The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-09-01


| For my part, / was somewhat intimi
, dated, which is easily explained.
/ heard myself described as a traitor,
, "canaille' and eur" That was no
/ encouraging.
NJ Demange asked the witness if i
was really a conversation with Dreyfus
| or if the prisoners remarks consisted
of a broken dialogue as General Gonse
had said
Captain Lebrun- Renault - DreyfuS
spoke to me. but did not reply.
M. Demange-How could the witness
detect confessions in a sentence con.
tanning the words, II am innocent" I'm
three years my innocence will be ac-
knoWledged?'
Captain Lebrun Renault-It is not for
me to reconcile the inconsistencies of a
sentence in which the material fact that
documents had been communicated was
admitted 1t is not for me to give an
explanation 1t is for Dreyfus and the
defense to explain. l heard this sem
tence. l was only kind of phono-
graph, and / repeated it without COM
mentary.
Replying further to M. Demange, the
witness refused to say whether or not
he regarded the words of Dreyfus as a
confession.
Il have no impression whatever" he
said. "Dreyfus said a great deal to me-
l retained this sentence, and l repeated
it when asked. If l did not mention it
in my report it was because l had the
task of conducting Dreyfus from the
prison to the place of degradation, and
it was not my duty to make Dreyfus
talk"
NJ Demange-How could General
Gonse and General MERCER, on hearing
your story. believe they had to deal with
confession, and how could they send
you to the Elysee?
Captain Lebrun- Renault--I have no
idea.
M. Demange reminded the witness
that before the court of cessation he
| considered the sentence of the prisoner
which he had quoted to be a kind of ex-
PLANTATION, or excuse.
Captain Lebrun- Renault-Why Mon
sieur lie President, that is a personal
question. / have no opinion to express
on that point. l am no judge of things.
1 repeat simply what Dreyfus told me.
Certain persons may consider his re-
marks as embodying confessions. 9th
ers as being an explanation. That is
their business.
NJ Labori--Captain Lebrun- Renault
was not content with entering on his
report of January that duty COM
menced' at such an hour and "ended
at such an hour" but he especially adj
ded, nothing to report when, as a
matter of fact. he alleges that an Incl
n 1f u
Captain Lebrun- Renault--I had moth
ing to report. My duty was to take
Dreyfus from the prison and guard him.
l had nothing to say in regard to that
duty
M. Labori-Why did the witness keep
the leaf of his pocketbook with the note
Of the confession for years? The wit
ness seems to say that it was mere
chance. l am surprised that the wit
ness destroyed it just the day after it
was mentioned in the chamber of depu-
ties.
To this Captain Lebrun Renault re-
piled that at that time he considered |
that the document he possessed was au-
thenticated by the copy made of it by |
M. Cavaignac the day Before it was de- |
stroyed.
NJ. Labori-The court will draw its
own conclusions. Then, turning to the
witness, NJ Labori asked: who was
the official who made abusive remarks
about you at the Elysee?
Captain Lebrun- Renault--I have no
idea
M. Labor said that he was much sur
prised that the witness had not refer
red to this abuse before the court of
Asked If he had anything to say,
Dreyfus declared that when he was at
the military school on the day of his
degradation Captain Lebrun- Renault
did not leave him 1T is possible"
continued the prisoner that Captain
Dattel entered the guard room. But,
so far as | can assert after a five years
no other officer but Captain
Lebrun- Renault entered the room in
which | was"
Replying to Colonel Jouaust Cap
tain Lebrun Renault reiterated the
statement that Captain Dattel enter
ed there five minutes. Dreyfus, reply
ing, said that in any case he certainly
lid not speak to Captain Dattel He
added that he had already explained
W lIt tOul tlitiL Liz WpluS ACTUALLY |
used on that occasion referred to the
steps taken in regard to him, the prie-
1ner, by Colonel Du Patty de Clam, to
whom he had expressed desire that
'ul light should be thrown upon his
,ase.
ALLOW me-" continued Dreyfus, "to
express the emotion and surprise I feel
.o-day, after five years, when / see a
who, hearing such words, be-
ginning with a protest of innocence, re-
ported them to his chiefs without ask
ng the most concerned person for an
of them. These are pro-
.eedings in the face Of which all honest
'eople can only express indignation"
Captain Anthoine, who was present at |
he degradation of Dreyfus was the
text witness. He testified that on |
eaving the parade grounds he met
'aptan Dattel, who informed him that
oreyfus had made remarks in his pres
nee, the meaning Of which, to his
mind, clearly was: First, formal
onfession that he had delivered doc
ments; second, an allegation that the
comments were unimportant; third,
hat the prisoners object was to obtain