The examination of the witnesses is chiefly to Kgypt in 1901, in order to put them beyond reach of examination? by the President; the counsel, though having judicial M. CATTAUI. What books? a much greater freedom of interruption and MRE. LAHORI. Vour books of account. THE PRESIDENT. Will you specify? I do not wish running comment than with us, playing com to put the question in those terms. paratively a minor part until they come to MRE. LABURI. Translate it as you like, Mr. Presi address the jury. It is to the credit of the dent. THE PRESIDENT. In the public interest it is pre French that in swearing witnesses they have ferable— MRE. LAHORI. How will you have it put? abandoned the repulsive practice of "kissing THE PRESIDENT. There are some expressions which the hook," which still prevails in England, I ought not to be used in court. MRE. LAHORI. If you mean inexact or incomplete and require only the uplifted hand. expressions, you are right. PRESIDENT. The meaning may be as forcible Fortunately for the interest of the occa I as THE you like, but the form should be moderate. sion, it happened that among the witnesses M. CLUNET ( counsel for Emile Daurignac). Mr. introduced at this time was Cattaui, • the President, will you allow me a word? THE PRESIDENT. Yes, but not all of you at once. •money-lending creditor who had instigated And so forth. All this with a vehemence the proceedings for the opening of the safe. This man was the bete noir of the Humberts, of gesticulation fully justifying the adage that and his appearance instantly produced what a Frenchman cannot talk with his hands the Parisian newspaper reporters call a tied. Again: crisc psychologiquc. The delivery of his evi dence was a running fire of question and Mm LABOR) (to Cattaui). I do not make asser tions. I present the documents. What have you to answer, interruption, retort, comment and say to them? ejaculation, following one upon the other CATTAUI. My books have been seized, examined, verified, turned and returned, and they found but 490,like the discharges from a Galling gun. A ooo francs to the credit of Mme. Humbert. few actual samples of the proceedings will MRE. LABORI. Then M. Roy has made a false ? convey a more vivid idea of their character statement THE PRESIDENT. Observe, it is not necessary to than pages of description. For example: use that expression. M. CATTAUI. She demanded two hundred thousand francs, and we paid her that sum. MMK. HUMBERT. It is false. THE PRESIDENT. Don't interrupt him. MMK. HUMBERT. I will not sit quiet under such a falsehood. CATTAUI. The sum has been audited. MRE. LAHORI. Yes, but who hras audited the auditor? MME. HUMBERT. Cattaui is a vampire. Remember, it was this man who got control of the Minister of Justice, by employing his services as private counsel. THE PRESIDENT. Stop a moment. I allow you a large liberty, but your form of expression is objection able. MME. HUMBERT. I wish to speak a little of this man Cattaui. THK PRESIDENT. So you may, but speak of him in such terms as I can properly permit you to use. MME. HUMBERT. Cattaui knows that he has robbed us. THE PRESIDENT. No, no, that is not the kind of expression I mean. Here is a witness called at your request. Discuss him as much as you like, but treat him with the respect due a witness. FREDERIC HUMBERT (satirically). Oh, yes! With the profoundest respect and deference! MKK. LABORI. Mr. President, I wish to propose a question, and I wish to put it in proper terms. Will you ask M. ('attaui whether he did not send his books
MRE. LABORI. But, Mr. President, it is necessary to select some expression. THE ADVOCATE-GENERAL. M. Roy may very likely have been misled or deceived. ROMAIN DAURIC.NAC. There were four police com missaries with him. MRE. LAHORI. If everybody is deceived, we, too. may be, but that does not make the evidence any better. FREDERIC HUMBERT (satirically). It is, of course, only the witnesses for the prosecution who are never mistaken!
Cattaui wore the ribbon, and being asked for what reason he was decorated, replied that it was for services rendered the govern ment in Egypt. This brought out from thf accused and their counsel sundry satirical suggestions touching the character of the services in question, much to the entertain ment of the crowd, in which the improvident who have sworn eternal hate against the whole money-lending tribe were evidently well represented. Indeed a strong hope of the defence was in the popular prejudice against
