The Van Buren press., 1899-08-19
SUFFER|NGS 0F DREYFUS.
The Feature of the Days Proceed
1ngs in the Court-Martial
at Rennes.
COURT WOULDN'T ADJOURN TO MONDAY.
NJ. Lcbon Tried to Justify Himself in
Ordering the Rigorous Treatment
of the Prisoner-The Widow of
Col. Henry Gave Testimony of
Very Little Weight.

| very Little weight.
| sRennes, Aug. 1.-THE second trial
by eourt-martial of Capt. Alfred Drey-
| fus, of the French artillery, charged
with treason, was continued, Mai. Car
riere, the representative of the govern
ment, having refused to agree to the
| adjournment of the case until Mon
day, applied for by M. Demange, coun-
sci for the prisoner, and Capt. Drey-
fus, owing to the murderous attack
upon Maitre Labori, leading counsel
for the defense.
The Fentue of the Day.
The feature of the days proceed
| ings was the story of the sufferings o.
Dreyfus on Devils island, his prison
off the coast of French Guiana Drey-
| fus wept in court when the clerk read
document recounting the details of
| his incarceration.
The proceedings opened with the ap-
| plieation of Demange for an adjourn
ment. This was followed by the depo-
sition of NJ. Guerin, the former minis
| ter of justice, who, however, only re-
peated the evidence he had given be-
| fore the court of cessation.
NJ. Lebop's Testimony.
NJ. Lebon, the former minister of
the colonies, a big, red-bearded man,
then testified in justification of his in
streetons to treat Dreyfus ~igorous-
ly, declaring that the extreme strin-
gency only dated from the time lie
thought an attempt would be made TO
rescue the prisoner.
Col. Jouaust, president of the court
martial, asked Dreyfus If he had any
questions to put to the witness, and he
| replied, in an emotional voince: No.
] am here to defend my honor. ] do
not wish to speak here of the atroeious
suffering. physical and mental, for
five years. /, a Frenehman and am in
nocent man, was sub bjected to on the
lie du Diable.'
Official Report Read.
NJ. Demange here asked that the Of
| fetal report of the treatment of Drey-
fus on the lie du Diable, which was
published in the newspapers last week,
should be read. The clerk of the court
did so, and in a sympathetic tone, re-
counted the narrowing tale Of Drey-
fus' mental and physical sutferings
and inhuman treatment on the island.
Signs of Indisnntion.
Deep-drawn breaths of indignation
came from the hearers as the reauing
proce eded. Dreyfus, ut first, watched
the faces of the judges with his usual
composure; but, gradually, as the
story proceeded, and incidents of his
awful existence were brought up be-
fore him, his eyes grew dim, and tears
elistened in his eyes, and slowly
trckled down his cheeks,
Dreyfus Wept silently.
Dreyfus could stand it no longer,
and for the first time during his trial,
gave way to his emotions and silently
went. The faces of the audience ex-
pressed sympathy with the prisoners
emotion, and even the captain of gen
darmes. sitting beside Dreyfus, turned
and gave him look of unconcealed
compassion.
Gen. Mercier, who with NJ. Lebon,
YVES seated in the front row of the
witnesse seats, listened to the read
ing of the report unmoved, while Col.
Jouuust followed it with an air OF
bored tolerance.
NJ. Lcbon Recalled.
III. Lebon afterwards returned to the
stand and added few more words IN
justification of his conduct, and then
Col. Jouaust ordered the next witness
10 be brought in. All eyes were
turned towards the door on the right
o. the stage, and moment later, the
form of woman, dressed in deep
mourning, appeared in the doorway
and, accompanied by a non-commis-
stoned officer, advanced to the plat
form.
Col. Henry's Widow.
1t was the widow of Col. Henry, the
Freach officer who committed suicide
in prison after confessing to forging
certain documents in the case. With
pale face and hand appraised before the
crucifix, she took the oath to tell the
truth. Nine Henry is of medium
height and has common caste OF
features and certainly could not be de-
scribed as attractive. She at once put
herself at ease, leaning forward with
both hands resting on the rail of the
witness stand. In an attitude of COM
plete self-possession, she gave her evi-
delce, accompanying the words with
frequent gestures.
Her Evidence of Little Weight.
Her evidence, however, was of little
weight. She admitted the frequent
visits of Esterhazy to her husband and
said her husband told her he had
forged one document, in order to save
the honor of the country" She gave
bc1. evidence in a matter-of-fact way
and was in no wise the sympathetic
figure the anti-Dreyfusards have tried
to make her.
Gen. Roget, in undress uniform, fol-
Low ed. His evidence was a yitriolic
diatribe against Dreyfus from begin
ming to end.
The court adjourned until Thursday
on the conclusion of Gen. Roget's
monologue.
Costly Fire Mt westchester, n. Y.
New York. Aug. 17.-Fire at West
-