The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-28
DEGRADATION OF DREYFUS
STORY AS TOLD BY THE REPoRTER
 OF 4 PARIS NEWSPAPER


 porting.
 a, m. off for the Ecole Militaire. A bitter wind is blowing along the quays. Many fiacres are making their way to the Champ de Mars. Along the streets officers are hurrying in dress uniform, the collars of their coats turned up about their ears. And, in all directions are to be seen the de- tachments-old soldiers in marching order, fresh recruits in jacket and cap which are to be present at the per- formance.
 The civilians who have been allowed to penetrate to the inner court are not numerous. The military government of Paris has distributed a limited number of tickets, giving them only to the press, certain official personages and celebrated authors curious to study the psychology of the condemned man. The bulk of the crowd has had to stay without the gates. You can tell that it is rough and ready to display it's indignation.
 S:45. The last of the troops have arrived. 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 thou sands of men. What Calvary! Some hundred yards have been reserved for the reporters, who draw up in line and toe the mark like common soldiers.
 Meanwhile the time draws near. We have seen the arrival of the prison van, which has been drawn up by the side of a building. It is he We imagine him there, awaiting the moment He hears from afar the click of the bayo- nets, the tread of the soldiers, sum- moned to be present at his torture. To what anguish must he not be a prey? Will he not wear the pallor of < death when he is brought before his judges? Will 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 over whelmed with pity for the unfortunate man, so cruel does his expiation seen. g. Barely has the first stroke sound- ed 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, lit | tie group, consisting of four artillery men commanded by a sergeant and surrounding an officer in full uniform. This officer is Alfred Dreyfus. He raises his head, his bearing is as- sured, but perfectly natural; he does not overdo his calmness. You would say that he was making his way tram | quilly to the drill ground At 20 paces 1 from the general the group halts. The general pronounces in loud voice | the regulation phrase:-
 1 Alfred Dreyfus you are unworthy | to bear arms!"
 I A police adjutant at once steps for | ward, and the hideous torture begins, l Braid and buttons are torn away, the regimental number removed from the cap. Finally, and this is the hardest moment-the adjutant draws Dreyfus' s saber, breaks the blade over his knee, and filings the fragments at the for us to be able to make out his ex- pression. He seems agitated and gesticulates. When the general uttered his damning apostrephe, he raised his | arm, and in voice strained and l piercing cried out
 ''Vive la France! I am innocent!" The adjutant has finished his task. The gold which covered the uniform l lies heaped upon the ground; they have not even left to the condemned man those red bands down the trousers which indicate his branch of the ser vice. Dreyfus in his jacket, now per- 1 fectly black with his dark cap, seems already to have assumed a convict's l costume. The sinister escort is once more set in motion. The traitor Is to pass before our eyes, and we are inn patient to see him. Here he comes; Dreyfus is more and more agitated He continues to cry. II am innocent" And on the other side of the gates the crowd vaguely discerning his form lets fly fierce volleys of hoots and hiss- es. Dreyfus hears these imprecations | and they increase his rage.
 As he passes a group of officers, this phrase is audible:-
 "Off with you, Judas!" ' l Furious, he turns on the speaker and repeats with redoubled energy:
 T am innocent! I am innocent" Now we can discern his features clearly, and for moment we closely scrutinize them, hoping to find there a supreme revelation, reflection ot that soul whose immost windings only the members of the court-martial havt thus far been able to penetrate. Thai which is most prominent on the face ol Dreyfus is anger, anger almost beyond the point of control; the lips, are part. ed by an involuntary grimace, his eyes are bloodshot, We realize that If tlft condemned man is firm and walks witt so proud bearing, 1t is because he fl dashed by that fury which is strainine
 his nerves to the breaking point, ant putting him beside himself.
 He passes by us; he disappears; ant
 he leaves us bewildered and deeply
 and strangely moved. What is in the
 heart of that man? What motiv,
 power is he obeying when he protest.
 thus of his innocence, with the energ, of despair? Is he hoping to deceiv
 public opinion, fill us with doubts, ex