The record-union., 1899-09-05
Yesterdays Session Opened Rather
Bad for the Defendant.
An Austrian Political Refugee Was Placed
on the Witness Stand.
Makes a F1atfooted Denunciation
of the Accused, Which is Almost
Bound to Exercise an Influence
for the Present, at Least,
Against Dreyfus.

RENNES, Sept 4.-As the end of the
Dreyfus trial comes within sight the
French Government is beginning to dis
play fear that the verdict may give
rise to troubles. and orders have just
been received by two regiments of in
fantry and one cavalry regiment al
ready within hail of Rennes, to hold
themselves in readiness to march on
the town at the first sign of disorder
to occupy all strategic points, and re-
press all manifestations in their incep
ton
Local -Dreyfusard organizations
by their anti-fOreign articles, have al
ready singled out foreigners as enemies
of the country, and there is little doubt
that foreign journalists will be the first
victims of the violence of the mob,
not SO much Anglo -Saxons as Austrian,
German and Russian Jews who form
majority of the press representation
of their respective countries.
To-day's session opened rather badly
for Dreyfus, as a surprise was sprung
upon the defense in the advent of an
Austrian political refugee, Eugene
Cernuschi, who came out with a fiat
footed denunciation of the accused,
which, even though it may eventually
be proven a pure fairy tale, is bound
for the moment to exercise a malignant
influence upon the French people who
have not seen Cernuschi, and are thus
unable to form a personal opinion of
the man who launched these direct ac-
cusations against Captain Dreyfus
Cernuschi's appearance is undeniably
against him. Nobody even suspects
that he is what he claims to be,
scion of the royal Servian house On
the contrary, one would take him to
be groom dressed in his best Sunday
suit. 1t was remarked that as soon as
he had delivered his testimony and
NJ. Labori had asked to have him put
on oath at to-morrow's session behind
closed doors, in order that he might
be punished if guilty of perjury, he
left the courtroom and was not seen
again.
Cernuschi's testimony, which was in
the form of a letter to the President of
the court-martial. Colonel Jouaust. was
most unequivocal. He claimed that on
three distinct occasions. twice in France
and once at Geneva, he was told by a
high-placed foreign officer that Drey-
fus had communicated treasona BILE
documents to foreign power. On the
third instance Cernuschi said the Off
Ger showed him documents emanating
from Dreyfus. and that this officer left
France hurriedly two days prior to
the arrest of Captain Dreyfus.
The allusion was evidently to Colonel
Schwarzkoppen. the military attache
of the German Embassy in Paris in
1874, whose movements were coinci-
dent with those described as the move
ments of the officer in Cernuschf's dep
osition.
Now this evidence is of transcenden-
tai importance to the prosecution. and
II is incredible. unless Cernuschi is
proved to be humbug, that the Gov
eminent Commissary, Major Carriere.
should have admitted that he had re-
ceived letter from him Offering i'm
portant testimony and thrown it aside
on the ground of its coming from a
political refugee. The deposition
evoked expressions of incredulity. One
suspicious feature was the fact that
although the witness said he could not
speak French fluently. his letter to
Colonel Jouaust, asking an opportunity
TO testify, was drawn up in perfect
French. He explained that he had
been assisted by his wife in writing
the letter
This Introduction of a foreigner as a
witness for the prosecution gave M.
Labor an opportunity to submit the
most important request he has had
made throughout the trial, a request
which, if granted by Colonel Jouaust.
though this is extremely doubtful.
fr1lx
quenses.
NJ. Labori announced his intention in
view of the step taken by the prosecu-
tion in calling foreign evidence, to ask
that inquiry should be made through
the regular diplomatic channels as to
whether the documents mentioned in
the bordereau were actually communi-
Gated, and if so, by whom. This in
wolves an application to the German
Government, which the Court-martial
is scarcely likely to approve In any
case, the application means the length
ening of the trial for several weeks.
The introduction OF Cernuschi and
the other developments of the day, it is
generally predicted, imply another fort
nights sitting at the least
Cernuschi will be heard tomorrow
DenlIu CiOSeu doors. AT the same time
there will probably be an examination
of the secret dossier, to which Captain
Cuignet referred this morning, and
which NJ. Labori Immediately asked to
have produced in court This dossier
consists of twelve or fourteen docu-
ments, and it is difficult to see why,
If they had any value, the etat Major
have not had them produced earlier.
The etat Major are not in the habit
of holding bank documents calculated
to prove of the slightest service to
their cause, as is shown in the case of
the note concerning M. Hadamard's
doubts Of the innocence of his cousin,
which was incorrect, but was neverthe-
less included in the secret dossier, while
the important document stating, on the
authority of the French Minister in
Rome that an Italian military attache
paid Esterhazy 100000 francs, was stu
diously omitted from the secret dossier
Tt is perfectly evident that the Italian
attache did not pay Esterhazy such a
sum on account of, as the French say,
his beautiful eyes, and the document
was the best evidence that Esterhazy