The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-08-18
MERCER KISSED N-COURT,
D'eyfus Called the Ex- Minister Of
War a Liar and a ScoundreI.
WAS A MOST STIRRING SCENE
A Sensational Close to saturdsy,s Pro-
ossdinKs In tho Ronnes Court Martial
Crowd Cheered the Prisoners Ae-
tion-A Climax Coming.

closed to-day's session of the Dreyfus
trial. General MERCER had spoken
nearly four hours in ruthless denun.
citation of Dreyfus, who had listened
unmoved until MERCER concluded by
saying that if he had not been con-
vinced of the guilt.of Dreyfus and If
the latter's conviction had MT been
fortified since 1894 he would admit he
had been mistaken. Then Dreyfus
jumped to his feet as though the
words had galvanized him into life
and shouted in a loud voice:
You have lied, scoundrel!"
The audience burst into a wild
cheer, whereupon the ushers called
for silence. But when Mercier re-
piled that he would admit Dreyfus
was innocent if there was any doubt,
the prisoner shouted again: "Why
don't you then?"
At this there was another outburst
Of applause.
M. Casimir- Perier then rose and
dramatically demanded to be con-
fronted with General Mercier in or
der to deny some Of his statements.
Colonel Jouaust ordered the court to
be adjourned until Monday, at half
. o'clock in tho morning, when Perier
and Mercier are to meet. AS MERCER
turned to leave the court the audi
ence rose as n and Kissed and cursed
him, those at the back of the court
standing on chairs and benches in or
der to better hound him down. The
gendarmes placed themselves between
MERCER ana the audience, which
showed a strong disposition to mis-
treat the ex-minister of war.
General MERCER hurried out of the
court room through a side door amid
ierce denunciations from the audience.
On emerging into the street the crowd
outside cheered him and cried "Vive
Varmee."
"Ah," cried a spectator of the scene
in court, ''if they had heard the inhu-
q monster speak they would not
cheer him now"
Dreyfus, on entering the court to-
day, saluted the president with the
same soldierly mien as on Monday,
and the president, Colonel Jouaust,
returned the salute and said:
"Sit down, Dreyfus."
The chair of the prisoner was placed
further to the right Of the platform
to-day. Instead of facing the judges,
Dreyfus sat with his back to the table
Of his counsel, thus looking across the
platform, straight at the rail at which
the witnesses stood.
Colonel Jouaust then asked Major
Carriere, for the prosecution, if he
had any observations to make in be-
halt of the government.
The major replied by a6king to have
DR.. R~anson's report on D-eyfus read.
which the clerk of the court did.
The report deals with the measures of
surveillance over Dreyfus adopted
during the voyage of the prisoner to
Cayenne, and said among other things
that he was seen On board sitting on
. stool and weeping.
M. De Ia Roche. vernet, a secretary
attached to the French embassy at
Berlin, was the next witness called.
Although he was scared. there was no
hesitation in his replies. He said he
acted as the transmitting agent of
the ministry of war and ministry of
foreign affairs whenever they were
engaged in the translation of a dis.
patch to the Schwarzkoppen, the Ger
man attache, which was of a very
minute aud complicated nature. Sew
eral drafts, he explained, were first
made, and finally an official transla-
ton was drawn up, which was the
same as since published.
Questioned respectively regarding
the draft and the TRANSACTIONS, he
said they were purely hypothetical,
the first draft only having two words,
Captain Dreyfus," Of which the
translators were really sure, the sense
being to the effect that Dreyfus had
been arrested and that he had no re-
lations with Germany.
M. Paleologue of the French foreign
office was then called. and disagreed
to some Of this witnesses statements.
But the net result Of the two wit
nesses' replies to Labori and Demange,
Dreyfus' lawyers, was that not even
In translating was there any question
Of relations with Germany.
Ex- President Casimir -Perier was the
next witness
The ex-president then, in a loud and
distinct voice, repeated the evidence
he had given before the court of cas-
sation. He leaned, while speaking,
against the witness rail and referred
to a scrap of paper which he held in
his hand. The witness read the text
of the dispatch received by Count Won
Munster Ledenburg, the German am
bassador at Paris, from Prince Hohen-
lche, the German imperial chancellor.
which the former communicated to
M. Casimir- Psrier during u visit to the
Elysee palace.
His Majesty, the emperor, having
Avaru ~ou2dopDa IN tho 1ovn1fv nf tho