The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-09-18
Arguments Reached in
the Dreyfus Case.
Extraordinary Measures Taken by the
Fr:nc Government 10 Prevent Any
Pub ic Demonstrations

| delivered on Monday. There is even
morrow by holding an extra afternoon
| session for NJ. Labori's speech and the
deliberation of the judges. This, how
ever, is considered unlikely, as the
| Government is anxious to have the
| judgment withheld over Sunday in or
| der to avert demonstrations which
would probably cause bloodshed on a
| day when the workmen are free
The Government is not only fearful
| regarding Rennes, but is particularly
| concerned regarding Paris and other
| large towns where passions have been
| heated, and the verdict, whichever
way it is given, is practically certain
to give rise to trouble. 1t is under
| stood that the Government has init
| mated it's desire to the president of the
| court-martial. Colonel Jouaust. and
| there is no reason to believe that he
will not fall in with it's views.
Colonel Jouaust this morning gave
| the most important decision yet given.
and gave it entirely upon his own re-
spOnsibility, although he is undoubt-
eddy only the mOuthpiece of the whole
body of judges. His decision to eX-
clude the testimony of Colonel
Schwarzkoppen and Major Panizzardi
was most significant, as it meant that
the court had already reached a con-
cluSiOn, and that the pleadingS of
counsel were merely a waste of time
and might be dispensed with if they
were not a necessity.
The court has made up it's mind, but
which way? This is the view point,
and forms the sole topic of discussion
Both sides are equally confident that
the court will decide in accordance
with their views. The Dreyfusites de-
clare that the judges cannot condemn
Captain Dreyfus after rejecting the de-
cisive evidence which Colonel
Schwarzkoppen and Panizzardi would
have given in his favor. The anti
Dreyfusites, on the other hand, eX-
plain today's rulings on the ground
that the judges recognize that the ev-
idence of the two military attaches
would be worthless, because they
would be morally bound to save their
agent at any cost. A sample of this
reason was given by an anti-Dreyfus-
ite journalist, who, when praising
Colonel JOuauStS decision, explained:
What weight could he attach to the
testimony of SchwarZkOppen and Pan
izzardi? The receiver of stolen goods
must shield the thief as much as he
can.
From the popular point of view the
scene in court when Colonel JOuauSt
delivers the judgment will be Invested
of its most sensational feature, owing
TO hn ,hC nT
Captain Dreyfus will be taken to an
adjacent room when the judges retire
to consider their verdict. A moment
before they are to re-enter a bell will
be rung and as they take their places
behind the long table on the stage the
infantry guard will present arms and
remain at present arms while Colonel
Jouaust, standing in the center of the
platform, reads the verdict.
Captain Dreyfus will not be brought
back to the courtroom and will not be
present at the meeting of the judges,
| but when the courtroom has been
| cleared by the gendarmeS, which will
be done as soon as Colonel JOuauSt
concludes the reading clerk of the
court will proceed to the room where
| Dreyfus will be waiting and read to
| him the verdict in the presence of a
|
| thus be robbed of the spectacle of his
| emotions, which are bound to be most
profound whether the decree sends
| him to the arms of his family or back
| to the penal settlement.
| The verdict may be a condemnation
| an unequivocal acquittal or form OF
| acQuittal that would be equivalent to
| the Scotch verdict Not proven The
| last will be the case if the Judges
| should pronounce against him by a
vote of four to three. That is, he
would be freed, even though the
| judges in his favor should be in the
| minority. But this, naturally, would
| be very unsatisfactory, as he would
| bear the stigma for the rest Of his
| days.
Captain Dreyfus thus has five
| chances against the prosecution S
| three. Unanimity, six to one, five tC
| two, four to three, or three to four
will set him at liberty, while unanim-
| ity, six to one or five to two, will con-
| Wet him. If convicted. the judgment
will be carried to the military court
| of appeals, which will be a formal
] matter. The special court will only
| quash the Indictment and order a re-
| trial if it should be established that
| the present cOurtmartial has erred in
a matter of procedure. This is in the
| highest degree improbable. The Court
| of Cessation will have also the right
| TO order retrial if it should decide
| that the cOurt-martial has deviated
| from its instructions. This is the only
| Ioophole for Dreyfus, and Ais friends
will undoubtedly fight this point
| tooth and nail
Extraordinary measures have beer
| taken 10 spirit Dreyfus away, whether
| acquitted or recOndemned. His depar-
| ture from Rennes will be envelOped ir
| the same mystery as was his arrival
| NNho,a c11Stornor aSl,S fn1, IaSSe