The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-07
DREYFUS TRIAL.
The Court Martial Opens Early
This Morning.
Amid Surroundings OF Perfec
Tranquility.
WITH A FIRM STEP:
Though Pale and Prematurely
Aged, the Prisoner
Enters the Court Under
Heavy Guard.

Heavy Guard
Rennes. Aug THE proceedings Of
the court martial before which Captain
Dreyfus is on trial opened at ten min
utes past seven o'clock this morning
Captain Dreyfus entered the court room
with a firm step, though his features
were pallid. He is partly bald and what
hair he has is gray and close-cropped-
He answered the formal questions OF
the judge as TO his name, age. etc, in
a clear determined voice. He sat facing
the Judges with his hands resting on his
knees. an impossible figure The trial
opened so far as Rennes was concerned
in an atmosphere of perfect tranquility
LITTLE INTEREST SHOWN
The population is apparently indtffer-
ent, Only small crowd, at the most
fifty persons, had gathered outside the
entrance to the Lycee by 6 o'clock. A
majority of these were journalists. The
prefect OF police and chief of the secret
police, Viguier arrived just before 6,
and began the superintendent of police
measures. At this time only half a
dozen of gendarmes were visible.
They were stationed at the portal of
the Lycee inside the garden front of the
I.ycee, which is separated from the
sidewalk of the avenue De La Care, by
q high iron railing which no one was
allowed to pass until Dreyfus had been
transferred from the military prison to
the room within the Lycee building
where he was to await the moment
when he should be summoned to enter
the court room.
Strong detachments of gendarmes, on
foot and mounted began to arrive at
O'Clock and took up their positions in
the side streets around the Lycee. At
6:15 the prefect of police gave the order
to close the avenue De La Care for 300
yards in front of the Lycee and also all
by streets leading to the avenue The
gendarnles were Immediately drawn up
along the avenue and the space in front
of the Lycee was cleared of all specta-
tors. A detachment of infantry was
drawn across the avenue in two double
lines, leaving between them a passage
for Captain Dreyfus- across the avenue
from the military prison to the entrance
10 the Lycee.
CROWD KEPT BACK.
The crowd, which BY that time had
increased to a few hundred was kept
by the gendarmes at a distance of $50
yards on either side of this passage
Captain Dreyfus emerged from the mill
tary prison under escort of a lieutenant
and four gendarmes. He crossed the
railroad quickly and disappeared with
In the Lycee, the heads of the soldiers
hiding him from view.
The chief personages in trial arrived
between and Z o'clock The generals
passed with hardly a cheer from the
spectators, General NTercier alone being
greeted with a few cries Of 'Vive
Parmee" and +'Vive Mercier,' as he
drove up in a closed carriage. Lieuten-
ant Colonel Picquart arrived on foot at
$50 wearing a silk hat and black frOck
coat with the red ribbon of the legion
of honor in the buttonhole. No demon
stration was made upon his arrival, but
he appeared to be in a most cheerful
mood smiling and chatting with friends,
and If he may be Judged by his bearing
he is sanguine of a favorable issue of
the trial
IN THE COURT ROOM.
The scene inside the court room was
most animated Every inch of space
was filled a quarter of an hour before
the proceedings opened.
The large airy, well lighted room in
which the trial takes place is in the
form of a concert hail. with a stage and
proscenium. The platform Of the stage
has been brought forward beyond the
footlights The room is painted light
brown with the names of famous Bre-
tons, such as lie Sage Renan and Cha
teaubriand inscribed in golden letters
on one ornamental band about midway
betWeen the floor and ceiling. A long
table covered with dark blue cloth
was ranged in front of the stage behind
which were the seats of the members
of the court MORTAL A high backed
arm chair had been provided for the
president The seats were of polished
mahogany and were upholstered in
dark red cloth.
the supplementary judges who must at
tend all sfttings and be able to replace
any member who may fall Ill or other
wise be absent. Behind the supple
mentary judges We're a few privileged
members of the public
On a portion of the stage extending
IN Tront or the prosCenium was placed
the bar at which the witnesses were
heard. The bar has a wooden frame of
light polished oak 1t stood out prom
inently against the dark cloth covered
judges table
On the right end of this extended plat
FORM stood a table for the use Of Maitres
Laoor and Demange counsel for the
prisoner and their two secretaries.
At the left side was placed q ia bile for
Major Carriere. the official representa-
Slve of the government and his assist
ants
On the other side of the hall was
solid mass of newspaper men, for whom
rough pine tables and benches had been
provided
In the center of the hall were placed
chairs for the witnesses. Behind these
was another batch of the privileged
pubic, and then a row of soldiers in
parade uniform, drawn across the hall
with fixed bayonets. A narrow space
between the troops and tthe back of the
hall was filled with the general public
including a few journalists and detec-
tlNes, with gendarmes sprinkled among
Back Of the stage hung a crucifx. be-
fore which the witnesses take the oath
racing this with the back of the hall
was q oust, representing the republic
WIN tne letters r. F." (Republique
RATTLE OF ARMS.
At o'clock Nm Labori and Demange-
ana Major Carriere with their assist
ants took their seats and the witnesses