New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-29

There was NJ Rennes on Saturday another Of
those characteristic incidents which. no matter
what NAV be the fate of Captain Drcyfus or the
facts concerning his guilt or innocence, will put
his prosecutors into n pilory of infamy. Two
members of the court martial of 1891, which
first condemned Captain Drcyfus. were the
principal actors in it-Coloncl Maurel. tho pres
idenr of that court. and Captain FrcyStactter
\ few days ago Colonel NIaurel testified con-
corning the conduct OF that Court. He said that
all its members were fully convinced Of Captain
Drcvfus's guilt before General MERCER sub
mitted the secret dossicr to them. When the
secret dossicr was submitted. however, Colonel
Maurcl began 10 examine il. He opened 1t and
took ont the first paper and read It. That docu-
ment was so dreadful in purport that hc went
no further. 1t was sufficient to produce convic-
ton in minds already fully convinced He left
the other contents Of the secret dossier unopened
and unread. That was his testimony. corrobo-
rated hy General MERCER. II was shameful 1t
was n confession that Illegal methods had been
cmploved 10 secure verdict. and also that the
Court had rendered the verdict without cxamin-
ine all The testimony laid before IT, That was
bad enough But worse remained behind.
on Saturday Captain Frcystsetter testified
He declared roundy and unhestatlngly that not
only one but all the documents i'm the secret dos
sler were read and considered by the Court OF
1894 That was n Hat giving of the lie 10 what
Colonel Maurel had said. The latter was there
fore asked 10 explain the contradiction, and this
is what he said: II did not say only one docu-
"ment was read | said I only read onoSiocu-
"ment" No wonder the audience In the court
room burst into angry murmur at THIS mon
strous avowal Of stiffness and duplcity. Not
even q Jew hating mob could stand such
thing without q protest. Had that double deal
ing explanation been true II would have suticed
n brand It's author with worse than gnominy
Rut II was not true For Captain Freystaetter
Immediately proceeded n testify that not only
were all the documents read, but the president
Colonel Maurel. himself handled them oil and
commented upon each and every one. That
one may say is merely putting the word of one
man against that Of another Yes But Il was
not necessary to put so much as the word OF a
man against that of the author OF the eXplana-
ton we have quoted Much less than a mans
word would he sufficient 10 overweight anything
he might say
Another incident at Saturdays session was
scarcely less impressive as A revelation Of char
acter It concerned General MERCER, and was,
perhaps. tho elimination Of his disgrace. Cen
eral MERCER had previously testified. first that
be had not secretly communicated the falsfed
Panizzardi dispatch to the court martial or
1894 and. second, that If it had been included
by any one IN the batch of documents sent TO
that court It was in tie form certified 10 be
correct by the Foreign Office. But on Saturday
Captain Freystaetter declared without contra
dicton that the fasidcd translation Of the Pam
izzardl dispatch was sent 10 the court in 1874
Of course. by General MERCER the same falSi-
fed dispatch which was recently communi-
Gated with the rest Of the secret dossier 10 the
court martial at Rennes
We would not PREJUDICE the case Captain
Drcvfus may. for all we know, be guilty. But
w1Ar a man is accused Of guilt by those who in
then very accusation against him accuse them
selves Of forgery and perjury and corruption OF
Justice there Is room for at least bare possl-
hlllty that he Is innocent.