The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-16
The Latest ViIlainy OF the Anti-Drey-
fusards,

To perjury, forgery and suicide has been
added an attempt to assassinate the advo-
cate upon whom DREYFUs chiefly relied.
The purpose OF the deed may be inferred
from the time of it's Occurrences. Maitre
LABoRI was shot down on the morning OF
the day when it was known that he would
cross-examine MERCER, BILLOT, CHANoINE
and CAvAIGNAC, who had been called to tes-
tify for the prosecution. He alone was suffi-
GENTLY conversant with all the details of the
intricate case to perform effectively the part
of cross-eXaminer. As the result showed, his
associate counsel, Maitrc DEMANGE, was
entirely incompetent to the task. If it be
true that the assassin shouted Il have
killed DREYFUs," he can only have meant
that he had left the prisoner defenceless-
against the array of his accusers before
u preiudiced tribunal.
In common decency, the court-martial
should have suspended proceedings until
partially qualified substitute for the
wounded counsel could be secured. That
the Court is in no hurry to conclude its
sessions is evident from the fact that it ad-
iourned over Tuesday merely because it is
customary to celebrate the Feast OF the
Assumption on that day. The cause OF
justice would not have suffered, had an adj
journment to Wednesday been ordered i'm
mediately after the attack on the prisoners
defender was made known. AS matter OF
fact, the presiding officer permitted an adj
journment for only forty minutes. Pro-
ceedings were then resumed, and MERCER,
BILLoT, CHANoINE and CAvAIGNAC delivered
stump speeches in the same dictatorial
tone which was affected by the 30
called witnesses at the lola trial
Then, after being subjected to the pre-
tence Of u cross-examination, they were ex-
cused from further attendance. That Is to
say, the utmost pains were taken to profit
promptly and decisively by a dastardly
crime. The Court could adjourn for twenty
four hours on account of religious festival,
but it could not wait an hour to ascertain
whether the wounded counsel might not
be able to appear
That the crime by which DREYFUs has
been deprived of LABoRIs services NAV
have grave consequences, is by no means
impossible No protest was offered against
the astounding exhibition OF insoence
made by Gen ZURLINDEN, who did not
hesitate to proclaim upon the stand
his persistent belief in the prisoners
authorship Of the bordereau in the
teeth of the contrary atfirmance en-
bodied In the unanimous decision Of
the Court Of Cessation. This was equiv
alent to telling the officers composing the
court-martial that they need pay no heed
to the opinion OF the supreme tribunal. 1t
is further to DO noted that not one OF the
nit l.xA
cution confined himself to the specific ques-
ton which alone according to the judy
ment Of the Court OF Cessation, should
be considered at Rennes-the question,
namely, whether DREYFUs communi-
Gated to foreign power the documents
mentioned in the bOrderedu. The testi-
mony of every one OF them was
tissue OF hearsay statements, irrelevant
facts and arbitrary deductions from unim-
portant premises. Nevertheless, as the
witnesses, three Of whom were Generals
while the other was an ex-Mnister OF War,
were unchecked in their discursve talk by
the prisoners counsel, and the worthless
ness of their evidence was not exposed
upon the spot. they are said to have made
some impression upon the subordinate
OllCtIS COMPOSING Iut IlHlIHTy lTlDundl.
As Col. PICQUARr and another friend were
with LABoRI Mt the time when the latter
was shot down, the assassin must have
failed to secure any OF the advocates
papers. This may, eventually, prove to be
a matter OF great moment to the accused,
for his counsel Is believed to have had in
his possession some new facts demon
strating the innocence Of DREYFUs which
were to he made the basis OF
second plea for revision in the almost
Incredible event OF the present court
martials arriving at a conviction. IN
fortunately, II judgment adverse to
DREYFus is not SO improbable as it
ought to be. In every other civilized
country, except France, the Infamous at
tempt to assassinate LABoRI would have
an effect precisely opposite to that intended
by its contrivers. 1t would bring about a
tremendous revulsion Of public opinion In
favor Of the accused. areyulsiop which even