The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-15

, compromise the position of the repre-
"HOHENLOHE."
NJ. Casimir-Perier then recounted how
he had expressed to the then premier
and minister of war his aStonishment
and Indignation at the interview which
I Captain Lebrun-R Renaud gave The FL
I garo on the subject of DreyfuS.
The witness told of Colonel Picquart's
| visit to the Elysee at the time of the
| trial in 1894 to inform him that NJ. Ber-
| tillOn's demonstrations had little effect
| on the judges. He added: Il received
| NJ. BertllOn on December 10th and 18th
| at the instance of the minister of war,
| who thought his demonstration very
| curious, interesting and conclusive, but
| l must confess" said M. Casimir- r-Perier,
| amid a general litter in court, that l
| judged them differently. All that was
| done and said among the ministers was
! done without my knowledge"
| The witness then related the facts in
| connection with the futile efforts of NJ.
| Waldeck-R ousseau to prevent the first
| cOurt-marrial in sitting behind closed
| doors, and said he, the witness, had
| never received any member of the
/ EDreyfus family.
! NJ. Casmir- Perier concluded this part
| of his statement by raising his voice
| and speaking very excitedly, saying:
| For the honor o. the chief magiStracy,
| which ! occupied, for the honor of the
! republic, l will not allow it to be said
! that l had exchanged a word with a
captain in the French army accused or
| treason
! This statement caused applause in
| court, which Colonel Jouaust speedily
| suppressed, threatening to clear the
hall if there was any repetition of it.
| The former president ended his state
ment by saying: II affirm before this
! tribunal of hot
tiOn was not connected with the diplo-
F., matte incident concerning Germany. 1t
pains me not to be able to second the
| court in the work of justice confided to
| it, for from this place must emerge at
! last for the sake of country, reconcile
| alton and peace. L can do no more than
tell the truth, the whole truth and moth
ing but the truth. AS chief of state, or
| when ciiZen, l have always in my
respect for France, regarded her as
| free to make a decision, as she is her
self revered.' applause which was
quickly suppressed)
Various questions were then asked NJ
Casimir-Perier by the assistant judge
and Demange on the subject of Cap
tain Lebrun-Renaud's statement that
Dreyfus had confessed to him, and the
witness said emphatically that he new
| er had from Captain LebrunRenaud
any communication such as a confess
sion during the captains visits to him.
| he added that he was not prepared to
deny that General Mercier had told
Captain Lebrun-R -Renaud to communi-
cate this alleged confession but he af-
frmed that the captain did not speak
Of it to him.
NJ. Demange then introduced the
question Of the letter which the anti
Dreyfusar6s asserted DreyfuS wrote to
NJ. Casimir-Perier and in which it was
claimed ne spoke of engagements en-
tered into by NJ. CaSmir-Perier l<n-
spectng him.
The witness emphatically replied that
he had never entered into such engage
ment as alleged and he asked that the
letter, which was published by The
Relair, of Paris, be produced in court
and the whole matter cleared up.
DREYFUs SPEAKS.
Colonel Jouaust then asked Captain
Dreyfus if he had anything to say.
| ThereupOn the prisoner rose and Said ::
| MY words have certainly been distort-
ed, for l have no recollection of such
a letter. The words the former presi-
dent of the republic have just uttered
are exact. 1 have never even in NV
own mind supposed there was any en-
gagement undertaken by him and that
he had not held thereto. 1 can we'll un-
derstand the INDICATION Of NJ. Casimir-
Perier, but such an idea never crossed
my mind.
m. Demange had asked me at the
time of the trial, in conveying through
| NJ. Waldeck- Rousseau, my request for
! a public trial that this publicity should
| only be on condition that the question
| of the origin of the documents remain
| ed secret. I gave my word of honor not
| to raise this question and in that I bow
| before the superior interests of my
country. In my mind Ii was with the
defense and not with the president of
the republic that the word of honor was
given. I never had an idea that an
engagement was made between the
president and myself. Never! Never!
| Never!"
NJ. Jouaust-"Then you declare false
these letters in which it is said the
president of the republic entered into
certain engagements with you?''
Dreyfus replied: In my case, the
sense has been completely distorted"
M. Casimir-Perier gave his evidence
with a blanched face, but in the de-
| termined tone of man who maintains
every word uttered, which inspired con-
fidence in his words. The members OF
the court-martial listened to him re-
| Spectfully.
| GENERAL MERCER TESTIFIES.
!. When his testimony was ended NJ.
| Casimir-Perier was conducted back tC
his seat by a non-commissioned officer
| and all eyes were directed towards a
door to the right. There was a moment
of painful suspense and then General
| Mercier entered the court room and
was conducted to the witness stand by
a soldier. He lifted his right hand be-
fore the crucifix and SwOre to tell the
whole truth The witness appeared tc
be broken in health. He spoke in g