Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-08-14

Chief Interest Centers In Her Promise
to Produce Mt the Trial the Mys-
teriOus American Millionaires on
Whom She Based Her story of an
Inheritance of S2O,OOO,OOO.
Paris, Aug. 10.-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 1.-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 $40 900 900
which she put forward as the security for
the loans she obtained, amounting to
about s10000,OO0.
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 a
national holiday. One of the excur-
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
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 Conciergerie,
through 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 a becom-
ing steel gown and dainty round hat,
bearing cut steel ornament and a
cluster of white roses. Frederic Hum
bert was the picture of crushed and
miserable man. He bore a 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.
Mime. Humbert Is scornfuI.
Nine. Humbert had 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
ordinations 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-
FERROUS Crawford brothers, her state
ment consisting mainly of vague dec
arations 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
n 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-
lords.
Fast Train Collides with Engine.
Marshalltown, Ia, Aug. 1O.-The Mil
waukee & st. Paul fast passenger train
No. l, running 80 miles an hour, collided
With light engine near Capron Saturday
morning. Both engines We're badly de-
and thrown from the track and
he baggage car derailed. The engineer
If the passenger engine was slightly hurt
No passengers were injured, although
III were badly shaken up.
Postmaster Under n Cloud.
st. Louis, Aug. 1O-Postmaster A