The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1899-08-26

before the civil war there, ana the
Dreyfus question, like the question OF
slavery. is bringing them to a climax
Serious men here depict that in case
the republicans, socialists and Jews
stand alone, they make another pre-
diction. They prophecy another red
and black page in French history.
The prediction is too horrible to be put
into words.
The enemies of Dreyfus have been
testifying this week. A verdict against
him of four to three will set him free,
but dismissal from the army is equiva-
lent to the Scotch verdict mot
proven The next alternative is a
verdict of five to two, which would &C.
quit him Of treason. but convict him Of
spying, with sentence Of five years
which he has already served. But that
he will walk out Of court unstained,
with full rank, back pay and promo
ton, his most optimistic follower is not
venturesome enough to predict.
The first reason for this belief is the
difference in looks, manner, obedience
and attentions which this jury Of seven
modest captains and Breyet Majors pay
to the great famous generals, who one
after another mount the platform to
deride, degrade and destroy Dreyfus in
the hardest and most contemptuous
words their lips can find.
To see the judges during recess walk
ing up and down the courtyard in seri'
GUS converse with these same generals
isa sight full of meaning Mercier,
Roget, De Boisdeffo", Billot and Come
were sufficiently determined to threat
en- Picquart with loss Of promotion and
rank if he assised Dreyfus. They are
no less bitter and determined now, and
these country officers seem like child
rem in their hands. ei~ EaUT%
During Saturdays session of the ia
nous trial illusions were made to Els
terhazy as being the guilty one insteaC
of Dreyfus ""'.'.' 't'
Cuignet, in reply, said he was sorry
the court had not exalninedthis yolum
inousdossier,, which proved deal O.
| light, sometimes crude light, on spie
Of different categories, including mill
tary attaches '' '..'. ~ '...'
The latter, he remarked, were IA
from being the only spies regularly
kept up by foreign governments. 1
was only natural, he argued that tn
military attaches should accuse Ester
hazy, but they knew the traitor ha
been in the very heart of the citadel
in the general staff. "The traitor,
he exclaimed, sis not Esterhazy, bu
Dreyfus,.
Here Capt. Dreyfus lost his sell
control. Starting to his feet, he vic
lently apostrophized Cuignet. If h
had been Fish torpedo he coul
not have seemed more, charged wit
electricity. But Cuignet did not seer
stung to anger. Cold as a toad, b
went out with his inyectiye, the die
ton clear, measured and slowly. H
constantly drank sweetened water
moisten his palate = III
No new facts was brought forwar
| by Capt Cnignet and every one tire
of him --".. .
Gen. DeBoisdeffre was also q vii
ness. He was a cautious witness, by
he had to support the other general
He eulogized the suicide, Col. Henri.
as worthy Of the fullest confidence
and spoke Of Picquart as the "orga1
| izer of the Dreyfus agitation -
De Boisdoffre declared himself col
WINGED Of the guilt Of the accuses
Really the conviction, guilty" mig
be the subject of a chorus of gene
ais in an opera bouffe.
But why follow Gen. DeBoisdeftr'
Why follow Gen. Come? Why folio
Gen. Billot, or the others in their lon
winded depositionS2
Col PlCquart, at the END, was allo'
ed to defend himself against the mali
nant insinuations and assertions Of a
Q Until Maitre Demange and Lab(
| speak one should risk no opinion as
the outcome. Gen. Billot thinks the
D will be many fluctuations before t
trial is over, but he confidently expe'
G verdict of guilty.