The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-01
HIS WIFE COMFORTS HIM
WITNESSES PICTURE THE DAY
OF HIS DEGRADATION.
HIS FOES HAVE FOR A TIME FULL SWING
Then. When Forzinetti Tells Of His Mad
Struggle Against Suicide and Of the
Intervention of His Angel Wife,
Drevf,ls Breaks Down,
Dreyfus Breaks Down.

heIlneS, ffaIce, Aug. oi. DASs ha'
had the most trying day he has yet gone
through. The strain proved too great Tor
him, and for the second time i'll the
course of the trial he gave way to his
feelings and sought relief ii tears, The
generals have branded him as a traitor
before the court their subordinates have
pointed the finger Of scorn at him. But
he only fiinched once-when the official
report of his treatment on Devils Island
was read before him and the pictures OF
his sufferings, mental and physical, We're
thrown vividly on the screen Of his mem
ory Then he hid his features and wept.
He passed through another sucn crisis
today, when after Captain Lebrun-
Renault and witness after witness had
brought UP before him again that cold
January morning which ushered in the
scene of his degradation. Major For
Zinetti, a man of heart, told In simple
words and unaffected manner, the story
of .Dreyfus' struggle with the madden
ing temptation to take his liie and the
intervention of his wife, as an angel,
pointing out the road of duty. linen
again the prisoners breast heaved with
emotion and tear-drops trickled down his
cheeks. He rose and after Il forced eff
fort to remain calm, as he spohe a few.
words concerning his denial 70 Celonei
Du Patty DE Clam THAT he wrote the
bordereau, he turned TO Forzinftti WIN
a look of thanks for his consolation so
needed Dreyfus then uttered these
words of heartfelt gratitude 10 his wi5c
for the courage with which she inspired
him:
1T is due to her. he cried. that |
ann alive today
The prisoner could articulate no more,
but sat down abruptly TO conceal his DIS
tress.
The proceedings concluded few MINI
mites later and he was taken back 10 his
prison, where his wife visited him. and,
in the presence of Madame Dreyfns and
the gendanmes on guard, he broke down
completely The tension nal been 100
much for him. He sobbed convuis.vely,
ana the partner of his sorroWs joined
him in a solace of tears.
Cartaim Lebrum-Renault and the sup
norters of his assertion of the Dreyfus
confession had an inning lasting nearly
the entire session, their dispositions con
tanning little but what has been already
stated before the Court OF Cassatlon.
1saa,tain Lebrun-Renault introduced t,le
new assertion that the fact that he had
not related the incident of the confession
"a President Gas:mir-P Perier was because
he overheard himself called ''canaille.
..cur.- and TRAITOR" while waiting at
the Elysee He, however, could not ex-
nlain why he kept this to himself for so
long a time instead of recounting the
INCIDENT before the Court Of Cessation.
Nor did his explanation as to why he
DESTROYED the page of his note book CON
taining f.le record of Dreyfus confession,
sound very convincing.
The other witnesses were Il repetition
of Captain Lebrun- Renault. But Very
significant question was put to Colonel
,ruerin by member OF the court IAea-
tenant Colonel prongmiart, who sits at
,colnnel Jouaust's right hand always puts
posnted questions. He has thoroughly
sfudaed the Dreyfus case, and IS reputei
to be one Of the best authorities Oh the
case. 1t is certain Colonel Jonaust coal-
suits him frequently during, the proceed
ings. Brongniart is said to be ranld
anti Dreyfusard. and he today, III a qulet
tone asked Colonel Guerin ii the thousnt
NJ. Weyll, who is a friend OF Estefhazy
n so anew Dreyfus The latter at once
rose and declared he had never before
hoard of WeylI. The point Of this ques-
tIem was that ll1sterhazy had written 10
Colonel Joualist as announced, and mas
undoubtedly mentioned .Weyli as a go-
,,etween for Dreyfus If'relations can be
nroyed between DreyftIs and NeyH and
Fsterhazy admits obtaining treasonabie
information from Weyll, then he could
assume Dreyflls was a traitor. The gen
erals. if sufficient evidence Of a Dreyfus-
Weyll- -Esterhazy connection can be pre-
duceel, can abandon the contention thai
Dreyfus wrote the bordereaTl and admir-
Lsterliazy as the author Of It. Ihis y
possibly the change Of tactics on the l'art
of the generals which has been limited at
recently.
1t was reported this afternoon that
Generals MERCER, Roget and Gonse and
NJ. Cayaignac, who are staying quietly
mt the house Of d friend some miles out
side Rennes, met today at General Mer-
cier's house and discussed the evidence
Colonel Schwarzkoppen' housekeeper,
Mms. Badtian, could give if she was
subjected TO q severe examination, with
the result that it was decided her evi-
dence was not conclusive enough to
Justify snmm0ning her as a witness for
the prosecution
Following are the proceedings in de-
tail: