Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-08-12

Chief Interest Centers in Her Promise
to Produce at the Trial the Mys-
teriOus American MilliOnaires on
Whom She Based Her Story of an
Inheritance of $2O,OOO,OOO.
Paris, Aug. 1O.-The notorious Hum
bert family Saturday faced judge and
jury to meet the charge of having perpe-
trated what ex-Premier Waldeck Rous-
seau described as ''the greatest swindle
of the century" Investigating Magis-
trate Leydet in May decided to commit
Therese Humbert, her husband, Frederic
and her brothers Roman and Emile
d'Aurignac, for trial on the charges
of forgery, the use of forged documents
and swindling. He dismissed the cases
against Eve Humbert (Therese's daugh-
teri, 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 intense
ly wrought up, the chief interest center
ing in La Grande Therese," who has
promised to produce at this trial the
mysterious American millionaires, the
brothers Crawford, on whom she based
her story of an inheritance of $40, 100000
which she put forward as the security for
the loans she obtained, amounting to
about $10,OO0,O00.
The Palais de Justice was early Sat-
urday morning surrounded by large
crowds eager to gain admittance to the
courtroom. A heavy force Of municipal
guards preserved order. Many excur-
sions came from distant points, the rail-
roads treating the trial as they would
| national holiday. One of the excur-
| sions came from Melun, which was the
constituency that Frederic Humbert
| represented in the chamber of deputies
and where was located the famous Hum
bert chateau, with it's parks, lakes,
yachts and a 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 zone of the greatest
dramas ever enacted" The scene with
in the courtroom recalled the tense days
of the Dreyfus and lola trials.
The Prisoners.
To the right of the judges was the
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 Conciergerie,
through a subterranean passage leading
| to the courtroom. AS they entered every
eye was strained towards them. Therese
Humbert came first, then her husband,
Frederic, followed by her brothers
Emile and Roman d'Aurignac. Nine.
Humbert's face was pale from her long
confinement Her whole bearing as she
coldly surveyed the spectators indicated
scorn and defiance. She wore becom-
| ing steel gown and a dainty round hat,
| bearing cut steel ornament and a
| cluster of white roses. Frederic Hum
| bert was the picture of a crushed and
| miserable man. He bore haggard ex-
| preston, showing more despair than
defiance. His scanty beard has become
very gray. Emile d'Aurignac has grown
thin and cadaverous looking, but his
brother Roman still looks the type of
the sleek promoter.
Nine. Humbert Is Scornfu1.
Nine. Humbert had a whispered con-
ference with her counsel, Maitre Labori,
who defended Dreyfus, at the Rennes
court-martial, while the indictment was
being read. Nine. Humbert frequently
Interrupted the reading with scornful
EXPLANATIONS which could be heard
throughout the courtroom. When asked
| where she lived, she answered: I'm
prison"
The Interrogation of Nine. Humbert
furnished the chief incident of the day,
but failed to develop any surprises or
bring out the whereabouts of the mys-
terious Crawford brothers, her state
ment consisting mainly of vague dec
larations of her honesty. AS the Judge
read extracts from the Dossier, review
ing her family antecedents, she waved
Maitre Labori aside, and, rising with
notes in her hand, insisted on directing
her own case.
| Creates Laughter.
Her calmness in putting off her dis
closures excited outbursts of laughter,
in which judges and spectators joined
Questioned as to the Crawford brothers,
she exclaimed: II repeat that the
Crawfords exist"
'*Then where are they?" inquired the
Judge.
Their presence will be made known
in due time, "she replied, amid another
outburst of laughter.
| Judge Bonnet remarked that she had
given the same answer before, and
now was the time to produce the Craw-
| fords.
Lives of Miners Imperiled.
Linton, Ind, Aug. 10.-An explosion
of oil at the Dickson coal mine this aft
ernoon destroyed the tipple and the
! electric LIGHT plant The flames snread