Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-31

Capt. Lebrun- Renault-"Why monsieur
lie president, that is a personal question. l
have no opinion to express on that point
| am no judge of things. l repeat simply
what Dreyfus told me. Certain persons
may consider bis remarks as embodytng
confessions. others as being an explanation.
That is their business. (Commotion)
NJ. Labori-"Captain Lebrun-Renault was
not content with entering his report of
January ) "A duty commenced at such an
hour and ended at such an hour. but he es-
pccially added: Nothing to report when,
matter Of fact, he alleges that an
incident of this Importance occurred.
Captain un-Renault-"I had nothing
to report. My duty was to take Dreyfus
from prison and guard him. l had nothing
to say in regard to that duty.
NJ. Labori-"Why did the witness keep
the leaf of his pocket book with the note
of confessions for years? The witness
seems to say that it mere chance.
am surprised that the witness destroyed
it just the day after it was mentioned in
the chamber of deputies"
To this Captain Lebrun-Renault replied
that at that time he considered that the
document he possessed was authenticated
by the cory made of it by M. Cava1gnac
the day before it was destroyed.
NJ. Labori-"The court will draw it's own
conclusions.
Then. turning to the witness. NJ. Labor
asked:
who was the official who made abusive
remarks about you at the Elysee?
Captain Lebrun- Renault-"I have no
idea
surprised.
SURPRISED that the witness mad not refused
to this abuse before the court of cessation
Asked If he had anything to say, Dreyfus
declared that when he was at the miiltary
school on he day of his degradation capt.
Lebrun-Renault did not leave him
1T is possible" continued the prisoner
that Cant. dAttell entered the guard
years interval. No other officer but Capt
Lebrun- Renault entered the room in which
! was"
Replying to Col Jouaust Capt. Lebrun-
RerarIt reiterated that Capt. d AtteH en-
tered the room and remained there five
minutes.
Dreyfus replying. said that in any case
he certainly did not speak to Capt. d Atteii.
He added that he had already explained 10
the court that the words actually used on
that occasion referred to the steps taken
In regard to him. the prisoner. by Col. du
Patty de Clam. to whom he had expressed
a desire that full light should be thrown
upon his case.
Surprise to Dreyfus.
"Aliow me-" continued Dreyfus, "to ex-
press the emotion and surprise feel To-Day
after five years, when I see witness who,
hearing such words. beginning with pro-
test of innocence, reported them to his
person for an explanation of them. These
are proceedings in the face of which all
honest people can only express indlgna-
ton Great sensation.)
Captain Anthone, who was present at the
degradation Of Dreyfus, was the next wit
ness He testified that on leaving the pa
rade ground he met Captain d Atteil who
informed him that Dreyfus mad made re
marks In his presence the meaning of which
to his mind clearly was: First, formal
confession that he had delivered docu-
ments; second, an allegation that the docu-
ments were unimportant; third, that the
prisoners object was to obtain more i'm
portant documents in exchange
Replying to Captain Anthoine the prfs-
oner said he had only one observation to
make. that he maintained positively that
he only spoke to Captain Lebrun-Renault,
and that he had nothing to add to his reply
to the latter.
Captain Lebrun-Renaut. recalled. ad-
mittcd that Captain dAtteN did not speak
to the prisoner; but he added that as
d Atten was in the room, which was very
small. no certainly heard the words ut
tered by Dreyfus.
NJ. Labori-What is very certain Is that
Captain d'Attell made no report of the in
cident TO his chiefs.
General Mercier-NO.
Lieutenant Colonel Guerin, whom Cen
erai Saussier ordered to attend the degra-
dation and report upon it, was next ex-
amined. He said:
AT about 7:45 am. I saw the prison van
arrive. Dreyfus alighted and was taken to
the Office where he was guarded by Cap
tain Lebrun- Renault, whose name did not
know at that time. At S:55 the adjutant of
the garrison relieved Captain Lebrun- Rem
ault, with four artillerymen and a cor
poral composing the guard which was to
conduct the prisoner to the place of degra-
dation. At that moment / was at the door
of the building
Related Dreyfus' Words.
Capt. Lebrun-Renault. when relieved
from duty, saw me and Immediately began
to relate what Dreyfus had said. The three
Statements which struck him, because of
their Importance, remained so craven in
my memory that could never forget them,
namely: First, the prisoners pride in the
facings he had lost; second his confession
that he had delivered documents to a for
eign power; third. that in three years JUS
tice would be done him.
"A group of officers were standing near
and as Capt. Lebrun-Renault's CONVERSE
ton was not confidential and the statement
he had made me was or great Importance
and interest to us. I begged him to repeat
to the officers what he had just told me.
Il must add that Capt d Attell had been
ordered to superntend matters, and his
special duty required him to report every
thing which occurred in the office of the
adjutant while Dreyfus was there and I'M
til Dreyfus was conducted to the place of
prisoner walked automatically. Afterward
when he was conducted to the prison van
7 stood, in company with some officers. in
the passage Dreyfus traversed, and Drey-
fus. ADDRESSING the officers. repeated that
in three years justice would be done to
him. He then entered the and disap-
peared. After the ceremony l verbally re-
ported to Gen. Sausser the incident of the
morning, particularly the statements made
by Dreyfus to Capt. Lebrun-Renault.
During the day Capt. dAttel also told
NJ Wunenberger, archivist of the Paris
headquarters. that Dreyfus had confessed"
NJ Demange-"How do you reconcile his
protests OF innocence with his alleged con-
fession?"
Col. Guerin-"That is not my business"
Reported to Gen. Saussiere.
NJ. Demange-"You reported the confess
sion to Gen. Saussiere?"
Col. Guern-"Certainly."
NJ. Demange-"Was it suggested that
steps be taken to verify the alleged con-
fesson?'
Col. Guerin-'1 do not recollect."
NJ. Demange-'So there was no attempt
to interrogate Dreyfus in regard to the
alleged confession?"
Col. Guerin-''The case had passed out of
the hands of the military authorities the
prisoner having been handed over to the
civil authorities"
Dreyfus, when the usual question was
put to him. said he had nothing to add to
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