The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-13
MERCIER is KISSED
Continued from First Page.

derStand the indignation of M. CaSimir-
Perier, but such an idea never crossed my
mind. M. Demange had asked me at the
time of the trial, in conveying through
M. Waldeck-Rousseau my request for a
public trial, that this publicity should only
be on condition that the origin of the
documents remained secret. 1 gave my
word of honor not to raise that question,
and in that I bow before the superiAr
interests of the country. In my mind
that to the defense and not to the presi-
dent of the republic the word was given
L never had an idea of an engagement
between the president and myself. New
er. never!''
Jouaust-Then you declare false these
letters in which it is declared the presi-
dent Of the republic entered into an en-
gagement with you?
Dreyfus-In any case, the sense has
been distorted
M. Casimir-Perier gave his evidence
with blanched face, but in the deter
mined tone of man who maintains every
word uttered, which inspired confidence in
his words. The members of the court
martial listened to him respectfully. When
his testimony was ended NJ. Casimir- Per
Ter was ordered back to his seat by a
non-commissioned officer, and all eyes
were directed towards a door to the right.
ENTER MERCER.
There was moment of painful suspense
and then Gen. MERCER entered the court
room and was conducted to the witness
stand by soldier He lifted his hand
before the crucifix, and swore to tell the
truth and the whole truth. He appeared
to be in poor health, was hoarse, coughed
frequently, and asked to be allowed to be
seated. MERCER was attired in the I'M
dress uniform of a general, black tunic
ana red trousers. AS he sat down he
placed brilliant crimson and gold KEPT
on the shelf attached to the witness rail
Where II remained, a striking patch of
color during the time he gave his testi-
mony, which lasted from $40 a. m. until
noon. He leaned forward while speaking
ms hanoS sometimes resting on the rail.
Out more often he was nervously witch
ing his fingers and twisting a pair of
Whlte gloves, which he DOTTED on enter
ing the court Beside his kept he placed
a black leather wallet full of papers. and
ne accompanied his remarks with a con-
lIhual noddIng Of the head. To a stran-
Il MS appearance and bearing produces
d 1af from favorable effect He gave
the appearance of stiffness, his fore
heaG was wrinkled, his eyebrows were
contracted and his eyes peered through
olItS between puffy eyelids. His cheeks
were SdloW, and he spoke almost inaudi-
Oily and In weak, monotonous mitch of
voice which produced a sonorific effoc+
upon those who were not able +o die
tlhSClsh his words but who were within
nearing OF his voice. This monoloeue
win hardly break except when the
c!erk read from the various documents
MERCER presented to the court lasted
nearly TOUR hours, with ten minutes sus-
pension at Il, when there was g. general
Ieellhg that the witness was going IN
prove as the Dreyfusards predicted. an
utter fiasco. al
Gen. MERCER wore on his breast the
decoration of grand officer of 10
glOn OF honor. While he was under ex-
ANIMATION Gen. MERCER asked Col. Ion
AUST 10 allow him to present q docu-
Ineht showing how an espionage svs-
teIn was organized in France bv Col
SchWartzkoppen, the former German
military attache at Paris. The docu-
ment referred to the Notifications of the
Meuse. Gen MERCER then entered into
an explanation tending to nro,,o
SchWartzkoppen was at the head of the
German espionage in France, and after
wards had the favored letter containing
the words "cette canailIe de D. read
IN the meanwhile Dreyfus watched Mer-
clef through his eyeglass, but appar-
ently quite unmoved. The witness who
displayed the deepest interest was M
Caslmir-Perier, seated in front of a row
or private seats. He leaned forward.
with his hands on his knees, except
When very excited, when he lifted his
hands up in an expressive gesture of
disgust or impatience. Mercier. who
mad his back turned to the former pres
ldent' saw nothing of this, but after he
had completed his testimony and had
reiterated all the charges contained in
NJ. dOrmescheVelle's bill of indictment
MERCER presented a document to NJ
read by the clerk, which proved to he
an alleged Dreyfus letter concerning
the alleged engagement entered into
with M. Casimir-Perier, which the latter
had so hotly denounced. The last breath
had hardly left the clerks lips when M,
Casimir-Perier jumped up and shouted:
That's the letter 1 read in the news
papers"
Gen. MERCER, startled, turned round
and muttered excuses, saying he did not
believe a president of the republic would
enter into such an engagement
10 this Casimir-Perier retorted in a.
tone of bitterest sarcasm:
Thank you, general, for this testi-
monial."
At the end of his evidence Gen. Mer-
cier said he believed that the only mo-
tive of Dreyfus' treason was that Drew
fus had no feeling of patriotism
MERCER KISSED.
This cruel utterance brought forth
misses from the audience, whose blood
had been sent up to fever neat by the
witness savage attacks on Dreyfus.
Gen. MERCER, not needing the Kisses.
terminated with remarking:
IF the least doubt crossed nv mind
gentlemen, l would be the first to de-
clare it to you, and say before you to
Capt. Dreyfus, 1 am mistaken, but in
good faith
Then Dreyfus electrified his hearers
He jumped to his feet, as though the
words had galvopized him into new
life, and shouted with a voice which
rang throughout the hall like a trunne+
note:
THAT is what you ought to say
The audience burst into a wild cheer.
whereupon the ushers called for silence
Gen. MERCER then stammered:
II would come and say: Capt. Drew
fus, I was mistaken, IN good faith, and
come with the same good faith to ad-
nit it, and l will do all in human power
to repair the frightfuE error.''
The prisoner then shouted:
why don't you, then? That is your
duty
At this there was another outburst of
applause. Gen. Mercier, after a pause
when the excitement had partially calm
ed, said:
We'll, no My conviction since 1894
has not suffered the slightest weaken
ing. 1t is fortified by the deepest study
of the dossier, and also by the inanity
of the means resorted to FOR the prr-
pose of proving the innocence of the
condemned man of 1894, in spite of the
evidence accumulated and in spite Of
the millions of money expended
finished?"
Gen. MERCER replied: Eyes"
CHALLENGE TO CONFORMATION
Col. Jouaust then announced that the
sessions of the cOurt-martial 1nul1 lno