The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-08
THE TRIAL BEGUN.
Captain Alfred Dreyfus Faces Court
Martial for the Second Time.
THE INDICTMENT WAS READ,
To Which He Replied, Qulverlng with
Emotion, a am innocent"
HE MADE DIRECT DENIALS TO CHARGES
When Submitted to Rigorous Examlua-
ton by the Judge.
THE PRISONER WAS COMPOSED, BUT PALE
He Declares that He Was in 1904,
and Is Yet, a Victim of IA
Conspiracy.
When Submitted to Rigorous ExamIna-
ton by the Judge.
The PRISONER WAS COMPOSED, BUT PALE
He Declares that He Was in 1904,
and Is Yet, a Victim of IA
Conspiracy.

Rennes, August THE proceedings OF
the court martial before which Captain
Dreyfus is on trial opened at fifteen min
utes past seven o'clock this morning. Cap
tain 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 clear.
determined voice. He snt facing the judges
with his hands resting on his knees. an
impossible figure. The trial opened so
far Renncs Is concerned, in almost az
atmosphere of tranquility. The popula-
tlon is apparently Indifferent. Only a
small crowd, at the most fifty persons,
had gathered outside the entrance TO the
Lycee by six o'clock. a majority of these
were journalists The project of police
and chief of the secret police. yguer. ar
rived just before o'clock and began the
superintendent of police measures. At
this time only half dozen gendarme5
( were visible They were stationed at the
portal of the Lycee and inside the garden
in front of the Lycee which Is separated
from the sidewalk of the avenue dc la
Care by high iron railing which no
one was allowed to pass until Dreyfus
has 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 gendarmos on foot
| n m cd hpgon n arriya O'clock
and took up their positions in the side
streets around the Lycee At 6;l5 the
project OF police gave the order to close
the avenue de la Care for three hundred
yards In front of the Lycee and also all
by-streets leading to the ayenna The
! gendarmes were Immediately drawn up
along the avenue and the space In front
Of the Lycee was cleared of all specta-
| tors. A detachment CT 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 to the
Lycee.
The crowd which by that time had
increased to a few hundred were kept by
the gendarmes at distance of $50 yayls
on either side OF this passage Captain
Dreyfus emerged from the military prison
under escort of lieutenant and four
gendarmes. He crossed the railway quick
~ anu uiehpDtaluh Nllulu lut LyGtti INC
soldiers hiding him from view.
The principal personages In the trial
arrived between $50 and o'clock.
The generals passed with hardly cheer
from the spectators, General Mercier alone
being greeted with few cries OF "Vive
Armee" and "Vive Mercier!" as he
drove up In closed carriage. Lieueenant
Colonel Plcquart arrived on foot at $40
wearing a silk hat and black frock coat
with the red ribbon OF the Legion OF Honor
In the bottonhole. No demonstration was
made upon his arrival but he appeared
to be in most cheerful mood. smiling
and chatting with friends and If he may
be Judged by his bearing he is sangune
of favorable issue OF the trial.
VIM. Labori and Demange. on entering
W. greeted With warm hand shakes from
numerous friends In the court room.
Former President Casimir- perrier, In
frock coat and Shepherds plaid trousers
and wearing the rosette of the Legion OF
Honor in his buttonhole, entered shortly
before 7. An officer met him at the door
and conducted him to the velvet colored
chairs reserved for witnesses. The eS-
president found himself between Generals
BiIlot and Chanoine. both in pardee uni
forms Other ex- ministers OF war, Gen.
erals Mercier and Zurinden and M. Ca
viagnac, sat In a row behind.
Lieutenant Colonel Picquart took seat
without any demonstration for or against
him.
NJ. Mathew Dreyfus, Dreyfus fls, M.
Hadamard, Jules Claretie and Mariel-Ha-
bert were among the audience.
The scene around the court room was
animated. Every inch Of space was oiled
a quarter of an hour before the proceed
ings opened. The large airy. well lighted
room In which the trial takes place Is In
the form OF a court hall with huge pros
cenium. On portion OF the stage ex-
tending in front OF the proscenium was
placed the bar. at which the witnesses
were heard. On the right end OF this ex-
tended platform stood table for the
use of Maitres Labor and Demange, coun-
sci for the prisoner, and their two secre-
taries At the side was placed table TOR
Major Carrlere, the official reporter ior
the government and his assistants. 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. At o'clock ~
Labor and NJ. Demange and Major Car