Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-09
Dreyfus Trial Drags Its Weary Length
Along.
FASHIQNhBLES ARE DOWN SCOTLAND"
The Progress Made in Japan by
Christian Sects.
BOTH HOT AND DRY
special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.


1t seems impossible that the speeches, lee
lures, gossip and the like that are delivered
there can be seriously considered as evil
dence. One is constantly wondering why
the trial. if such 1t is, has not been stopped
long before this for want of proof of any
sort against Dreyfus. We are not getting
here verbatim reports of the trial, and one
Is often obliged to read between the lines to
CLEAN the sense and supply what is miss
ing. In the minds of most Anglo-Saxons
1t is not now Dreyfus who is on trial, but
Gen. MERCER.
Gen. MERCER is remarkable for his devo-
tion to system; but 1t is unfortunate that
his system is not of a kind likely to find
favor with most men. Consistently with
his action in 1894 in bringing the dossier
before the court-martial, he has now made
an attempt to set before the judges at Rem
mes second secret document manufactured
last week for their special benefit by the
author of the commentary of 1894, Du Patty
de Clam Before the opening of the courts
on August Z Gen. MERCER went privately
to Gen. Chamoin mot Gen. Chanoine), and
saying, Il have Il document to show you
will you please read it?" handed him
note. Gen. Chamoin, representing the gov
eminent at the trial, sits behind the judges
In court, and 1t seems that Gen. MERCER
counted upon his LAYING this document on
the table, in which case it would have been
found by the judges. Gen. Chamoin, how
ever, who acted throughout in good faith
put 1t in his pocket and Kept it there. The
note consisted of three pages unsigned and
without date, and his object was to give
the court translation of the Panizzardi
telegram, which is entirely incorrect and
quite at variance with the foreign office
translation officially communicated to the
war office
During the sittings in camera, when the
secret documents were In course of exam
nation. Gen. Chamoin came to this and
read the opening lines, remarking that the
second and third pages seemed unimpor-
tant--- Maitre Labori insisted that the whole
should be rad. Instead of putting it with
the other documents Gen. Chamoin laid it
aside. Maitre Baborf noticed this and ask
ed the reason why. '"Oh, this is a particu-
lar document" said Gen. Chamoin, kindly
Let me see it,, asked NJ. Labor. whose
suspicious were thoroughly aroused Gen.
Chamoin hesitated, and NJ. Labor got it
only after insisting with the utmost energy.
Has this come from the war Officer he
asked asked, No Who gave It to your"
Gen Mercier.' "When?" Just now"
AT the examination with the closed doors,
or course, no one was present save the ac-
eused, his counsel and the government com
missioner. Gen. Mercer. therefore, was
quite unprepared for the thunderbolt which
was presently to fall on him. The exposure
came as follows In Gen. Merciers cross
examination: NJ. Labori referred to the text
Of Col. Panizzardis dispatch Of November
4 1891 according to the version given by
Gen. MERCER to the court of cessation:
"Dreyfus arrested. Precautions taken:
warn EsterhaZy."
The president Ito Gen. Mercier)-"Where
did you find the text Of this Dispatch"
General Mercier-"I spoke merely from
memory"
Maitre Labori-"Now. have you not kept
a note of three pages. written I don't
know by whom TO make out a still more
violent text, viz, Captain Dreyfus arrest
ed they have proofs that he has supplied
Germany with documents?'
General Mercier-"I would have to see
the alleged note to reply"
NJ Labori-"Then I ask that General
Chamoin be called"
The president would not allow NJ Labori
to complete the humiliation of General
MERCER but enough was said to make 1t
plain to all in a most striking manner what
had been attempted. It is the general
opinion that whether Dreyfus is acquitt ed
or reconvcted the government must take
serious notice of the Illegal actions of
MERCER
The Drought Ended.
Rain has come at last to relieve the
cloudless weeks of heat in London. Last
Saturday, with the thermometer register
ing 40 degrees In the sun and "a degrees
in the shade. we had hottest day of
very hot August. The sun beat down
through a cloudess sky, and as even the
nights are not cool the buildings and the
pavement throw out a heat that makes
walking very trying. There We're several
cases of sunstroke treated at the various
hospitals and numerous instances of people
succumbing to the heat and requiring the
attention of the ambulance corps. The
phenomenal heat affected both man and
beast. Workmen had to cease operations
In some cases when the sun was at its
hottest. between IL and o'clock. In the
case of tram and bus horses instructions
We're given not TO attempt to keep time
during the heat of the day. Even as it
aSin fai laI
nets were again IN evidence on many of
the horses in the fashionable parts of Lon
don. One curious result of this tropical
summer in London has been a disappear
ance of the tile" hat to an extent which
has never been known before. Even the
city" it is called, has gone in for the
straw hat. The market gardens in Es
sex. around Ilford and Barking. are suf-
fering severely from the drought. and the
farmers near Grays and Tflbury are send
ing their cattle into the interior of the
country on account OF the scarcity of wa
ter. Vegetables and fruits are both dear
and of poor quality. And no permanent re-
lief is promised yet September threatens
to finish what August commenced. Ameri-
heat and think London fine, wondering
where the fog is Of which they have heard
so much.
Rich Historic Finds.
The workmen employed in the excava-
lions necessary in connection with the new
u
discovery of Roman remains of much in
terest. The site is very near ST. Georges
Church. in the yard of the old Talbot Inn,
which was favorite haunt Of Charles
Dickens, and which has much older lit
erary and historic associations. The dis
covery consists principally of old Roman
vessels of earthen ware. most Of them
much broken. An earthen ware lamp is a
fine specimen of workmanship, and is pro-
nounced by experts to be of Etruscan orr
gin. Horseshoes and bones, possibly human.
were also found. Little Dorrit's' church.
yard hardly. in which the discovery of
the Roman remains was made will very
soon be altered in character that lovers
of Dickens who wish to see 1t In its original
state should not delay their visit. The
new read from the Borough to Bermondsey
will sweep away most of the churchyard
of st. George the Martyr and the small
part still standing of the old MarshaIsea
prison. where Mr.. Micawber and his fam
lily ''lived more comfortable in prison than
they had done for some time out of it."
Southwark is situated so far from the
more aristocratic quarters of London that
its objects of historic Importance are less
known than they deserve to be. The num-
Der of persons, for instance, who could
say where this old prison stood or that