The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-13
HONEST AND TRUTHFUL
How Casimir- Perier Appeared at
the Trial.
MERCER NOT SOLOIERLY
He Has the Countenance OF a Trickster
Eyes Are Mere Slits-Dreyl us suiv-
cred in Anger at His Peck
sniff1an Platitudes.
Copyrighted 1899 by Associated Press.

NtHltS, aug. lE.-1nl mas Deen q ire
mendous day. M. Casmir- -Perier gave
to the court martial a history of The
Dreyfus case. He spoke in an en-
phatic manner, with strong emotion,
and often in strong tone of indigna-
tion. He appeared to greater advantage
than / ever remember to have seen him
before, and was honest and truthful,
though not free from pose unless when
anger al the lies being told about him
made him quite natural. NJ. Casmir-
. Perier declared that he would not leave
the court until the imputations against
him We're cleared. His eyes were some
what staring and not all observant CT
expressive of his feelings, unless Of an
ger, but he looks like man who had
grandfather who has filed high sit
uations and who stands uncommonly
well with his banker. Refinement and
delicacy are wanting. He is not a high
born gentleman, but the son and grand
son of pre-eminently successful bour-
geois, of whom he is proud. There is
nothing commonplace or insignificant
about him, but there is nothing that
suggests noble nature. However, he
has fine, straightforward air and
looks like man of proud and inde-
pendent character, liable to take Of
Tense. This pride recCplcies itself with
an abnormally thin skin.
M. Casimir- Perier likes to stand Well
in the opinion of the world. His tone
was little rude in answering ques-
tons as to his name, age and profess
SIGN When the president of the court
said. Tell what you knox of the Drey-
fus affair." NJ. Casimir- Perier seemed
unable to speak. AS a matter of fact,
the blood rushes 10 mis- heart whenever
he is deeply moved.
General Mercier was allowed to sit
while giving his deposition, if long
winded, the long explanations and
remarks can be called d deposition. He
is quite of another type from NJ. Cast
mir Perier. His full-dress uniform
failed to make him look soldierly. He
has the carriage and countenance of
trickster, Esterhazy is like brigand;
Mercier like a dishonest grocer, who
adulterates his wares His eyes are
mere Sits surrounded with puffy flesh
They reveal nothing that is going on
behind them. The instincts of self
preservation and the small, mean pas
sions that minister to it are alone ex-
pressed in his withered countenance.
He spoke for hours in a scarcely
audible voice. There was hardly in his
deposition beyond the one capital ad-
mission that he sent secret documents
u 1uloIel Win d not SITlct Or
der, but an implied order, to show them
to the other judges of the 1894 court
martial. Apart from this admission,
his deposition, like that of General Ro-
get before the court of cessation, was
full of inuendos, of perhaps and of
1T is not impossible" or lit may be-"
and such verbal antiquities.
Failing to demonstrate the guilt of
Dreyfus, General Mercier turned to-
ward the prisoner at the conclusion OF
the dullest speech / ever heard, and,
with Pecksnffian softness, he appear
ing to be at the time on his knee as
he spoke, said:
IF l had the slightest doubt Of the
justice of the 1894 sentence, l would
now say to the prisoner, Captain, 1
have wronged YOU"
Dreyfus, for the first time burst the
bonds of his strict self-control. The
blood rushed into his face and he,
starting to his feet, cried: But that
is what you ought to say"
This brought down the house, and the
press and public applauded. Dreyfus
stood while the "bravos' were repeat
ed, quiverng with anger. Then the
cowed look returned and he sat down
rapidly in the square military posi-
ton he thinks respectful to the court.
General Mercier's deposition was in
such contrast to the graphic, powerful
throughout the ring of truth, the gen
eral was hooted as he left the stand.
He and NJ. Casimir- -Perier will be
confronted on Monday. l pity him.
Think of a sorely spawned horse, only
good for the knacker, set to fight a
lion.
Mondays proceedings will be sensa-
tlonal; to-day's We're thrilling, a sign
that the tide is on the turn.
There were other depOSitiOns of great
Importance, though they were not SEN
sational Their importance lay in their
covering the anti-Dreyfusites with con-
fusion by mailing their lies to the coun-
ter. The alleged evidence of DR.. Ran
son, who is now in India, was stigma
tized in a letter from him "as futile in
ventions." He did not witness the
search made of the person of Dreyfus
for documents when the latter arrived
a. Isle de Roi to be shipped for Cay
enne. and he never heard of the search
or the finding of concealed documents
on him.
NJ Delaroche- -Nernet, attache Of the
embassy, now serving at Berlin, had
been greatly boasted about by the anti
Dreyfusites as able to smash NJ Paleo-
logue's testimony on behalf of the for
eign office before the court of cassa-
tions Well, Delaroche- -Nernet was
summoned to Rennes as a witness for
the defense. Everything he said con-
hrmed Nj. PaleolOgue and condemned
General MERCER. His evidence related
to interpretations sent to the war Office
by Panizzardis cipher telegram to the
Italian government about the arrest of
Dreyfus.
M Delaroche-Vernet and Paleologue
were to-day confronted. with the result
of mutual confirmation.
Maitre Demange said a few words
from time to time to prevent the wit
nesses from wandering.
The officers who judged Dreyfus may
have, for decency's sake, to acquit him,
but they will do so reluctantly and with
hearts filled with gall. They are not
to be converted by the evidence. but it
may, and l believe will overbear them