The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-05
Fears That Disorders May
Break Out There.
CERNUSCHl, THE REFUGEE
HIS DAAINING TESTIMONY
AGAINST DREYFUS.
IT'S BELIEVED THAT HE IS A FRAUD
Labor Asks that Inquiry be Made Through
Diplomatic Channels if Treas,nable
Documents Were Really
Communicated.
Communicated.

Communicated.
Rennes, SPIT. As the end of the
Dreyfus court martial trial comes within
sight the French Government is be-
ginning to display fear that the YER
dict may give rise to troubles, and or
ders have just been received by two
regiments of infantry and the cavalry
regiment already within hail of Rennes,
to hold themselves in readiness to march
on the town at the first sign of disorder,
to occupy all strategical points and to
repress manifestations in their inception
The local anti Dreyfusard organs, by
their anti-foreign articles, have already
singled out foreigners as enemies of the
country and there is little doubt that
foreign journalists will be the victims of
the violence of the moh-not so much
Anglo-Saxons as American, German
and Russian Jews, who form a majori
ity of the press representation of their
respective countries.
Today's session opened rather badly
for Captain Dreyfus. as a surprise was
sprung upon the defense In the advent
of an Austrian political refugee, Eugene
Cernuschi, who came out with flat
footed denunciation of the accused,
which, even though it may eventually
be proved a pure fairy tale, is bound for
the moment TO exercise a malignant in
fuence upon the French people, who
have not seen Cernuschi and are thus
unable to form a personal opinion of the
man who launched these direct accusa-
tions against Captain Dreyfus.
Cernuschi's appearance is undenfably
against him. Nobody even suspects
that he is what he claims TO be, scion
of the royal Seryian house. On the CON
trary. one would take him to be a
groom dressed in his best Sunday suit.
1t was remarked that as soon as he
had delivered his testimony and NJ.
Labor had asked to have him put on
oath at tomorrow's session behind closed
doors in order that he might be pun
ished, if guilty of perjury, he left the
court room and was not seen again.
Cernuschi's testimony, which was in
the form of a letter to the President
of the court martial, Colonel Jouaust,
was most unequivocal. He claimed that
on three distinct occasions, twice in
France, and once at Geneva, he was
told by a high foreign officer that
Dreyfus had communicated reasonable
documents to a foreign power. In the
third instance Cernuschi said the officer
showed him documents emanating from
Dreyfus, and that this officer left
France hurriedly two days prior to the
arrest of Captain Dreyfus. The allu-
sion was evidently to Colonel Schwartz
koppen, the military attache of the Ger
man Embassy in Paris in 1894, whose
movements We're coincident with those
described as the movement of the officer
of Cernuschi's deposition.
Now this evidence is of transcendent
importance to the prosecution, and it is
incredible unless Cernuschi is proving to
be a humbug, that the Government com
msssary. Major Carriere, should have
admitted that he had received a letter
from him Offering important testimony
and thrown it aside on the ground of
its coming from political refugee
The deposition evoked expressions OF
incredibly. One suspicious feature was
the fact that although the witness said
he could not speak French fiuently. his
letter to Colonel .Jonallst, asking an APP
portunity to testify was drawn up in
perfect French. He explained that he
had been assisted by his wife in writing
the letter
This introduction of a foreigner as a
witness for the prosecution gave NJ.
Labor an opportunity to submit the
most important request he has made
throughout The trial. a request which if
granted by Colonel Jouaust, though this
is extremely doubtful would certainly
have momentous consequences.
NJ. Labor announced his intention. in
view of the step taken by the prosecu-
ton in calling foreign evidence, to ask
that inquiry should be made through the
regular diplomatic channels as to wheth-
er the documents mentioned in the bor-
dereau We're actually communicated, and
if so, by whom. This involves an APP
piication to the German Government,
which the court martial is scarcely like
ly to approve. In any case the applica-
ton means the lengthening of the trial
for several weeks.
The introduction of Cernuschi and the
other developments of the day, it is gem
orally predicted, imply another fort
nights sitting. at the least. Cernuschi
will be heard tomorrow behind closed
doors. AT the same time there will
probably be an examination of the secret
dossier to which Captain Cuignet re-
ferred this morning, and which Nj. La
bori Immediately asked to have pro-
duced in court. This dossier consists OF
twelve or fourteen documents, and it
is difficult to see why. if they have any
value, the etat major not had them
produced earlier. The etat major are
not in the habit of holding back docu-
ments calculated to prove of the slightest
service to their cause, as is shown in
the case of the note concerning M. Had
amard's doubts of the innocence of his
cousin. which was incorrect, but was
nevertheless included in the secret dos
sier, while the important document stat
ing on the authority of the French Min
lister in Rome that an italian military
attache paid Esterhazy 100000 francs
was studiously omitted from the secret
dossier. 1t is perfectly evident that
the Italian attache did not pay Ester
hazy such a sum on account of, as thu
French say, his beautiful eyes. and thu