The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-11

tain a better view. There were
cries of sit down." amid which the
door opened and Captain Alfred Drey-
fus, preceded and followed by a gen.
darme, emerged n the court room.
His ~eatureS were deathly pale and his
teeth We're set with a determined, but
not defiant bearing. He walked quick
ly, with almost an elastic step, and
assembled the three steps leading to the
platform in front of the stage. He drew
himself up erect, brought his hand
sharp to the peak of his kept, or mill
tary zap, giving the military salute.
The prisoner then removed his kept and
took the seat place for him., facing the
judges, just in front Of his counsel's
table n with his back to the audi
ence. Behind him sat a gendarme
holding a sheathed saber in his hand.
Dreyfus, in new uniform of captain
: of artillery, dark blue with red fac
ings, fiXedly regarded the judges with
immovable features and without STIR
ring hand or foot, scarcely even NOV
ing his head, during the whole course
of h proceedings, except when he en-
tered and left the room.
DREYFUS EXAMINED.
After the formal proceedings, which
occupied a couple of hours, Colonel
Jousaust began the examination of
Dreyfus respecting the famous bor-
dereau and what Dreyfus did with it
or could have known of it's contents.
Dreyfus, wearing y glasses, rose from
his seat for examination. He stood
erect, holding his kept in his hand, be-
fore him. He looked Colonel Jousaust
straight in the face during the whole
i~nterrOgatory.
Colonel Jousaust began by saying:
1T results from the documents just
read that you are accused of having
brought about Vaccinations or held
49, - - ~-1.
or more Of it's agents., in order to pro-
cure it means by delivering it docu-
ments, indicated in the discriminatory
bordereau to commit hostilities or un-
dertake war against France. I notify
o that you will be allowed to state
during the course of these proceedings
anything that appears to you useful
for your defence"
Il AM INNOCENT"
Dreyfus replied with a vehement
declaration of his innocence, repeating
several times: Il am innocent" in a
voice which quivered with emotion.
The agonized manner in which he ut
tered his protestations of innocence
had a most painful effect, and must
have evoked the sympathy even of his
most inveterate enemies.
The prisoner grew more composed
as the examination proceeded, answer
ing every question without a moments
hesitation.
Colonel Jouaust submitted Dreyfus
to a rigorous examination more in the
style of a prosecuting counsel than a
judge, and made gestures of impa-
tience at some direct denials which
Dreyfus gave repeatedly to the judges
questions.
The days examination was long and
trying. Colonel JouSaust went over C
of the charges contained III the Dor
dereau, which has become familiar TO
the public in the course of the long
fight for revision. Dreyfus entered Il
passionate denial to each charge. He
declared that he had not attended the
German manouvers; that at the time
of his first trial he was ignorant of all
the details of the artillery manual and
of the 120 guns which he was charged
with betraying to Germany. He denied
the emarkS attributed to him that the
Alsatians were happier under Germany
than under France n said that he
not only did not have in his possession
any of the contraband Information he
had been accused of divulging, but had
never asked indiscreet questions of his
brother officers.
Colonel Jousaust then spoke Of the in
terview with Du Patty de Clam and
Dreyfus replied: Il never confessed
anything to Du Patty de Clam"
A DRAMATIC SCENE.
Here occurred one of the most dra-
matte scenes in the examination. Drey-
fus, tremendously excited, swayed to
and fro for a moment n then all his
pent-up emotion and Indignation burst
forth and he cried in a piercing voice,
heard throughout the court n ever
by those standing outside: ut is iniqui-
tous to condemn an innocent man. /
never confessed anything. Never"
Dreyfus, a. he uttered the words, rails
ed his right white-gloved hand and
held it aloft as if appealing to heaven
to vindicate him.
Jousaust: Did you say: If I handed
over documents it was to have more
important one in return?"
Dreyfus: mo
The examination Of the prisoner was
with a few minor questions and
the court decided to sit behind closed
doors by five votes to two.
Madame Dreyfus visited her husband
this afternoon and found him hopeful
Gus examination and especially the un-
feeling demeanor displayed toward
him by Colonel Jouaust proved a ire
mendous strain upon him.
There are many persons who were
present at the trial now under the i'm
preston that the harshness Of the
presiding judge was assumed and was
intended to disarm the enemies OF
Dreyfus, who are only anxious TO in
terpret ordinary courtesy into the
grossest Partially toward the prisoner
If this be the case, and such an ex-
PLANTATION is quite plausible, Dreyfus
is naturally Of it n the eff.
feet upon his highly strung nerves
must be very severe.
THE EXCITEMENT IN PARIS.
Paris. August All the newspaper:
today published frequent special edi'
tons which were eagerly bought D.
the waiting crowds, anxious for every
detail of the Dreyfus court-martial
Some Of the streets were actually dan
gerous, notably the Rue Montmarre
where news boys were rushing in al
directions hustling and almost over
turning any n and everything in theil
way.
While the papers today scarcely has
time to comment on the court-martial
they all e~ndeavored to draw conclu
sions from the different description