The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-31

nress fears about the health of the
prisoner. the general asked him his
opinion Of Dreyfus and the major re-
MY general had you not put that
question to me I would have kept my
counsel But since you ask my opinion
declare believe he is innocent
DE CLANS DEVICES
The witness then TecOunted Colonel
Du Patty de CLAIMS theatrical devices
to surprise Dreyfus, to which Forzinet-
ii declined to be party and the major
also said that on one occasion when
Dreyfus was in a crisis of despair, he
the witness remained with the prisoner,
consOhng him, until } O'Clock in the
Col. Jouaust asked Major Forzinetti
if Dreyfus ever had ideas of suicide,
and the witness replied that Dreyfus
had asked him for weapon and that
also after his cOndemna ton was read
to him he was with difficulty prevented
from dashing his head against the
wall. After the last visit of Du Patty
de Clam TO Dreyfus, continued Major
F'Orzinetti the prisoner wrote to the
minister of war a letter which cOnclud-
ed with the words:
when I am gone let them seek the
culprit''
At the conclusion of Major F'orzinet-
tbs evidence, Dreyfus on Col. JOuaust's
invitation and after reference TO last
interview with Patty de Clam said look
ing with gratitude at the major: There
is matter which Major ForZineti has
just recalled, which has greatly moved
me and which 1 wish to recall, for
wish to say to whom 1 owe the fact,
that I have done my duty and to whom
I owe. having done it for five years af-
ter my condemnation 1 had determin-
ed to kill myself. had made up my
mind not to undergo the frightful tor
ture of a soldier from whom they wish
ed to tear the insignia of honor. Well
then, let me say this; that if 1 went to
that torture, 1 can say here that it was,
thanks to Madame DreyfuS, who show
ed me my duty and who told me that if
1 was innocent 1 ought to go to it for
the sake of her and our children If
am here, it is to her 1 owe it my col
Onel''
Here Major FOrzinetti said:
1T is quite true. In his last inter-
view with me Dreyfus said: For her
and for my children. I win undergo the
torture of tomorrow
TEARS COME TO DREYFUS
The declaration of Dreyfus that his
life was due to his wife deeply stirred
all his hearers. He spoke in a broken
voice with emphatic gestures, swaying
to and fro with emotion and when he
had finished he sat down abruptly, evil
IDENTIFY to conceal his discomposed fea-
lures from the gaze of the spectators in
court. who. when he is seated, are only
able TO see the back of his seat. Tears
We're glistening in his eyes and he was
clearly suppressing an outburst of sob
bing.
The session concluded with the con-
formations of Capt Lebrun Renault
and Gen. De BOiSdeffre, the former eX-
planning that he did not speak to Major
Forzinettf of the Dreyfus confession
because he had received instructions
to keep silent.
Gen. De Boisdeffre denied that Ma
jor Forzinetti had expressed to him his
conviction that Dreyfus was innocent
PROCEEDINGS IN DETAIL.
Following are the proceedings in de-
When the public session of the Drey-
fuS court martial was resumed at $3.50
this morning there was a stir in the
was manifested as the name Of Capt.
Iebrun- -Renault of the republican
guard, the recipient of the SO-called
confession of DreyfuS, was called, and
the officer walked smartly to the Wit
ness box, saluted the court and threw
his kept on the table. He then stood
at attention awaiting questions.
JOuaust, said:
..On January 5. 1895. the day of the
prisoners degradation, you were en-
trusted with the task of conducting him
from the Cherche Midi prison to the
military school where he remained some
time in your charge. Tell the court
what passed between you and him at
Capt Lebrun- -Renault-On Saturday,
January 5, 1895, was ordered with my
squad to proceed to the Cherche Midi
prison and take charge of DreyfuS, who
was to be degraded at 9 o'clock in one
of the court yards of the military
school Starting at 7:15 1 arrived at
the place Indicated at 7:45- The office
of the garrison adjutant was pointed
out to me as the place to keep the
prisoner until the hour of the degrade
tiOn parade. He began to protest his
innocence and to say that with cOnSid-
cradle means at his disposal and a
bright future in store for him, he could
have no motive in being guilty of trea-
son. He said:
THE CONFESSION
Il am innocent. In three years my
innocence will be Acknowledged. The
minister knows it well. He told Du
Patty de Clam to tell me so some days
ago in nv cell. He knows that if /
communicated documents to Germany
they were of no Importance and it was
to obtain more serious and more inn
pOrtant documents
The witness added that Captain Dat
tel was present when the statement
was made
Continuing, Captain Lebrun- -RenauIt
said that as soon as four artillery men,
commanded by a corporal came to take
the prisoner to the court yard for the
ceremony of degradation, he (Witness),
left the office and was Immediately sur
rounded by several officers to whom he
repeated Dreyfus' remarks. He also
repeated them at the captains mess of
the republican guard.
Referring to articles in the newspa-
perS in regard to the confession, Capt
Lebrun- -Renault said:
Gen. Mercier said to me: Go to the
Elysee and repeat to the president of
the republic what you have told me-
While I was in the ante-room I
heard some one make remarks about
me in very discourteous terms. NJ.
Dupuy ushered me before the presi-
dent, who said: You have had rela-
tiOns with journalists and have been
indiscreet. Certain articles have ap-
peared in the newspapers.
Il replied that perhaps Journalists
We're among the persons had seen, but
I said I had not spoken directly to
journalists. No mention was made of
the confession and left after having
received a lecture from the president.
M Dupuy took me into another
room and drew up a semi official note
l.. ...c-