M. Bertillon.—“Now we are falling back upon my depositions of Saturday. This will never end.”
M. Clemenceau.—“Since the affair of 1894, has not the witness made a demonstration to strangers or to friends, I do not say of the guilt of Dreyfus, but of his system?”
The Judge.—“Have you made a demonstration of your system? What is the system which you have employed to arrive at the result of which you have just told us?”
M. Bertillon.—“You are asking me for a theoretical course in the expert examination of handwriting. I published two articles on that subject a few weeks ago in ‘La Revue Scientifique.’”
M. Labori.—“We have read them, but I do not find there what I ask. On the contrary, I find there a demolition of expert examinations of handwriting, leaving nothing of them.”
M. Bertillon.—“At the end of the article I say that only material proofs can lead to the truth in matters of this kind. These material proofs are in the file of 1894.”
M. Labori.—“No equivocation. I have the honor to be acquainted with the file of 1894, since I am the counsel of Mme. Alfred Dreyfus, the guardian of Dreyfus. I know this file, as well as the expert testimony of M. Bertillon. It is there. I say nothing more. But there must be no equivocation here, and M. Bertillon must not try to make us believe that he has judged as a judge concerning material proofs touching the substance of the trial. I ask him if the documents that were delivered to him were secret documents concerning the treason, or mere handwritings from which he has drawn conclusions.”
The Judge.—“Will you answer?”
M. Bertillon.—“Of which case is he speaking?”
M. Labori.—“Of the Dreyfus case.”