The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-08-10
EAPT. DREYFUS. ORDEAL
Famous French Prisoner Again
Faces His Accusers.
he PROTESTS HIS 1NNooENoR.


cial, Seems More Like Prosecuting
Counsel Than n Judge-Rennss IL
Perfectly Peaceful.
Rennes, Aug. S.-The second trial
Of Captain Dreyfus on charge OF
treason opened in the concert room Of
the Lycee here yesterday. Three hun
dred newspaper men, representing pa
pers in all parts Of the globe, were up
at o'clock in the morning to witness
the transfer Of the captain from the
military prison to the court room,
which took place at 6 o'clock In the
morning. There was strong force Of
military on hand to prevent disorder.
but not the slightest demonstration
was made. and Dreyfusites and anti
Dreyfusites seem to be in perfect har-
mony. The captain was taken to a
private room to await the opening OF
court, and then the witnesses were ad-
mitted. M. Cavagnac's cheerfulness
seemed forced. but former President
Casimir-Perier was blithe as boy.
Lieutenant Colonel PicQuart was in
plain clothes and was cold shouldered
by the army people. But APPARENTLY
he did not mind. He had played the
winning card and could afford to be in
different. No members Of the Dreyfus
family were anywhere visible. but most
Of the leading partisans Of Dreyfus had
come.
At Z o'clock the coming Of the court
was announced in military fashion,
the soldiers presenting arms. The
Judges entered from the wings, and
we're in full dress uniform. Colonel
Jouaust, the presiding officer. is a man
OF dignified appearance, not unintel-
lectual, and has an upright, martial
air.
Colonel buaust. in a stentorian
voice. declared the trial begun, and or
dered the accused to be brought in. All
eyes were turned on Dreyfus. His
fresh complexion astonished all. The
figure remains clean built. He enter
ed with measured step. His mode Of
saluting the court was jerky and very
composed, but his fingers betrayed
nervousness. His voice is not good,
but 1t was out of practice for FIVE
years.
The first incident was the declara-
tion of the president-colonel that hS
had unlimited power to call witnesses
He then ordered the bill Of indictment
Of M. Quesnay de Beaurepaire to be
cited. The indictment is that Of 1894.
Colonel Jpuaust submitted Dreyfus
to q rigorous examination, more In the
style Of a prosecuting counsel than q
Judge, and made gestures Of impatience
at some direct denials which Dreyfus
gave repeatedly to the judges Ques-
tons. The prisoners voice resounded
| frequently through the court room as
he ehergetically replied: mo. my col
onel," or "Nevert Never!" to questions
! put to him. .t
When Colonel Jouaust handed the
yprisoner a long slip Of cardboard, upon
which the bordereau, was pasted. he
asked: o., .
do you recollect this document?"
Dreyfus replied with passionate
outburst:
mo. my colonel. I am innocent.
declare 1t here; I declared 1t in 1894:
! am victim" His voice here was
choked with sobs, which must have
stirred every spectator in court. The
voice Of the prisoner did not seem hui
man. It resembled the cry Of wounded
animal.
As he ended his reply, with the
words: Five years In the galleys. My
wife! My children! My God! l am in
nocent; innocent" Colonel Jouaust
said:
Then you deny IT."
Dreyfus replied: "Yes, my colonel"
Dreyfus denied that he had ever said
Alsatians were happier as Germans
than as Frenchmen, declared that the
bad note written about him by "cer-
tain general" was on account OF his
religion. admitted relations with GER
tain women, but asserted that he COM
mitted no indiscretion, and insisted ve-
hemently that he had never gambled.
When Colonel Jouaust spoke of the
interview with Du Patty de Clam Drey-
fus replied:
Il never confessed anything to Du
Patty de Clam"
Here occurred one Of the most dra-
matte scenes in the examination. Drey-
fus. Tremendously excited. swayed to
and fro for q moment and then all his
pent up emotion and Indignation burst
forth. and he cried in piercing voice,
heard throughout the court and even
by those standing outside:
1T is iniquitous to condemn an In
nocent man. never confessed any.
thing. Never" ,.
Dreyfus, as he uttered these words,
raised his white gloved hand and held
It aloft as II appealing to Heaven to
vindicate him.
The Judge was fair throughout. but
evidently not friendly. He showed
himself, however, sensible and sober
minded and impressed every one ia
vorably. There are many persons who
were present at the trial now under the
impression that the harshness Of the
presiding Judge was assumed and was
intended to disarm the enemies Of
Dreyfus, who are only anxious to in
terpret ordinary courtesy into the
grossest partiality toward the prisoner.
II this be the case, and such an expla-
nation is quite plausible, Dreyfus is
naturally unaware of 1t. and the effect
upon his highly strung nerves must be
very severe.
Madame Dreyfus visited her husband |