Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-30
ARGUMENT IN DREYFUS CASE
Extraordinary Precautions Taken by Gov
eminent 10 Prevent Disturbances,
GUARDS AROUND PALAC: REINFORCED
Persons Connected with the Case nnd
Newspaper Men Admitted to the
Court Room-AII on
Hand Early.

PARIS, May 29.-The court OF cessation
met today to hear the debates in the appli-
cation for a revision OF the Dreyfus case
The doors of the Palace Of Justice were
opened at II o'clock. Persons connected with
the case. newspaper men and Others began
to arrive half an hour previously. There
was much animation in the lobbies OF the
palace, but the crowds in the vicinity were
not large. Extensive precautions we're taken
to preserve order inside and outside the
building. The colonel commanding the guard
at the palace has been given special rein
forcements by the military governor OF Paris,
General Zurinden, and considerable forces
of military and mounted police have been
assembled at the barracks in the vicinity Of
the court.
The witnesses who have testified in the
Dreyfus case were admitted by a door on the
left of the palace and these connected with
the trial OF NJ. Deroulede and Marcel
HabeTt for melting soldiers to insubordina-
ton in connection with the election of Presi-
dent Loubet, which Is also before the court
today, were admitted by another door on the
right of the building.
Spectators about the palace we're sell
ing seats at points of vantage for from 10
to 20 francs each, but the business done
was net good as during the Zola trial, when
they easily obtained 40 francs for seats.
The court room was filled with Partisan
celebrities the greater part of the hall
having been reserved for ticket holders
Many judges belonging to other courts were
among those present and absolute tran
guilty prevailed. There we're about twenty
women among the audience, filling the gal
leries.
opens Proceedings.
The proceedings commenced at neon.
Amid profound silence the president of the
civil section of the court read his report
on the case. After recalling the conten-
tions under which the prosecution Of Drey-
fus was instituted in 1894. he dealt with
the contradictory evidence of the experts
in handwriting and mentioned the protest
of innocence of Dreyfus, who said to Lieu
tenant Colonel Henry: This odious ac-
cusation is the death of my life. ! must
have justice done me-" Henry replied that
the matter did not come within his COM
petence.
NJ. Ballot de Beaupre then read number
OF eulogistic reports on Dreyfus when the
latter was a military school probatoner on
the general staff His interrogatory by
Lieutenant Colonel Du Patty de Clam in
which Dreyfus persisted in denying hav-
ing had relations with any foreign embassy
and his statement that he had not given
defence of,the, country.
The reporter afterwards described the
scene IN, .Du Paty de CLAIMS office, in the
presence OF the chief of detectives, NJ
Rochef6rt, and sketched the history OF the
Dreyfns' family. According to Du Patty de
Clam, Drevfus. when he saw the resembl-
ance to his handwriting. exclaimed: They
have stolen my handwritng?"
1t was also pointed out that Dreyfus,
when the report of Ormes- -Chevilles was
presented at the court martial protested he
had never seen the 120 short gun used and
that he did not know before July of the
disposition of ,the,t frontier forces. The
prisoner also said he had not had a copy
OF the firing manual knew nothing Of the
documents respecting Madagascar and
said to the reporter of the court martial
"I have now been more than six weeks r
confinement, I swear am innocent. The
son of an Alsatian protestant. I abandoned
everything to serve France, and I am today
worthy Of everyone of, her soldiers tho
battlefield. The martydom I suffer IL
atrocious."
NJ Ballot de Beaupre' then dealt with the
Ormes- Chewilles report and Dreyfus' rea
tions with married women
The entire afternoon was occupied by M
Ballot de Beaupre in reading extracts from
and analyzing the statement Of NJ. Mornard
counsel for Madame Dreyfus, which was
lengthy recital Of facts already published.
Question of Motive.
After read.ng M. Mornard's defense, whicl
concluded by maintaining that the materia
evidence of the bordereau and the moral evi
dence cropping ont daring the inquiry
pointed not to Dreyfus,- but to Esterhaz.