Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-16
OREYFUS IN TEARS
Prisoner Weeps as He Hears His
Sufferings Recounted.
WITNESSES ALL AGAINST Him
He Continues to Declare His
Innocence Of the Charge.
THE EVIDENCE IN DETAIL

| RENNES. France, August 16.-The sec
ond trial by court-martiaI of Captain AL
fred Dreyfus of the French artillery,
| charged with treason. was continued this
| morning, Major Carriere, the representa-
| tive of the government, having refused to
| agree to the adjournment of the case until
| Monday. applied for by NJ. Demange, coun-
| sci for Captain Dreyfus. owing to the mur-
derous attack upon Maitre Labor leading
counsel for the defense.
| The feature of the days proceedings was
| the story of the sufferngs of Dreyfus on
| DEVILS Island. his prison, off the coast of
| French Guiana. Dreyfus wept in court
| when the clerk read a document recounting
| the details of his incarceration.
The proceedings opened with the appli-
! cation of NJ. Demange for an adjournment
| This followed by the deposition Of NJ
| Guerin. the former minister of justice, who.
| however, only repeated the evidence he had
| given before the court Of cessation.
NJ Lebon the former minister of the colo
| MES a big red-bearded man. then testi-
| fed in justification of his instructions to
| treat Dreyfus vigorously. deciaraing that
| the extreme stringency only dated from
| the time he thought an attempt would be
rlade to rescue the prisoner.
| Col Jouast president of the court-mar-
| tial askei Dreyfus if he had any ques-
| tions to rut to the witness, and he replied
| in an emo tional voice:
Dreyfus Asked No Questions.
"No. I am here to defend my honor. 1
do not wish to speak of the atrocious SUI
fering which, for five years. / a French
man, and an innocent man, suffered on the
| Isle du Diable."
NJ Demange here asked that the official
report of the treatment of Dreyfus on the
| Isle du Diable. which was published In the
newspapers last week, should be read The
| clerk of the court did so. and in sympa-
thetic tone recounted the narrowing tale
of Dreyfus' mental and physical suffer-
ings and inhuman treatment on the Island.
Deep-drawn breaths of Indignation came
from the hearers as the reading proceeded
Dreyfus at first watched the faces of the
Judges with his usual composure; but grad
uaIly. as the story proceeded and incidents
of his awful existence We're brought UP
before him. his eyes grew dim and tears
eIistened in his eyes and slowly trickled
down his cheeks.
Dreyfus could stand 1T no longer and Tor
the first time during his trial gave way to
his emotions and silently wept The faces
of the audience expressed sympathy with
the prisoners emotion, and even the cap
tain of gendarmes sitting beside Dreyfus
turned and gave him look of unconcealed
compassion
Cen Mercier, who, with NJ. Lebon, was
seated in the front row of the witnesses
seats. listened to the reading Of the report
unmoved while Col. Jouaust followed IL
with an air of bored tolerance.
NJ Lebon afterward returned to the stand
and added few more words in Justiilca-
ton of his conduct. and then Col. Jouaust
ordered the next witness to be brought in
Madame Henry n Witness.
All ewes were turned toward the door on
the right of the stage, and moment later
the form of woman. dressed in deep
mourning appeared in the doorway, and.
accompanied by non-commissioned ofhcer,
advanced to the platform
1t was the widow of Col. Henry, the
French officer who committed suicide in
prison after confessing to forging certain
documents in the case. With pale face and
hand appraised before the crucifix she took
the oath to tell the truth.
Nine Henry is of medium height and has a
common cast of features. and certainly
could not be described as attractive. She at
once put herself at ease, leaning forward.
with both hands resting on the rail of the
witness stand. In attitude of complete
self-possesson she gave her evidence, ac-
companying the words with frequent ges-
lures. Her evidence. however, was Of little
weight. She admitted the frequent visits Of
Esterhazy to her husband and said her
husband told her he had forged docu-
ment 'n order to save the honor of the
country She gave her evidence in very
matter of fact way. and was in wise the
sympathetic figure the anti-Dreyfusards
have tried to make her.
in
His evidence vitriolic diatribe against
Dreyfus from beginning to end.
The court liourned until tomorrow on
the conclusioi of General Roget's mono
logue.
The 1 vidence in Detail.
The foIlowir is the evidence in detail:
Ex-Minister of Justice Guerin the first
witness, said he knew absolutely nothing
of the facts in the case. but could repeat
the surrounding circumstances, which he
had already related before the court OF
cessation, if the court-martial desired.
Col Jouaust having explained to the wit
ness that the court-martial had cogni-
zance of previous proceedings, NJ Guerin
proceeded to repeat his evidence as given
before the court of cessation, saying that
at the end of October, after cabinet coun-
ell, the premier invited him to his room.
where Gen. Mercier Joined them, and ex-
planned that for some time past documents
had been missing from the headquarters'
staff and that in consequence OF inquiries
made suspicion attached to Dreyfus. Gen.
Mercier the witness continued, added that
he was convinced Dreyfus was the culprit.
He said he founded his conviction on three
facts: First, the bordereau, the author Of
which was undiscoverable until Col. Fabre,
on returning from the maneuveK, immedi-
ately after he saw the document. exclaim-
ed, "Why, it is Dreyfus' handwriting!'
Secondly the nature of the documents emu
merated in the bordereau, in conjunction
with Dreyfus' employment in different de-
partments, proved conclusively, according
to Gen. Mercier, that Dreyfus alone had
cognizance of these papers, and he alone
could have disclosed them. Thirdly, the
dictation test and Dreyfus' perturbation at
the time
Cabinet Orders Prosecution.
General Mercer. NJ Guerin then said, in
consequence of these convictions declared
his intention to ask the cabinet to author
ize the prosecution Of Dreyfus. special
cabinet met November l, 1894, to consider
yrt,