Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-31
He Repeats Verbatim the Con
fession Dreyfus is Said to
Have Made Him.
WEAK ON SOME POINTS.
Laborl Ask. Him Question. That Com
fuse Him-secret session of Court-
Martial Lasted Three Hours
Discuss ARTILLERY Documsnts.

NShhSSs .tuS. .Nioy -.NesoSiatSu
Press.)-The closed session of the Drey-
fus trial lasted three hours. The court
discussed secret documents relating 10
artillery subjects and the bordereau.
When the open session began Captain
Lebrun-Renault gave the terms of the
alleged confession of Dreyfus to him as
follows: 81 am innocent. In three
years they will recognize my innocence.
The minister knows it well. He told
du Patty dc Clam to tell me so several
days ago in my cell. He knows that
il delivered documents to Germany
they were of no Importance, and it
was to obtain more important ones
return" Labori questioned the wit
ness closely as to why he kept the
facts of the confession from
President Cassimir-Perier and as
TO whv he destroyed the note
hook in which he wrote the al
leoed confession as soon as the mat
ter came up in the chamber of depu-
'iSS, ohu vi CpliSi polHlS dS " WHSH
the witness explanations We're rather
lame. Dreyfus made an indignant ans
wer to the witness testimony, declar-
inv that Renault's failure to repeat his
(Dreyfus) alleged confession which be-
gan with a protestation of innocence
TO the chief officers was ga maneuver
which must I'LL all honest men with
I'iEdignation.s Dreyfns denied. that he
fixed three. years as the definite time
,for disclosure of his iunocence,. The
prisoner outburst brought "brayos'
from the audience. Captain Anthoine
followed and repeated what Captain
z D'Attel, who was present when Drey-
.sfuss alleged confession was made, said,
confirming the confession.
Major Forizetti, governor of Cherche-
midi prison, when Dreyfus was con-
fined there, testified that though he
frequently met Renault and Dattel,
neither of them had ever alluded to
the confession. The witness had once
faced Renault down before Gonse and
other witnesses on this point.
Col. Guerin. sent by General Suassier
to2attend the Dreyfus degradation and
report on it, corroborated Renault, say
ing the latter told him of Dreyfls'
Eailseed confession as having just been
made and that Renault repeated it to
several other officers who were present
The witness added that Dreyfus, as he
entered the prison van after his degre-
dation, said in the witness hearing
that Justice would be done him in
three years. The witness reported all
these things to Suassier. Major de
Mitrv testified that Antoine told him
of Dreyfus' confession. The army
controller, Peyrotle, testified that he
had heard Of a confession from Colonel
Guerin.
Fornizetti declared that he express
ed to Boisdeffre his belief in Dreyfus'
innocence; he said Dreyfus asked him
for weapon to commit suicide, and
that 1t was with difficulty that Drey-
.fus was prevented from dashing his
head against the wall after he was
condemned. > Dreyfus wrote to the,
minister of war, saying: "When L am
gone let them seek the culprit." At
the conclusion of Fornizetti's testimo-
ny Dreyfus arose and with the deepest
emotion said that after his condemna-
tion he had determined to commit
suicide, but that his wife dissuaded
him, declaring that if he were innocent
he should undergo his sentence for her
sake and their children. He concluded
by saying: IF / am here, it is to her
that owe it." Fornizetti corrobora-
ted this statement, saying that at the
last interview Dreyfua said: For her
and for my children will undergo the
torture of tomorrow" Dreyfus' dec
J laration deeply moved the hearers.
The session concluded with the con-
formations of Lebrun-Renault and
Roisdeffre. Renault said he did not
speak to Fornizetti of Dreyfus' confess
sion because he had Instructions to
keep silent. Boisdetfre denied that
Fornizetti ever expressed the convic-
ton that Dreyfus was innocent. For
.nizetti maintained the assertion, how
ever. The court then adjourned.