Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-08-13
TURNED UPON HIS ACCUSER.
Continued from Fisce Page.

this statement with slap of his hand
on the rail of the desk.
Col. Jauoust then asked Dreyfus if
he had anything to say. Thereupon the
prisoner rose and, accompanying his
utterance with gestures with his right
hand, said: MY words have certainly
been distorted, for l have no recoliec-
ton of such a letter. The words the
former president Of the republic has
just uttered are exact. | have never.
even in my own mind, supposed there
was any engagement undertaken by
him and that he had not held thereto.
/ can well understand the indignation
of NJ. Casimir-Perier, but such an idea
never crossed my mind. NJ. Demange
had asked me at the time of the trial,
in conveying through NJ. Waldeck-
Rousseau my request fer a public trial,
that this publicity should only be on
condition that the question OF the ORR
gin or the document remained sacred.
| gave my word of honor not to raise
this question and in that | bowed be-
fore the superior interests of my coun-
try. In my mind it WAS with the de-
dense and not with the president of the
republic that the word Of honor was
given. | never had any idea that an
engagement was made between th<l
president and myself. Never, never,
neyer,"
Jouaust: Then you declare false
these letters in which it said the pres
ident Of the republic entered into GER
tain engagements with your
Dreyfus replied: In any case, the
sense has been completely distorted"
NJ Casimir-Perier gave his evidence
with blanched face. but in the de-
termined tone of man who maintains
every word uttered, which inspired con-
fidence in his words. The members OF
the courtmartial listened to him re-
spectfully. When his testimony was
ended NJ. Casimir-Perier was conduct
ed to his seat by non commissioned
officer and all eyes were directed to-
ward a door to the right.
There was a moment of painful sus-
pense and then
GEN. MERCER ENTERED
the court room and was conducted to
the witness stand by a soldier. lie lIted
his right hand before the cruciiix and
swore to tell the whole truth. The
witness appeared to be in broken
health. He spoke in a hoarse voice,
coughed frequently and asked to be al
lowed to be seated. He leaned forward
while speaking, his hands sometimes
resting on the rail. but more often he
was nervously twitehing his fingers,
and twisting a pair of white gloves
which he dotted on entering the court.
His cheeks were sallow and he spoke
almost inaudibly and in a weak, mo-
notonous pitch Of voice, which produced
as porific effect upon those who were
not able to distinguish his words, but
who were within hearing of his voice.
This monologue, with hardly break,
except when the clerk read the various
documents MERCER presented to the
court. lasted nearly four hours. with
ten minutes suspension at IL, When
there was a general feeling that the
witness was going to prove, as the Drey-
fusards predicted, an utter tiasco.
Gen. MERCER wore on his breast the
decoration of Grand Officer of the Lee
gion of Honor. While he was under
examination, Gen. MERCER asked COL
Jauaust to allow him to present a doc
ument showing how an espionage sys-
tenn was organized in France by Col.
Schwartzkoppen, the former German
military attache at Paris. The docu-
ment referred to the Notifications OF
the Meuse Gen. MERCER then went in
to explanation tending to prove
Sehwartzkoppen was at the head OF the
German espionage in France and, after
wards had the favored letter containing
the words "Cette Canaille de D."
read.
In the meanwhile Dreyfus watched
MERCER through his eye-glass, but ap-
parently quite unmoved The witness,
who displayed the deepest interest was
NJ. Casimir-Perier Seated in front OF
row of private seats he leaned for
ward, with his hands on his knees ex-
cept when very excited when he lifted
his hands UP in an expressive gesture
of
DISGUST OR IMPATIENCE.
MERCER, who had his back turned to
the former president, saw nothing Of
this, but after he had completed his
testimony and had reiterated all the
charges contained in NJ. DOrmesche-
ville's bill of indictment, MERCER pre-
scented document TO be read by the
clerk, which proved to be the alleged
Dreyfus letter concerning the alleged
engagement entered into with NJ CAST
mir-Perier which the latter had as hot
ly denied. The last breath had barely
left the clerks cps when Nj. Casimlr-
Perier jumped and shouted
That's the letter l read in the news
papers"
Gen. MERCER startled, turned round
and muttered excuses saying he did not
believe a president of the republic
would enter into such an engagement.
To this NJ Cassimir-Perier retorted
in a tone of the bitterest sarcasm:
Thank you, general, for this testi-
monial."
At the end of his evidence General