, who defended Dreyfus at the Rennes court martial, while the indictment was being read. There was large array of counsel representing the numerous inter- ests on both sides. The early hours of the court were occupied by the reading of the indictment, the formal pleading and the selecting of the Jury from the regular panel.
 Mime. Humbert frequently interrupted the reading of the indictment with scorn- ful exclamations which could be heard throughout the court room. When asked where she lived she answered: Tn prison"
 Mme. Humbert Suddenly III.
 At the afternoon session. while Judge Bonnet was critically reviewing the story of the Crawford inheritance Mime. Hum- bert complained of being suddenly taken with a violent illness. The judge, how ever, insisted on proceeding with the case, intimating his belief that the sick ness was feigned. He then went into the details of the alleged Crawford opera tions and their fleeing residence at New York, whereupon Mime. Humbert revived sufficiently to exclaim; T will prove everything. I will show my good faith, but not today-not while I am sick"
 Judge Bonnet asked if anyone ever saw the bonds she claimed to have deposited within the famous safe and Mme The rese replied; 'Yes; many persons saw and actually counted them. I tell you the fortune exists I am an honest wo- man; I declare It."
 She also asserted that notary named Dumort at Rouen had seen one of the Crawford brothers. When the judge sought to check the outbreak of sceptical laughter on the part of the spectators, Maitre Labori said:
 This Is good sign, for when the court laughs the case Is not serious one" 1 Madame Humbert persisted throughout , in her vague statements and the interro- gation concluded without any definite in- formation being extracted from her. Part of the time she was attended by a doctor who administered restoratives to her.
 The examination of Frederic Humbert Theresa's husbandD followed.