The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-13
NERClER IS KISSED
DRAMATIC SCENES ENACTED IN
SATURDAYS SESSION
GEN. NERCJER 1HE CENTER
HIS IDENTIFICATION OF THE PRIs-
ONER AROUSED THE SPEC
TATORS TO FURY
DENOUNCED IN OPEN COURT

Former President Casimfr-Perier
Asks That He Be Confronted by
Mercfer, in Order That He May
Refute His TestimOny-Dreyfu
Also Challenged the War Minis
ter Who Secured His Conviction.
RENNES, France, Aug. 12-If Dreyfus
is guilty he must possess superhuman
nerve for he listened to Gen. MercierS S
pitiless arraignment this morning until
he approached the end of his deposi-
ton with sphinx-like rigidity of features,
but watching MERCER like a cat watch
ing a mouse No one could have sus-
pected the volcano within Dreyfus,
which burst forth when human flesh
and blood could stand it no longer. This
only sign of the fire within was his
heaving bosom and the parching of his
lips and palate, which he occasionally
moistened with his tongue. A casual
observer might have missed these indi-
cations and have imagined he was an
image cut in stone, with the eyes fixed
on Mercier. But when, at last, his feel
ing obtained the mastery, and he sprang
to his feet and faced his accuser, man
to man, one appreciated the depth of his
previously suppressed emotions, and
MERCER who, startled, had. jumped to
his feet at the ringing sound of Drey-
fus' voice, from the chair in which he
was seated while giving his evidence, re-
cOiled before the terrible look Dreyfus
threw at him, and stood aghast, Won
dering whether the prisoner was going
to spring upon him.
Col JouaUst and the other members
If the court, in the meantime, had risen
and seized the two men, while the court
rang with the cheers of the spectators
Gen. Mercier, when he had finished his
testimony, according to general opinion,
had said really nothing, and had proved
nothing. The overwhelming proofs he
was to have thrown down before the
members of the court-martiaI like a
bombshell failed to appear, and he left
the court discredited
Though the general was cheered by
the crowd outside of the court, none of
them had witnessed the scene in the
court, or listened to Mercier's weak tes-
timony. Moreover, the crowds have al
ways been anti-Dreyfusards. Counter
shouts of "Vive republique" and "Vive
la Justice were raised by those leaving
the court room, but the gendarmes
quickly cleared the streets on both
sides and dispersed the crowd quietly
CURTAIN RISES ON DRAMA.
The curtain rose today on the same
theater-ike scene as Monday. The
Judges, in uniform, were seated on the
stage, behind the dark cloth-covered ta-
BILE, on which, in a row, We're their kepis,
with gay colored plumes and heavy gold
lace bands. Every inch of the court was
occupied, in expectation of a sensational
scene. There were more ladies present
than on Monday. The parsonage known
as Nine. Blanche (he white LADY,, who
has attended every move in the Dreyfus
affair was again present today, wearing
a superb set of pearls. But owing to the
expressed objections of Col. Jouaust she
changed her conspicuous place on the
right behind him for a more modest. but
still noticeable, position in the body Of
the hall There was a large Sprinkliny
OF uniforms among the audience, and a
row of soldiers, with fixed bayonets wa;
again arranged at the bottom of the hall
and rendered honors in the customary
Judges latter
ed or left the court.
The proceedings opened tamelv. and the
hopes of a sensational sitting began to
flag as the morning wore on and matters
began to get tedious as NJ. Casimir-
Ter and Gen. Mercier reiterated what is
already known. But this was only the
calm before the storm, and when the
storm broke 1t carried every one in. court
with 1t into whirlpool of the widest
excitement.
Dreyfus, on entering the court TODAY.
saluted the president with the same
studied mien as last Monday, and the
president, Col. JOuaust, returned the sa-
lutte and said:
sit down Dreyfus"
The chair for the prisoner was placed
further to the right of the platform to-
day. Instead of facing the judges, Drew
tus sat with his back to the table of his
counsel, thus looking across the platform
straight at the rail at which the Wit
nesses stood. Col Jouaust immediatelv
after the court had settled down, opened
the proceedings by asking Dreyfus the
following question:
In January, 1895, the director of the
penltentiary of the lie de Rue. in the
course of duty, searched the clothes Won
brought from the prison He found fhis
document in an inside pocket of vour
waistcoat."
The president here handed Drevfus q
paper, and said:
DO you recognize 1t as having be-
longed to you?''
Dreyfus-Yes, my colonel.
Jouaust-Whose was it?
Dreyfus-Mine.
Jouaust-Will you tell me how and un-
der What circumstances this document
came into your possession?
Dreyfus-It is a document used dur
ing my trial. In order to discuss the
value Of the bordereau, I wished to keen
it.
Jouaust-The military code gives Won
the right to have a copy of the dozen.
ments IN your case. This document
therefore, was legitimately in your nos.
session Why do you wish to keep if?
Dreyfus-As a souvenir of the text of
the bordereau.
JOuaust-That was not proper and
therefore it was taken from YOU. mere
ly wished to elucidate this point. That
will do.
Col. Jouaust then asked Mai. Carriera
If he had any observations to make in
behalf of the government The major
replied by asking to have Dr. Ransom a
report on Dreyfus read, which the clerk
of the court did. The report deals with
the measures of surveillance over Drew
fus adopted during the voyage of the
prisoner to Cayenne, and said among
other things that he was seen on board
seated on a stool and weeping.
M. de la Roche-Vernet,a "a secretary st
tached to the French embassy at Ber-