Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-07
Noted French Military Prisoner Ar
raigned at Rennes Today.
AGAIN DECLARES His INNOCENCE
Put Through Crucial Examination
by Colonel Jouaust.
seen ES IN THE COURT

| RENNES August THE proceedings of
| the court-martial before which Captain
| Dreyfus is on trial opened at 7:10 o'clock
| this morning. Captain Dreyfus entered the
| court room with a firm step, though his
| features were pallid. He is partly bald,
and what hair he has is gray and close
| cropped.
| He answered the formal question of the
| judge as to his name, age, etc, in a clear,
| determined voice. lie sat facing the judges
| with his hands resting on his knees an i'm
| passive figure. The trial opened so far as
| Rennes is concerned, in an atmosphere of
| perfect tranquility. The population is ap-
| parently Indifferent. Only a small crowd,
| at the most fifty persons, had gathered
| outside the entrance to the Lycee by 6
| o'clock a majority. of these Were jour-
| nailsts. The prefect of police and chief of
the secret police, Viguier, arrived just be-
fore u o'clock and began the superintend-
cnce OF poilce measures. AT this time only
haif dozen of gendarnles were visible
| Ihey We're stationed at the portal of the
Lycee and inside the garden in front which
| IS separated from the sidewalk of the Ave
| nue. de la Care by high iron railing which
| no one was allowed TO pass until Dreyfus
had been transferred from the military
prison to the room within the Lycee build
| ing where he was to await the moment
when he should be summoned to enter the
| court room.
Arrival Of the Gendarmes.
strong Getachments of gendarmes, on
| foot and mounted, began to arrive at 6
| O'Clock and took up their positions in the
| side streets around the Lycee At G:15 the
| prefect of police gave the order to close
the Avenue de la Care for 200 yards in
front of the Lycee, and also all by-Streets
leading to the avenue. The gendarmes
were immediate ORA a
nue., and the space in front of the Lycee
was closed from all spectators A de- ach-
ment of infantry was drawn across the
avenue IN Two double lines, leaving between
| them a passage for Captain Dreyfus across
| the avenue from the military prison to the
entrance to the Lycee.
| The crowd, which by that time had in
| creased to a few hundred, was kept by the
gendarmeS a a distance of $50 yards on
! either side of this passage Captain Drey
1us emerged from the military prison under
escort of lieutenant and four gendarmas.
He crossed the railroad quickly and dis
appeared within the Lycee, the hedge of
soldiers hiding him from view.
The principal perSonageS in the trial
rived between 6:30 and o'clock. The gen
erals passed with hardly a cheer from the
| spectators, General Mercier alone being
greeted with few cries of ''Five Parmce"
and "NiVe MERCER he drove up in
closed carriage. Lieutenant Colonel Pic
quart arrived on foot at 6:3o o'clock. wear
ing silk hat and black frock coat, with
the button hole. No demonstration was
made on his arrival, but he appeared to be
in most cheerful mood, smiling and chat
ting with friends, and, if he may be judged
by his bearing, he is sanguine of favor
able issue of the trial.
Animated Scene in Court.
The scene inside the court room was most
animated. Every inch of space was filled
a quarter of an hour before the proceedings
crened.
The large, airy, well-lighted room in
which the trial takes place is in the form
of a concert hall, with a stage and pros
ceniCm. The platform of the stage has
been brought forward beyond the foot
lights. The room is painted a light brown,
with the names of famous Bretons, such as
LIE Sage, Reaan and Chateaubriand, in
scrlbed in goli letters on an ornamental
band about midway between the floor and
ceiling.
"A long table, covered with dark blue
cloth, was ranged in front of the stage, be-
hind which were the seats of the members
of the court-martial. A high-backed arm
chair has been provided for the president.
The seats were of polished mahogany and
were upholstered in dark red cloth.
Behind the members of the court sat the
supplementary judges, who must attend all
sttings and be able to replace any member
who may fall ill or otherwise be unable to
be present. Behind the supplementary
judges were a few privileged members of
the public.
On a portion of the stage extending in
FROM of the proscenium placed the
bar at which witnesses We're heard. The
bar has a wooden frame of light polished
oak. 1t stood out prominently against the
dark cloth-covered judges table.
On the right end of this extended plat
form stood a table for the use of Maitres
Labori and Demange, counsel for the pris-
oner, and their two secretaries.
AT the left side was placed a table for
Maj Carriere the official representative of
the government and his assistants.
Many Newspaper Men Present.
On either side of the hail was a solid mass
of newspaper men, for whom rough pine
tables and benches had been provided In
the center of the hall were placed chairs
for the witnesses. Behind these was an
other batch of the privileged public ana
then a row of soldiers, in parade uniform
drawn across the hail. with fixed bayoncts.
A narrow space between the troops and
the back of the hall filled with the
general public including a few journal
lists and detectives, with gendarmes sprn-
kled among them.
Back of the stage hung crucfix. before
which the witnesses take the oath Facing
this, at the back of the hail. was a bust
representing the republic, with the letters
''R. F.. (Republique Francaise).
At O'Clock NM. Labori and Demanage
and Maj. Carriere, with their assistants
lowed.
Then sharp words from the officer com
manding the row of soldiers at the back of
the court rang out:
Garry arms
Present arms"
There was rattle of arms and q mo-
ment later Col. Jousaust followed by the
other members of the court walked on the
stage from room behind and took seats at
the table.
Deep silence fell upon the audience who
up to then had engaged in buzz of con-
versation.
Col. Jouaust and his colleagues were in
full parade uniform. with aigrettes in front
of their peaked shakos. Col Jouaust's al
grette was white: the others were tricolor
On the right hand of Col. Jousaust SAT
Lieut.. Col Brongniart. Maj De Broom and
Capt Parfait, all of the artillery On his
left hand were Majs. Profillet and Merle
and Capt. Beauvais, also of the artillery.