The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-27
PART TWO.
THE DEGRADATION OF DREyFUs.
s.ory as Told by the Reporter of 81
pnrfs Nexvspaper.


m-Of for the Ecole Militaire. A
vtsr wind is blowing along the quays.
,,,,v facres are making their way to the
rbarnp de Mars. Along the streets officers
49,. burrving in dress uniform, the collars
= their coats turned up about their ears.
,nd in all directions are to be seen the
as,achments-old soldiers in marching or
5er fresh recruits in Jacket and cap
,bi,b are to be present at the perform
snces.
The civilians who have been allowed to
,snetrate TO the inner court are not num-
a,ous. The military government of Paris
has distributed but limited number of
tickets giving them only to the press, GER
toin official personages and celebrated au-
thors curious to study the psychology of
the condemned man. The bulk of the
crowd has had to stay without the gates.
Won can tell that it is rough and ready to
display its Indignation.
S.45. The last of the troops have arriv-
ed. They are drawn up on the four sides
of the court and. presently Dreyfus will
have To pass before them, subjected for
more than half mile to the silent scorn
of these thousands of men. What Cal
vary! Some hundred yards have been re-
served for the reporters, who draw up in
4 line and toesthe mark like common SOL
ders.
Meanwhile the time draws near. we have
seen the arrival of the prison van, which
has been drawn up by the side of build
ing It is he! We imagine him there, await
inc the moment. He hears from afar the
click of the bayonets, the tread of the SOL
diers. summoned to be present at his tor
nlre. To what anguish must he not be
prey? viii he not wear the pallor OF death
when he is brought before his judges? VIII
he be able to stand upright? Or, will he not
give way for one moment? And at this
thought, notwithstanding our horror of his
crime we are overwhelmed with pity for
the unfortunate man, SO cruel does his ex-
piation seem.
Q Barely has the first stroke sounded
from the great clock of the Ecole Militaire
when Gen. Darras lifts his saber The
trumpets sound; and we perceive, in an
angle of the court, little group, consist
ing Of four artlllerymen commanded by a
sergeant and surrounding an officer in full
uniform.
This officer is Alfred Dreyfus.
He raises his head, his bearing is assur-
ed, but perfectly natural; he does not
overdo his calmness. You would say that
he was making his way TRANQUILITY to the
General the group halts. The General
pronounces in a loud voice the regulation
phrase:
Alfred Dreyfus. you are unworthy to
bear armsr
A police adjutant at once steps forward,
and the hideous torture begins. Braid and
buttons are torn away. the regimental
number removed from the cap. Finally,
and this is the hardest moment-the adju-
tant draws Dreyfus saber, breaks the
blade over his knee, and filings the frag-
ments at the traitors feet. Dreyfus is too
far away for us to be able to make out his
expression. He seems agitated and gestic-
ulates. When the General uttered his
damnng apostrophe, he raised his arm.
and in a voice strained and piercing cried
out:
"Vive la France! 1 am innocent!'
The adjutant has finished his task. The
gold which covered the uniform lies heap
ed upon the ground; they have not even
left TO the condemned man those red bands
down the trousers which indicate his
branch of the service. Dreyfus in his jack
ct, now perfectly black with his dark cap,
seems already to have assumed a convicts
costume. The sinister escort is once more
set In motion. The traitor is to pass be-
lore our eyes, and we are impatient TO see
MIN. Here he comes: Dreyfus is more
and more agitated. He continues to cry,
am Innocent Vive la France" And,
on the other side of the gates the crowd,
vaguely discerning his form, let's fly fierce
NoIeys of boots and Kisses. Dreyfus hears
these imprecations and they increase his
rage.
As he passes a group of officers, this
phrase is audible,
vi with you, Judasw
Furious, he turns on the speaker and re-
peats with redoubled energy:
1 am innocent! l am Innocent"
Nor we can discern his features clearly,
ana for a moment we closely scrutinize
men, hoping to find there a supreme rev.
eaton, reflection of that soul whose in
most Wlndings only the members of the
court martial have thus far been able to
penetrate. That which is most prominent
% me face of Dreyfus is anger, anger al
most beyond the point of control; the lips
are parted by an involuntary grimace, his
eyes are bloodshot. We realize that if the
condemned man is firm and walks with so
proud a bearing, 1t Is because he is dashed
Wy mat fury which is straining his nerves
70 me breaking point, and putting him be-
side himself
lie passes by us; he disappears; and he
NaVes us bewldered and deeply and
strangely moved What is In the heart of
mat man? What motive power is he obey
ns when he protests thus of his innocence,
WIN the energy of despair. Is he hoping
W deceive public opinion fill us with
doubts, excite suspicicns with regard to
I'e idelity of the judges who have con-
usinned him? And like a lightning fash
ulIs thought crosses our minds: IF he
were not guilty what frightful agony!"
but we repel this thought. Reason re-
gums the empire over our feelings which
Haa been for moment disturbed. No, we
(ahhot aud do not have any doubt that
Dfeyrus has been branded by the purest
u"d most honest element in the French
army lie was condemned, without dis
try.
and instead of bowling his head under
nus Just disgrace, he dares to protest, TO
Ter grandiloquent phrases, to gesticulate
tyr!
low!
-kobert-"What is the difference be-
tween domestic goods and good domes-
uesf' acknowledgements goods are ar