The National tribune., 1899-08-17

civilized man, he ended: Five years in the
galleys. My wife. my children. My God.
am innocent inn0centw
In the sharp Questioning that followed
he created Fnosts favorable impression
upon those WHO we've not already preil-
diced against hjm.1sBut the examination
and the public scrutiny were very wearing
upon the man, pot mearly recovered from
his recent brutal .5reatment on Devils
Island. X m
The events of the second days proceed
Ings, following the7 examination of the
tlonal. The two most important witnesses
were eX-Presidegt GSsimir- Perier and Gen
MERCER. 1he former lengthy testimony
was IN effect thst there was never any fear
OF war with Germany III this connection,
and that all that had been said and done
by the Ministers inBhis matter was said
and doEe outsides0f him. He could not
have 1t said, asBhief ofthe army and head
OF the nation, tlat7 lie had any relations
Whatever with aiCaliain accused of treason
But he solemnly affirmed that his resigna-
non had not}iingi TO do with any diplo-
thus testimony Casinir-fcrier has aided
Dreyfus, hurt MERCER, and made a point
for himself. =. S,-
MERCER, Minister of War when Dreyfus
was convicted, withheld the information
from the President of France and sent the
2o'tSU u'ooiei uHSct 10 lne Jldge3 OF the
first court-martial. A small man he is
straight i'll figure, but 20 years old, and
with a face like fox. He declared that he
was certain that Germany was about to
declare war; that matters We're so urgent
and dangerous that he did not dare, openIy
publish the documents he held, but sent
them privately to the .court-martial for
inspection. His statement was received
with murmurs of disbelief.
AS for his opinion Of Dreyfus's guilt.
he said: IF the least doubt crossed INV
mind, | should be the first to declare it to
you, and say before yon to Capt Dreyfus:
am mistaken, but in good faith"
Dreyfus leaped to his feet and shouted:
That is what you ought to say"
mo" replied Mercier, Il will not. /
have done my duty"
1T is your duty to say it." cried Dreyf1s.
In spite OF a country deceived, in spite of
the millions that have been spent, 1 will
never say it, replied Mefcier
The court was in an uproar. and Mer-
cier Withdrew amid hoots and hisses. Cas-
imir- Perier demanding that the court
should near him again, and in copfronta-
ton with Mercier. Dreyfus, amid the con-
fusion, was hurried out by gendarmes, and
the court cleared. ~.
CONSPIRACY IN PARIS.
Much excitement was caused in Paris on
Saturday last by the arrest of Paul Derou-
lede, founder of the Patriotic League and n
member Of the Chamber of Deputies, and a
number of members of the anti-Semitic
and Patriotic Leagues, on the charge of
conspiracy organized to accomplish a
change in the Government The arrests
were SEQUEL to those made last February.
and resulted from information Contained in
documents then seized.
An additional sensational episode i'm the
Dreyfus case startled France early on Mon
day morning last, when Maitre Labor, the
former counsel for Zola and now associated
with Maitre Demange in defending DreyfIs.
was shot on the outskirts of Rennes while,
in company with Col. Picquart and his
brother-in-law, N. Cast, he was on his Wav
to the court-martial. On the solitary road
two men suddenly rushed out from a mar
row lane and one fired single shot from a
revolver. The two men separating made
their escape, although pursued by Labori's
companions and others who were near at
the time. The wounding may result
fatally. LaboriIwas attended to as soon as
possible, and befbrei il6ng the French police
were securing TIE YIeighborhood. without
success, however, at the latest reports.
The act may have been the outcome of
the desperation Sf'thhes anti-Dreyfusards at