New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-01

ma threw MS KEEP on tHc N""'N
at attention" awaiting questions
The President Of the Court Colonel Jouaus''
said. con January <. 1895 the day OF the prls-
orer.s DEGRADATION. YOU were ntrusted Win the
task Of conducting him from the Cherche M'u'
Prison 10 the Military School. where ne re-
NAMED some time in your charge. lell 'he
Court what passed between you and MIN AT '"''
time"
ION Saturday. January 3. 1925" said the WIZ
ness Il was ordered with my squadron 10 pro-
coed 70 the Cherche Midi Prison and take cha'b
Of Dreyfus. who was TO be degraded al c'o'N
AZ one Of the c,urtyards q tho Military 7'"'''
Starting at rs. arrived at the place iilu'0"''u
az 745 The Office Of the garrison ad)u'a"' was
pointed out to me the place TO keep Inc ~ -
orer until the hour Of the degradation parade
He began TO protest his Innocence an" ~ say
that with considerable means at his disposal
and bright future in store for him, he could
have no motive in being guilty Of treason lie
said
...I am innocent II three years my innocence
Will be acknowledged The Minister knows II
we'll lie told Du Patty de Clam to tell me SO
some DAYS ago. IN my cell. He knows that II
communicated documents to Germany they were
Of no importance, and it was to obtain more
serious and more important documents. The
witness added that Captain D'Attel was present
when the statement was made
Continuing CAPTAIN Lebrun- Renault said that
as soon as four artillerymcn, commanded by a
I corporal came TO take the prisoner TO the court
ward for the ceremony Of degradation. the Wit
ness left the office. and was Immediately sur
rounded by several officers, to whom he repeated
Dreyfus's remarks. He also repeated them at
the captains mess Of the Republican Guard.
SENT TO THE ELYsEE.
Referring 10 articles in the newspapers in re-
gard TO the confession Captain Lebrun- Renault
said: General MERCER said to me. Go to the
Elysee and repeat 70 the President OF the Re-
public what You have told me- While was IN
the anteroom | heard some one make remarks
about me in very discourteous terms NJ Dupuy
ushered me before the President. who said:
/ You have mad relations with Journalists and
have been indlscreet. Certain articles have ap-
peared In the newspapers'
Il replied that perhaps journalists were
among the persons had seen but l said had
not spoken directly 70 journalists. No men
t,on was made of the confession. and I left,
after having received lecture from The Prcsi-
dent NJ Dupuy took into another room
and drew up a sem-oficial note 10 the effect
/ that had no relations with the press
one OF the Judges asked the witness IL he did
not remember hearing Dreyfus say that the
/ documents delivered were only copies, to which
/ Cantain Iehrun- Renaut replied Il do not
recollect IT, I do not remember that phrase
But he may have said It. I talked with Drey-
fus for a quarter Of an hour. The sentence
have quoted was that which / joted in my
! notebook"
A Judge-What did General MERCER tell you
when you mentioned the confession 10 him?
Captain Lehrun- Renaut-He asked what
Drevfus had said and then told me to go to
the Elysee ana describe the confession. But l
was given no time to mention it then.
Tbe Judge-Did you go there for that pur-
pose?
Captain Iebrun- Renault-I went theEe for
that purpose.
/ rhe Judge-It is a great pity you said nothing
Oh the subject
Captain Lebrun- Renault-I had no time to
sreak OF IT, The President moreover. seemed
much more concerned about remark by Drey-
rus concerning the writing Of the bordereau,
which had been published in newspaper.
i Tudge-Did the President know for what
YOU came to the Elysee?
HARSH TERMS APPLIED TO HIM
Captatn Lebrun- Renault-The President was
informed that l was coming. For my part.
was somewhat intimiGated which is easily ex-
planned heard myself described as traitor
"canaille" and cur" That was not encourag-
ing
NJ. Demange asked the witness II 1t was really
q conversation with Dreyfus or II the prisoner
remarks consisted Of a broken dialogue, as Gen
eral Gonse had said
CAPTAIN Iebrun- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS spoke TO
me- but l did not reply
NJ DemAnge-How could the witness detect
confessions in a sentence containing the words
i am innocent" In three years my Innocence
viii be acknowledged
Cantain IAbrun- Renault-It is not for me TO
reconcile the Inconsistencies Of sentence IN
,.b,cb the material fact that documents had
been communicated was admitted. II IS ho' I'r
me 10 give an explanation 1t Is for Dreyfus
end the defence to explain. ! heard this sen
tence was only kind Of monograph ana
I repeated 1t without commentary
Replying further to NJ Demange, the witness
refused TO say whether or not ne regarded the
words oe Dreyfus as a confession
"1 have ro iupressiou whatever" the witness
eaa "Drevfu7 SAID great deal 10 me re-
tanned this sentence, and I repeated 1t when
es<45 I'll dld not mention It in my report u
,..s hecaus. had this task Of conducting Drey-
t,s from, the prison 10 the place 81 degrade
,on and II was not my duty 10 make Dreyfus
talk"
" Dernange-How could General Gonse and
Genera, MERCER. on hearing your story. believe
they had 10 deal with a confession ana no"
could they send YOU 10 the Elysee?
CantaIn Lebr,in- Renault-I have no IDEA
NJ Den,ange reminded the witness that before
the Court Of Cessation he considered the sen
tence ~ the prisoner which ne had quoted Il
he q kind Of explanation or excuse.
Captain Lebrun- Renauit-Why' Monsieur i
President. that Is a personal question nave
no opinion to express on that point. am nc
fudge Of things l repeat simply what Dreyiu'
told me Certain persons may consider his re-
rnaris &c ernhndying CONFESSIONS others as be-