Evening star., 1898-02-25
silded chair and then began to PROSTATE

s,nse simsef enalf ana 'hen ffn Sfffan to prostra'e
wnes sse sse
Lord Haisbury is sNYyCgentleman and
bulky. and groveling There ON all fours,
with his back turned 70 tlae audience, he
did not present an lriprdSsive spectacle.
Getting back to hts feet being pulled
up by the supers. he gfaaHed audibly, and
then bowed three times ITO the throne.
After some more ritualuher faced his own
found bows to that anf eiaEhbef up into 1t
and mopped his brow. Msaptime the crowd
was solemn as funeral. .GitS
How would Washington nave received a
performance of that Sort with Senator
Hanna. Mason. or Speaker Reed as the
performer? Yet the Epslyh deem it very
impressive. y ., /
Scene. Mt the xoia Trial.
The reports of Zola s trial which have
been rushed to America by cable ueces-
sarily omit many detailsawhich go to de-
pict the atmosphere of IA French court of
justice. From the more elaborate accounts
which come by mail to the London papers
1t appears that the audiences play a very
important part in the administration of
justice. something akin to the functions of
the chorus In a Greek tragedy. The Spec
tators voice public opinion and public opin-
lon controls the judge. When Zola's attor-
ney attempts to ask question which dis
pleases the populace they howl him down.
Then they encourage the witness and help
him out with their views. shouting Bravo,
Labori, "Vive farmee'' and A bas Zola -
which the judge seems to take as matter
of course.
Most of the testimony which has been
admitted has not dealt with facts but with
the convictions. conclusions or emotions of
the witnesses Occasionally two or three
witnesses entertain the court with a dis.
pute, each one calling upon the Deity to
witness that what he said was the truth
and the others were liars: The witnesses
who have sworn that Dreyfus was guilty
averred that they knew 1t because he had
been convicted by honorable men, reason
ing which was gravely accepted as IRON
clad evidence. The curious reasoning
methods of the French mind were illus
trated by Capt. Picquart, who informed the
court that he had rified Esterhazy's trunks
to find discriminating documents. and added
that he felt quite proud of the perform
ance, because the documents had demon
strated that Esterhazy was an innocent
man. 1t seems to be proper form for each
witness to declaim in beginning that his
only objects are to serve France and JUS
tfce. ThereupOn, il he be a person who is
approved by the chorus, 1t shouts ''Viver
and If he be unpopular, n.Conspues!" The
reports of the French papers naiyely re-
mark here and there, in parenthesis cat
this point the sitting was suspended. that
the spectators might acclaim General Bois-
denreo. or might abjurgate General Mer-
cier'
The court. it seems refused to permit the
presentation of certain letters as evidence,
but Figaro states that trey were all print
e6 In the AUrore and copies of the papers
supplied to tEe jurymen when they came
lEto conrt the next morning. After .he sec.
ond days sitting M. Rochefort came out
to the portico and Grated to the canaiIle
declaring that he had Just conversel will,
several members of the jury about the
case. and found them all bitterly opposed
to Zola. Then the crowd shouts. "vive ]
j fjustice:" a cab driver mounts to the ros-
trum. embraces NJ. Rochefort and kisse,
him upon both cheeks. More wives" for
.Tarmee.' France IN. Rochefort."
gloria" and other things, followed by
"Consoues Zola" and "A bas Dreyfus.''
The presiding judgeo fs wonde rfulIy
prompt In shutting off all testimony in IA
vor of Drt yfus, but mahAges to be absorb
ed in his Thoughts when sajay witness de-
sires to state his impression that Dreyfus
Is guilty until the statement Is our. when
he wakes Up and rebukes tfe witness The
verdict resulting from sfcfp osingularly inn
partial proceedings wilby of course. be alb
cor gincing. es.
Mr.. Charles T. MURRAY the newsDaper
who was for years a brigh.
Hsht on the row in w shipAton is row Sc
Jcsrning In Paris to writEgmbout the ex-
position of, 1900 for McCfIre's Maeazine
In letter to Mr.. Clarence Dean. press
agent of Barnum & Baifess (Which has
he says: g1s3l -Y.ni,td -. -, -. :.
we OF the QUARTER Latin are still ex-
eftedrredrhot The den7 81 and police
agents. still swarm I'm y,Inets hbor riiood 41SO
arrests yesterday E'apsfS full Of hysteri-
cal denunciations of eVefNbddye and every
thing. Our editorial .viger during a pres
idential. campaign is nothing to all this.
traitor. liar. idiot, imbecile being mid ex-
pr essions Of personal. esteem. These are
signed. and. of course, the writer's are per
socially Responsible. ... -. 81 -.
An American tourist in Partisan res
tauranti said "GarcOn. Gorgenzola - The
"Conspues Zofa.' r. NJ. G.