The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-08

and Denies the Charge of Having
Confessed to Betrayal. of His
COuntry-Hts Bearing Manly and
Dignified, Though He Is but a
Ghost of His Former Self.
NEW YORK, Aug S.-(special)-A
special cablegram from Rennes, describ-
ing the opening of the trial of Capt.
Alfred Dreyfus, says:
Without excitement or disorder, but un-
der conditions so picturesque and dra-
matte that history can scarcely afford a
parallel, Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, of the
French army, was this morning, for
second time, placed on trial. charged with
selling military secrets to a foreign
power.
At a sign from the president Of the
court-martial, Capt. Dreyfus stepped into
the court room. Erect and composed,
clad in the uniform of his rank once
more an officer and a gentleman, with
the gold glinting on his sleeves, and with
spurs at heel, the prisoner of Devils
island stood at attention, faced the row
of officers in brilliant uniforms who were
his judges, brought his hand up sharply
in salute, and then, trembling with emo
ton, sank into his seat.
The dramatic and the tragic overbaI-
anced the elements of the picturesque.
Behind that military salute were the
memories of years of torture the sting
of public degradation, and the trail of
treachery, of intrigue and of treason.
Ahead were hopes of honor A history
which has shocked and thrilled the whole
civilized world eliminated In that mo-
ment when Alfred Dreyfus, once adjudged
ed and condemned to lingering torture and
dishOnorable death, stood, by decree of
the highest court of France, before the
officers of the republic to plead his in
nocence and defend his honor as a soldier
of France.
ELEMENT OF THE PICTURESQUE.
But if the tragic and dramatic domi-
mated at the opening of this, the most
famous trial France, and possibly civil
lization has ever seen, the element of the
picturesque was not wanting. The lycee,
transformed into a court room. was bril-
liant with gold and steel On the stage
sat the officers Of the court all in full
uniform, with spurs and side arms. To
the rear of the hall line of soldiers with
fixed bayonets stood at attention, holding
In check the crowd that thronged the
hall. In the body of the auditorium. in
sharp contrast to the brilliancy of the
military display, were the attorneys in
the case, and the representatives of the
press, ready to send to every quarter Of
the globe the proceedings of the court
Mingled In a confused picture were the
distinguished men of France, present
either as witnesses or as spectators. Cen
erals of divisions were there, men whose
names have been written by sword
strokes into the history of France, and
men who in civil life have been not less
distinguished. administers, diplomats
and once president of the republic wera
In the throng, among them none more
conspicuous than Col Picquart, who as
head of the secret police unearthed the
first facts which led to an overwhelming
demand for the return of the prisoner
slowly passing away on Devils island.
Col. Picquart was a living witness of
the bitterness with which the fight
against Dreyfus has been waged. For his
Friendship for the prisoner he has maid
his place and his right to the uniform
OF his rank. He was the more conspicu-
Gus in the scene for his lack of repi-
mentals. About him were the gold ana
glitter of every branch of the French
service, while he in the simple garb of
civil life had only the ribbon of the
Legion of Honor to show that his deeds
had made him worthy among men.
COURT PROCEEDINGS.
In the proceedings of the court itseh
there was only the ordinary per.
functory course of military routine
Strong detachments of gendarmes on foo
and mounted began to arrive at o'clock
and took up their positions in the sidt
streets around the lycee. At 6:15 the pre-
feet of police gave the order to close tn,
Avenue de la Care for 300 yards in from
of the lycee and also all by streets lead
ing to the avenue. The gendarmes wer.
Immediately drawn up along the avenu,
and the space in front of the vcee wa,
cleared of all spectators. A detachmen
of infantry was drawn across the avenu,
in two double lines, leaving between then
passage for Capt. Dreyfus across th,
avenue from the military prison to th,
entrance to the lycee.
The principal personages in the tria
arrived between $50 and o'clock Th,
generals passed with hardly a cheer from
the spectators, Gen. Mercier alon,
being greeted with a few cries of 'Viv,
armee' and 'Vive Mercier," as he drov,
up in a closed carriage.
At Z o clock NM. Labori and De Mane-
and Maj. Carriere, with their assistants
took their seats, and the witnesses fol
lowed Then sharp words from the of
I fcer commanding the row of soldiers a
the back of the court rang out:
Garry arms
present arms"
There was a rattle Of arms, and a mo
ment later Col. Jouaust, followed b,
the other members of the court, wake,
on the stage from a room behind an,
took seats at the table.
Deep silence fell upon the audience
who up to then had engaged in a buz
OF conversation. Col. Jouaust and hi
colleagues were in full parade uniform
with aigrettes in the front of their peake
shakoes Col. Jouausts aigrette wa
white, the others were tricolor.
On the right hand of Col Jouaust sa
Lieut.. Col. Brogniart, Major de BrooI
and Capt. Paraait, all Of the artillery
On his left hand were Majs. Proflet an,
Merle and Capt. Beauvais, also of tn
artillery.
PRISONER APPEARS.
In the meantime precisely at the hou
fixed Capt. Dreyfus, guarded by a can
tain of gendarmerie, stepped from tn
door Of the military prison. He wore
new uniform. The stiff Innings had no