The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-01
ABOUT THE CONFESSION
Labori Scores Strong Points for
Dreyfus.
UNDER GREAT EXCITEMENT
The Prisoner Again Proclaims His Inno-
cence-His Wife Kept Him From
Suicide-It Was a Dra-
matte Scene.

| FOR him and for the second time in the
course of the trial he gave way to his
| feelings and sought relief in tears. The
| generals have branded him as a traitor
before the court their subordinates
nave pointed the finger of scorn at him,
| but he only once fiinched-when the
off1cial report of his treatment on Dew
| IFS island was read before him and the
! pictures of his sufferings. mental and
, physical, were thrown vividly on the
screen of his memory. Then he hid his
| features and wept.
He passed through another such
crisis to-day, when, after Captain Lee
brun- -Renault and witness after wit
ness had brought before him
that cold January morning which
ushered in the scene of his degrade
tion, Major Forzenetti, man of heart,
| tod in simple words and unaffected
manner the story Of Dreyfus' struggle
with the maddening temptation to take
his life and the Intervention of his wife,
as an angel, pointing out the road of
| DUTY. Then again the prisoners breast
| heaved with emotion and tear drops
| trickled down his cheeks He rose and
he spoke few words concerning his
denial to Colonel Du Patty de Clam
| that he wrote the bordereau he turned
| to Forzenetti with a look of thanks for
his consolation so needed Dreyfus
then uttered these words of heartfelt
| gratitude to his wife for the courage
| with which she inspired him:
1T is due to her." he cried that I
am alive to-day
The prisoner could articulate no
more, but sat down abruptly to hide his
| distress
The proceedings concluded a few
minutes later and he was taken back
| to his prison. where his wife visited
rim, and in the presence of Nine. Drey-
fus and the gendarmes guard, he broke
down completely. The tension had been
too much for him. He sobbed convui1
sively and the partner of his sorrows
Joined him in a solace of tears
Captain Lehrun -Renault and the sup
porters of his assertion of the Dreyfus
confession had an inning, lasting near
ly the entire session. their dispositions
containing little but what has already
been stated before the court of cassa-
ton.
Captain Lebrun-Renault introduced
the new assertion that the fact that he
had not related the incident of the con-
feSSion to President Casmir -Perier
ed "canaille." eur and traitor
while waiting at the Elysee. He. how
ever, could not explain why he kept
this to himself for so long time in
stead of recounting the incident before
the court of cessation. Nor did his ex-
planation as to why he destroyed the
page of his note book containing the
record of Dreyfus' confession sound
very convincing.
The other witnesses We're a repetition
of Captain Lebrun-Renault. But very
significant question was put to Col
onel Guerin by member of the court,
Lieutenant Colonel Brongniart, who sits
at Colonel Jousaust's right hand. and
always puts pointed questions. He has
thoroughly studied the Dreyfus case
and is reputed to be one of the best
authorities on the case. 1t is certain
Colonel Jousaust consults him fire.
quently during the proceedings. Brong
Mart Is said to be a rabid anti-Drey-
fusard, and he. to-day, In a quiet tone,
asked Colonel Guerin If he thought M.
Weyl who is a friend of EsterhaZy,
also knew Dreyfus. The latter at once
rose and declared he had never before
heard of Weyl. The point of this ques-
tion was that Esterhazy had written to
Colonel Jousaust as announced and
has undoubtedly mentioned Weyl as a
go-between for Dreyfus. This is the
patch as w. a mistake for wv" If
relations can be proven between Drey-
fus and Weyl. then he could assume
Dreyfus was traitor The generals
IL sufficient evidence of a Dreyfus-
Weyl-Esterhazy connection could be
produced, can abandon the contention
that Dreyfus wrote the bordereau and
admit EsterhaZy Is the author of 1t.
This is possibly the condition Of the
tactics on the part of the generals
which had been limited at recently.
1t was reported this afternoon that
Generals Mercier. Roget and Gonse and
NJ. Cavaignac, who are staying quietly
at the house of a friend some miles
outside Rennes, met to-day at General
Mercier's house and discussed the evi-
dence Colonel Schwarzkoppen's house
keeper, Nine. Batkin, could give If she
was subjected to severe examination
with the result that her evidence was
not conclusive enough to justify sum
moning her as witness for the prose-
cution.
The Dreyfus court martial met behind
closed doors this morning and discussed
the secret document relating to artil-
lery subjects of the bordereau. The se-
cret session lasted until 9:15, the public
being admitted to the court at $3.50.
The first witness called after the pub
lie session began was Captain Lebrun-
htndull Ol lIt VIM
reiterated his testimony given before
the court of cessation, repeating the
terms of the alleged confession of Drey-
fus:
Il am innocent. In three years they
will recognize my innocence. The min
lister knows If delivered documents 10
Germany it was to get more important
ones in return"
The witness explained he did not refer
to the confession of Dreyfus in his in
terview with President Casimir- Perier,
because he overheard a conversation
during the course of which he was call
ed traitor" "canaille" and eur" This
was a surprise, for he did not mention
this in his evidence before the court of
cessation, as Labori pointed out.
Labori also laid stress on the fact
that the captain should have kept his
notebook, in which he asserts he made
note of his conversation with Dreyfus,