The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-08
The HUMBERTS
ARE ON TRIAL
Most Notorious Swindlers Of the Ago
Face a Jury in a Partisan
Court.
Diplomats, Academicians and Mem
bers Of Legion Of Honor Crowd
the Court Room.
Trial Expected to Be the Most Sen.
sational Since the Dreyfus
Case.

Paris, Aug. 8.-The notorious Humber
family to-day faced judge and Jury
to meet the charge Of having perpetrated
what ex-Premier Waldeck-Rousseau de-
scribed as the greatest swindle of tho
country" Investigator Leydet In May
decided to commit Therese Humbert, her
husband Frederick, and brother for trial
on the charge Of forgery, the use OF forged
documents, and swindling. He dismissed
the cases against Eve Humbert, Therese's
daughter, and Marie Daurignac, her sis
ter.
Public curiosity which has followed the
fortunes Of the family since the days Of it's
social brilliancy is again intensely wrought
up, the chief interest centering in Ia
Grande Therese," who has promised to
produce at this trial the mysterious
American millionaires, the brothers Craw-
ford, on whom she based her story of an
inheritance of $20,00o,000 which she put
forward as the security for the loans she
obtained, amounting to about $40, 900, 00o.
Crowd On Hand Early.
The Palais de Justice was early this
morning surrounded by large crowds eager
to gain admittance to the courtroom. A
heavy force Of municipal guards preserved
order, many curious coming from distant
points, the railroads treating the trial as
excursions came from Melun, which was
the constituency that Frederick 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 highly favored few gained their
point. 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 within the
courtroom recalled the tense days of the
Dreyfus and lola trials.
Judges Sit En- Banque.
the walls and ceiling paneed with ma
hogany, giving it a sombre hne. The
! judges bench formed high semicircle at
| the further end. The presiding Judge:
tGaston Bonnet, ocucpied the center of the
senlicircle. his associates being Judges
Monier. Planteau, Pignard and Du Dezert.
Bonnet is a man of middle age and bears
1 an expression of benignity, but has
reputation of inf1exible sternness.
The, judges wore red silk gowns and vel
vet caps which they removed as they as
/ cended 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 bear
ing the name Of its distinguished occupant.
The audience included diplomats. aca-
demicians and members Of the Legion OF
Honor. Many women were present, their
rich, gay gowns contrasting with the grav-
ity Of their surroundings. Many Of the
women carried dainty luncheon bags, EVIL
IDENTIFY expecting to spend the day in court.
The Prisoners Arrive.
To the right of the judges was sthe
prisoners dock, raised four feet above
the level of the room and bringing out
the faces Of the prisoners against the
ladark background. They were brought in
from the prison Of the Conctergerie, thru
a subterranean passage leading to the
court room. AS they entered every, eye
was strained towards them.
Theresa Humbert came first, then her
husband, Frederic, followed by her broth
ers, Emile and Roman D'Aurignac.
Nine. Humbert's face was pale from her
long confinement. Her whole bearing, as
, she co1dly surveyed the spectators, .indi-
, Gated 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
: was the picture Of miserable man. He
bore haggard expression. showing more
despair than defiance. His scanty beard
has become very gray. Emile D'Aurig-
nae has grown thin and cadaverous look
ing, but his brother Roman still looks the
type Of the sleek promoter.
Talks to Her Attorney,
Nine. Humbert had whispered con-
| ference with her counsel, Maitre Labor
who defended Dreyfus at the Rennes
court-martial, while the indictment was
being read. There was a large array Of
Counsel representing the numerous in.
. terests on both sides. The early hours
of the hearing were occupied by the read
ing of the Indictment, the formal plead
ing, and the selecting Of the jury from the
regular panel.
Nine. Humbert frequently interrupted
the reading Of the Indictment with scorn.
l full ordinations, which could be hearc
: turnout the court room. When asked
!. where she lived, she answered, II
: prison.
The interrogation Of Nine. Humber
= failed to develop any surprises or brint
: out the whereabouts of the nysteriou
: Crawford brothers, her statement con
: sisting mainly Of vague declarations Q
.. her honesty. As the judge read extract
= from the dossier, she waved Maitre La
bori aside and rising, with notes in he
hand, insisted on directing her own case.
:. Questioned about various early inner
= itances, she claimed to have. received
!, Therese said she had received large pres
= ents. When the court demanded the ex
= act details, she replied: "All will be ex
= lplained."
She Caused Laughter.
e Her calmness in putting off her dis
n closures excited outbursts Of laughter, Il
a which judges and spectators Joined. CUES
2 toned as to the Crawford brothers, sh
n exclaimed: II repeat that the Crawford
r exist"
. "Then where are they?" inquired tn
e Judge.
3 ..Their presence will be made known il
e due time she replied amid another out
burst Of laughter.
Il Judge Bonnet remarked that now wa
+ the time to produce the Crawfords.
q Each question put to Nine. Humber
. drought forth lengthy declarations OF he
honesty, in the course Of which she as
!, serted that her family was one Of tn
a most upright In France. ard that it wa
q the victim Of far-reaching conspiracy
- despite the accusations, she insisted he
family never wrongfully took a penny.
Her bravado and success in avoidin,
detailed explanations aroused surprise an,
: some admiration