The age-herald., 1899-08-08
HE WAS EVIDENTLY EXCITED But Struggled Hard to Keep a
 Stiff Upper Lip. 300 CORRESPONDENTS THERE No Theatrical Performance, No Cries of Traitor" or Death to the Jews"
 Men of Both Factions
 Mingle Together
300 CORRESPONDENTS THERE
BY EMILY CRAWFORD

bf EMILY ChA"BOhD
 Rennes, August 1.-The ancient capital of Brittany was never less moved, never more sluggish than on this memorable day. It seemed a hundred thousand miles away from Dreyfus and his exciting case. He Oreyfus) had been known to be excited, but he had been keeping a stiff upper lip and he refused to see the last set of pho- tographs of his children brought from Paris by his brother-in-law.
 He had remarked to his brother, Mathieu Dreyfus, on the strangeness of his fate, so strange, that he himself could not yet realize it. Nothing, he said, astonished him more than to find factions disputing furiously about him and to learn that he was an object of hatred to most of the off, cers. He said it grieved him to think that if there were an acquittal it would not change their minds.
 More Calm Prevailed
 But he was spared much unseemly mani festations by those who shook Zola's nerves last year and terrified his wife. There was no bowling infant in the prison. There was no crying of death to the traitor" or death to the Jews'' or anything like that. The Paris journalists who had come to report the trial were somewhat calmed by the quiet of this dead city.
 It was expected that the Dreyfusites and anti-Dreyfusites would shun aach other and put up at different hotels, but they have tacitly agreed to sink their differ ences in each others company. They not only lodge at the same hotels, but they take their meals at the same tables, and amicably pass to each other the dishes. Rennes does not want them to be theat- rical and so they don't pose as ferocious patriots but are glad to drop the charac- ters assumed for the drama-loving public of Paris.
 No idea exists in Rennes that the eyes of the world are upon her, yet there must be within her walls 300 press men repre- senting journalism all over the world. It never before occurred to me what a far reaching institution the press is, or at least never realized 1t so peculiarly.
 We were all up at this morning and after a hurried meal we rushed to the concert room of the Lyce, where the trial is to take place. The Lyce is opposite the military prison and with the parish church forms a block surrounded by four streets.
 Military Preparations
 Military preparations were going forward to prevent lot of roughs coming from Paris to act riotously. Dreyfus was to cross the street from the prison to the court house. but nobody was to see him except the military men, who barred the street to the right and left of the Lyce door. An officer whispered to me when I was in the Lyce to go to the window which he indicated and get a glimpse of Dreyfus.
 The prisoner was to cross the street ct ten minutes past and to wait in a private room for the summons to appear before his judges. Precisely at the time named the military prison opened and Dreyfus, guard ed by captain of gendarmery, appeared. He wore a brand new uniform. Tine stiff linings had not yet formed into the shape Of the figure, the whole suit seeming an awkward fit. The three rows of gold braid that were torn from his cuffs on the day of his degradation were glinting in the sun. The man was stiff as his uniform. He held his head high, as though on purpose, but Is shoulders stopped. The step was that of a man not used to freedom and ex- tremely measured and mechanical One might think he marked the time as he walked His hair Is of reddish gray, his neat mustache is frankly red. His face had drawn and worn expression, his eyes furtively inquiring. as if looking out for traps and pitfalls His complexion is fresh. the kind of freshness that accompanies auburn hair. The lips are rather thin and the chin that of strong man. Indeed, the chin contradicts the impression of the eyes. Captain Dreyfus crossed the hall close to me and entered room, the door of which closed after him.
 Arrival of Witnesses
 I saw also the arrival of the witnesses. who were taken to the rectoT's room Gen erals Elliot, Mercier, Chanoine, Gonze, Eur linden and DeBoisdeiffre were in uniform as many of the field and subaltern officers were. The widow of Colonel Henry leaned upon the arm of Captain Wunuss. She was almost aimably saluted by Generals Deboisdeiffre and Mercier. She looks stagy and not ladylike. General DePelleux kept aloof. M. Cavaignac's cheerfulness' seemed forced, but Former President Casimer- Perier was blithe as a boy. He wore :,