The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-09


he had not slept during the night. He was
attired in black. with little black neck
rie. His brother sat beside a captain OF
gendarmes, and as M Demange refuted
the arguments made in the speech OF
the Government Cemmissary,. Major Car
i riere, the prisoner continually turned his
| face towards Matthew to watch the eff
feet it had upon him.
Dreyfus, however, did not display the
intense emotion with which his heart, on
this critical morning, must have been
| bursting.
Gendarmes were plentifully sown among
the audience and were posted in the gang
ways around the court room There was
| a pleasant contrast in their pretty, blue
uniforms. with white cord trimmings, to
| the sobre attire Of the majority OF the
spectators. They kept their eyes roam
ing over the Court and their hands rest
ed on the black leather cases in Which
nestled big army revolvers
The silence was only broken by the oc-
casional rustling of a reporters note
book. or the neigh of an Artillery horse
picketed in street beside the Lycee.
Now and then there was the sound of the
rafting of a rifle or the clanking of the
court yard where the troops were sta
toned.
NJ. Demange continued his plea until
the Court suspended its session at ten
O'Clock at which time it was announced
that counsel would need another hour to
conclude his speech, after which the
Judges, it was added, would retire to con-
slider their verdict.
The court will then be cleared A
bell will be rung just before the Judges
re-enter, and second bell viii be rung
minute or so latter. Then the doors of
the court will be closed and no more per-
sons viii be allowed to return to the hall.
The troops quartered in the Chapel and
Refectory of the Lycee are ready for
any emergency.
NJ. Demange concluded at u:35 A. M.
and the court adjourned until P NJ,
when Major Carriere will make a brief
reply. The court will then deliberate on
it's verdict.
A loud ciapping of hands greeted the
conclusion of NJ Demanges finely de-
livered peroration.
Dreyfus, however, appeared impossible.
But, as he left the stage, he exclaimed
to those around HIM
Il am not guilty.
The prisoners hearers replied with
cries off,
Courage! couragey'
After M. Demange had spoke, Maitre
Labori arose and formally renounced his
right to plead.
The peroration of M. Demange was a
splendid piece of oratory. His voice thun,
and the officers and troopers stationed in
the courtyard crowded around the en-
trance hall, standing on tiptoe to catch a
glimpse of the speaker, while inside the
hall many of the audience were moved
TO tears.
The speech was very skillfully arranged
and devoted to demollshing, stone by
stone the ediice built up by the Cen
eral Staff, going over every point brought
up in the bordereau and refuting the
arguments of General AIercier and Roget.
The lawyer declared he did not believe
Henry and Esterhazy were accomplices,
otherwise Henry would have suppressed
the bordereau. But Henry might have
gives information believing him to be a
man of honor, and when he discovered in
1896 that he had put his hand in that of
a traitor, he committed forgery, upon
which counsel would not dwell, for he
had paid for it with his life.
Referring to Major Carriere's words
cit was agreed that the probationers
should go TO the manoeuyres," NJ. De-
mango turned to the Public Proecutor and
asked
do you maintain the word agreed"
Major Carriere nodded yes.
To this counsel protested and Major
Carriere said General de Boisdeffre had
promised to do all possible to give the
probationers satisfaction.
"And do you call that an agreement =
called NJ. Demange
Perfectly" replied NJ. Carriere.
'"Fhen we no longer have the same idea
of the value of the word in the French
language" retorted counsel
Later, refuting NJ Bertillon's theories,
NJ Demange remarked that M. Bertillon
had rendered a great service to society
In creating the anthropometric system,
but it must not be forgotten that genius
has a dangerous neighbor.
Treating the argument of the General
Staff that Esterhazy was only man of
straw, counsel asked If this was so why
did Esterhazy wish to commit suicide
when Matthieu Dreyfus denounced him?
M. Demange pointed to the contrast be-
tween the private life of Esterhazy and
Dreyfus, and showed that Dreyfus on
DEVILS Island was constantly turning his
eyes to France and asking for justice
from his chiefs, while Esterhazy was at
tacking and biting and writing insulting
letters to his chiefs.
After asking God to enllghten the minds
of the judges NJ. Demange concluded
with turning to the audience and, in a
voice choked with emotion and his hands
trembling. said
"You, gentlemen, be you for or against
me, in the inspiration Of the sublime
thought of M. Morvard before the Court
of Cessation, tell you we are all French
men. Consequently let US unite in com
mon love of the Fatherland, love of JUS
tice and love for the army
M Demange then sank back in his seat
as though exhausted.
When the court resumed its session at
three o'clock, the crowds In the streets
seemed even less numerous than this
morning. In any case, those who watched
the passage of Dreyfus from the prison
to the court were not more numerous than
usual.
Dreyfus marched with the same impas-
sive face, looking neither to the right or
left.
Madame Dreyfus visited her husband at