The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-08
THE EYES OF THE WORLD
Are Fixed OH the Ancient, Sluggish Cap
ital of Britanny

ltai oI bTltahny.
Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press
Rennes, Aug. THE ancient capital
of Britanny was never less moved
never more sluggish than on this mem
orable day. 1t seemed hundred thous-
and miles away from Dreyfus and his
exciting case. He, Dreyfus, had been
known to be excited, but he had been
keeping stiff upper lip. and yesterday
he refused to see the last set of photo
graphs of his children. brought from
Paris by his brother-in-law.
He had remarked to his brother,
Matthew 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 furously about him
and to learn that he was an object of
hatred to most of the officers. He said
1t grieved him to think that if there
were an acquittal it would not change
their minds. ,
But he was spared such unseemly
manifestations as those which shook
Zola's nerves last year and terrified his
wife. There was no bowling in front of
the prison. There was no crying of
death to the traitor or death to the
Jew or anything like that. The Paris
journalists who had come to report the
trial seemed Gained by the quietude of
this dead city.
1t was expected that Dreyfusites and
anti-Dreyfusites would shun each
other, and put up at different hotels
but they have tacitly agreed to sink
their differences in each others COM
pany. They not only lodge at the same
hotels, but they take their meals at the
same table, and amicably pass to each
other the dishes. Rennes does not
want them to be theatrical and so they
do not pose as ferocious patriots, but
a cyln tn tl1
sumed for the drama-lovlng public of
Paris No idea exists in Rennes that
the eyes of the world are upon her, yet
there must be within her walls 800
press men, representing Journalism all
the world over. 1t never before occur
red to me what a far-reaching institu-
ton the press is, or at least, l never
realized it properly.
We were all up at o'clock this morn
ing, and after hurried meal we rushed
to the concert room Of the Lycee, where
the trial takes place The Lycee is OPP
posite the military prison, and with the
parish church forms block surrounded
by four streets. Military preparations
were going forward to prevent a lot of
roughs coming from Paris to act riot
ously. Dreyfus was to cross the street
from the prison to the court room, but
nobody was to see him except the mill
tary. which barred the street to the
right and left of the Lycee door.
The prisoner was to cross the street at
10 minutes past and to wait in a pri-
vate room for the summons to appear
before his judges. Precisely at the
time named, the door of the military
prison opened and Dreyfus, guarded by
captain of gendarmes, appeared. He
wore brand new uniform. The stiff
shape of the figure. The whole suit
seemed an awkward fit The three rows
Of gold braid that We're torn from his
cuffs on the day Of his degradation
were glinting in the sun. The man was
as stiff as his uniform He held his
head high as if on purpose, but his
shoulders stopped. The step was that
of a man not used to freedom and ex-
tremely measured and mechanical.
His hair is of a reddish gray, his neat
mustache is frankly red. The face had
a drawn and worn expression. the eyes
furtively inquiring, as If looking out for
traps and pitfalls. His complexion is
fresh, the kind of freshness that accom-
panies auburn hair. The lips are rather
thin and the chin is that of a strong
man. Indeed, the chin contradicts the
expression of the eyes.
Captain Dreyfus crossed the hall close
to me and entered a room, the door of
which closed behind him. I saw also
the arrival of the witnesses who were
taken to the rector's room.
Generals Billot, MERCER, Chanoine,
Come, Zurlinden and de Boisdeffre
were in uniform, as many of the sub
altern officers were. The widow of
Colonel Henry leaned upon the arm of
Captain Wunos. She was most amiably
saluted by Generals de Boisdeffre and
MERCER. She looks stacy and not lady
like. General PellieuX kept aloof. NJ
Cavaignacs cheerfulness seemed
forced, but former President Casimir-
Perier was blithe as a boy. He wore
a summer suit of shepherd plaid, a
white waistcoat and a straw hat.
Lieutenant Colonel Picquart was in
plain clothes, and was cold-shouldered
by the army people. But apparently
he did not mind. He had played the
winning card, and could afford to be
indifferent.
No member Of the Dreyfus family
was anywhere visible, but most of the
leading partisans of Dreyfus had come.
The concert room, where the trial is
being held. has a vaulted roof. The
walls are adorned with tablets contain
ing the names Of famous Bretons. Just
behind the seat placed for Dreyfus is