The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-15

Yesterday Taken Up With the Exas.;.
nation OF the DOssier

members OF the Dreyfus court martial
today took the testimony of NJ. Cha
moin and Paleologue. The former was
examined from $50 to $50 O'Clock.
and the latter was on the stand from
$3.50 to 11:45 o'clock a. n, when the
court adjourned until tomorrow. when
ii will conclude the examination az the
secret dossier.
Colonel Jouaust, president OF the
c-ourt-martial, on leaving the court TO-
day, said a public session would take
place Saturday.
The police adopted the same methods
OF precaution as yesterday and there
vas only the smallest gathering of
spectators Captain Dreyfus was al
lowed to walk TO and from the Lyeee
without his usual escort of four or six
gendarmes. Only a captain of gen
darmes was with him, and this officer
walked a few steps behind the pri-
soner.
Maitre Demange, the principal coun-
sci of Captain Dreyfus, in an inter-
view today with a representative of the
Associated Press, after today's session,
expressed himself as very we'll con-
tented with h way in which matters
are proceeding, and, judging from his
manner, one may say that the defend
ers of the accused have not yet met
anything very surprising or alarming
in the secret dossier.
Naturally NJ. Demange declined TO
piyo NJ yfin,r1o ry ,ncnao{;n ~ ~
tents Of the dossier, but he declared
that he and his colleague, NJ. Laber,
were satisfied of the conscientious de-
sire of the members of the court to
thrash the whole matter out and to
have full light turned upon the accu-
sations against their client.
This will take some time and the
end of the month will be reached be-
fore judgment can be given. Mean
while the strain is telling on Dreyfus
who is showing physical distress.
Saturdays public session will be a
veritable field day, probably the most
important and exciting day Of the
whole trial, as General MERCER and M.
Casimir-Perier have been cited to give
their testimony then.
The first witness will be Lieutenant
Colonel de La Roche Ve1not, French
military attache in Berlin at the time
of the arrest of Dreyfus. His evidence,
it is expected, will be soon disposed Of,
and then General Mercier will be
called.
A dramatic scene is anticipated by
the anti Dreyfusites who rely upon
him to throw a bombshell and confound
the accused once for all. His words,
Il have complete proofs of the guilt
Of Dreyfus" are remembered and both
sides are waiting for him to prove his
statement.
The Dreyfusites believe that his tes-
timony and be torn to be pieces by MN.
Labori and Demange and that he will
leave the court utterly discredited.
Captain Dreyfus will have the right
to question him and it is expected that
the latter'S crOss-eXaminatiOn of Mer-
cier will prove the climax of the whole
proceedings.
Former President Casimir-Perier will
follow, if possible, the same day, but it
is doubtful whether his examination
will be concluded before court adjourns
until Monday.
hSlC VII NC Ho GDl VII "NCudy .
that being Assumption day.
London, August 1.-THE Times
says: 1--WE are in a position to state
that, in addition to communications
of slight value enumerated in the bor-
dereau, more than 100 documents of
considerable importance were furnished
the German attache in Paris, Col
onel Schwarzkoppen, at various times
by Esterhazey, acting as intermediary
and accomplice of the late Lieutenant
Colonel Henry.
lone of these documents contained
detailed information relative to the
general plan of mobilization for the
French army. The proceeds of this
traffic were divided between Ester
hazey and Henry. In Paris diplomatic
circles the latter was known to be the
real traitor for several months before
his arrest and suicide, and, beside the
power most directly concerned, namely,
Germany, more than one European
government received information to
this effect early in 1885,"
In an editorial based upon the fore
going important information the Times
says:
"It is hard to imagine anything in
the whole of romance to equal the Sc
quence of events whereby a traitor
had been b~etraying the most vital
interests of his country to a foreign
power should, after continuing to fix
suspicion ON an innocent man and after
securig that mans conviction by the
eloquence of his denunciation, be the
very man to be selected as head of the
secret intelligence department in order
to crush endeavors then beginning to
be made to discover the truth.
"The question arises: What gave
this half educated man such power
over his superiors that they were inn
PEELED, not only to lend the sanction of
their high authority, but to devote
their activity, eloquence and plighted
word of honor to the task of aiding him
in his struggle against the light?' Is it
possible that, without confederates
whose word would carry greater infu-
ence than his own, Henry could have
imposed on the simplicity of the whole
general staff?
1T is quite clear that the acquittal
of the unhappy victim of perhaps the
foulest plot eve devised will close but