New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-21
THE pPOCEDTRE AT RENNES.

The conduct Of the court martial ut Rennes
seems strange to all except Frenchmen. Moth
ing like tits ever seen In an American or Brit
ish court. But each TO his own custom. The
American method OF procedure probably seems
as strange TO Frenchmen or, let us say. TO
some Frcnchmen. since there are men OF light
and leading I'm France who declare their system
antiquated and unjust and recognize the SUI
periorlty OF ours. At any rate, the present
French system is long established 1t dates
from the Revolution of more than century
ago. md, though slightly modified was sub
stantlally reaffrmed in 1857 and again in 1875,
so that Il has the sanction of Revolution, En-
pire, Bourbons Citizen King, Second Empire
and Third Republic. To-day the court martial
is organized according to the law OF 1906: Seven
members, with a colonel for president when
the prisoner Is captain. and with two men,
bers Of the same rank as the accused.
The president as readers Of the news have
observed, has absolute authority over the pro-
ccedings However, these latter are In the
main according to fixed code. First came the
arraignment of the accused then the examina-
ton OF the dossier, then the examination OF
witnesses for the prosecution, and then the ex-
animation Of witnesses FOR the defence. After
these the Government Commissioner Will sum
up for the prosecution, and then the counsel
for the defence VIII address the court. Final
w. the accused may, II he wishes. speak In his
own behalf enjoying the privilege Of saying
the last word The judges must then immedi-
ately retire TO secret place and remain to-
gether in private until they have agreed upon
a verdict The verdict having been written and
signed the president announces 1t in open
court but not in the presence Of the prisoner.
The latter hears It afterward. "in the presence
of the guard assembled under arms"
The verdict needs not TO be unanimous.
vote of five to two Is sufficient. Thus, II five
vote for condemnation and two for acquittal,
Captain Dreyfus will be condemned. II only
four vote against him and three for him. he will
be acquitted ''by favoring minority II five
vote against him, but be not agreed upon n
sentence lie will receive the lightest punish
ment suggested by any Of them. Apart from
condemnation and acqulttal, there Is third
possible verdict that Of "absolution." which Is
rendered in case the accused be found limo
cent of the charges on which he was tried, but
guilty of something else. In that case he Is set
at liberty ut the end OF twentyfour hours I'M
less I'm that time the Government Commissioner
shall have made petition for retrlal on the
new charges Indeed, the Government Com
missioner may make such petition after YER
dict of full acquttal. in case the trial shall
have brought out new facts which might serve
as the basis of new charges.
1t Is thus possible that the Dreyfus case will
be considerably prolonged beyond the present
trial; though not. we should say, probable. II
the verdict shall be one Of acqulttal one hest
tates TO believe that even the malignancy Of a
MERCER will venture upon further persecution
Of the long tortured man. Al present 1t seems
probable that the verdict whatever II may be,
will be rendered Mt about the end OF this pres
ent month. That date is suspicious. 1t will be
the exact anniversary Of the confession and
suicde-Or Unconstitutional Henry. That is a
circumstance cordially to be commended to the
consideration Of MERCER and Du Patty de Clam.
Webster said. Suicide Is confession" But con-
fcsson is not necessarily suicide. Those men
may confess without committing suicide. They
are amply capable Of continuing TO live. And
nobody else would condescend to kill them.