The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-13
Proceedings Of the Court Martial
Hearing at R.nnes.
Every Seat in the Court Occupied When
The Session Opened.
NJ. Casimir-PerieE, Former Presi-
dent of the French Republic,
Placed Upon the Witness Stand
General Mercier Also Testifies.

General MERCER Also Testifies
RENNES, Aug. 1.-THE curtain rose
to-day in the Dreyfus trial on the sans
theater-like scene as on Monday. Inc
Judges, in uniform, were seated on the
stage behind the dark cloth covered
table, OH which, in a row, were theli
kepis, with gay colored plumes ano
heavy gold laced bands.
Every seat in court was occupied, lr
expectation of a sensational scene
There We're more ladies present thar
on Monday, The parsonage known as
Madame Blanche 0he white LADY, who
has attended every move in the Drey-
fus affair, was again present to-day
wearing a superb set of pearls, but ow-
ing to the expressed objection of Col
onel Jouaust she changed her consplcu-
Gus place on the right behind him fol
a more modest but still noticeable posi-
ton in the body of the hall.
There was a large sprinkling of uni
forms among the audience, and row
of soldiers, with fixed bayonets, was
again arranged at the bottom of the
hall and rendered honors in the Gus
tomary manner to the Judges as the
latter entered or left the court.
The proceedings opened tamely, and
the hopes of a sensation began to lag
as the morning wore on and matters
began to get tedious. as NJ. Cashier
Perier and General MERCER reiterated
what is already known. But this was
only the calm before the storm, and
when the storm broke it carried every
zone in the court with it into Whlrl-
pool of the widest excitement.
Dreyfus on entering the courtroom,
saluted the President with the same
soldierly men as on Monday last, and
the President, Colonel Jouaust, re-
turning the salute, said:
sit down, Dreyfus."
The chair of the prisoner was placed
further to the right of the platform
to-day. Instead Of facing the Judges
Dreyfus sat with his back to the table
of his counsel, thus looking across the
pIatform, straight at the rail at which
the witnesses stood.
Colonel Jouaust Immediately after the
court had settled down opened the pro-
ceedings by asking Dreyfus the follow
ing questions:
I'm January, 1895, the director of the
penitentiary of the Isle de Re, in the
course of duty, searched the clothes you
brought from the prison. He found
this document in an inside pocket OF
your waistcoat."
The President here handed Dreyfus a
paper and said: DO you recognize ii
as having belonged to your"
Dreyfus-Yes, my Colonel.
Jouaust-Whose was it?
Dreyfus-Mine.
Jouaust-WilI you tell me how and
under what circumstances this docu
ment came into your possession?
Dreyfus-It is a document I used
during my trial, in order to discuss
the value of the bordereau. I wished to
keep it.
Jouaust-The military code gives you
the right to have a copy of the docu-
ments in your case. This document
therefore, was legitimately in your pos
session. Why do you wish to keep 1t
Dreyfus-As souvenir of the text OF
the bordereau.
Jouaust-That was not proper, and
therefore it was taken from you. |
That will do.
Colonel Jouaust then asked Major
Carriere if he had any observation to
make in behalf of the Government.
The Major replied by asking to have
DR.. Ransom's report on Dreyfus read
which the clerk of the court did.
The report deals with the measures
of surveillance over Dreyfus adopted
during the voyage of the prisoner to
Cayenne, and said among other things
that he was seen on board seated on
stool and weeping.
NJ de la Roche-Vernet, a Secretary
attached to the French Embassy al
Berlin, was the next witness called
Although he was scared, there was nc
hesitation in his replies. He said ne
acted as the transmitting agent of the
Ministry of War and Ministry of For
eien Affairs whenever they We're en-
gagged in the translation of a panizardi
a speech, which was a very minute and
complicated matter. Several drafts, he
explained, were first made, and finally
an official translation was drawn VI
which was the same as since published
Questioned respectively regarding the
draft ana SpcCiHCdllolS, iiC oetiu my
were purely hypothetical, the first draft
only having two words. Captain Drey-
FMS" of which the tfanslators were re-
ally sure, the sense being Dreyfus had
been arrested and that he had no re-
lations with Germany.
NE. Paleologue of the French Foreign
Office was then called, and disagreed to
some of this witness statements, but
the net result of the two witness re-
niles to NJ. Labori and Demange was
that never in translation was there any
question of relations with Germany.
M. Labor, on eliciting the foregoing
showed evident satisfaction.
The witness rail was empty for
Paw moments. and then Colonel Jouausi
aaid solemnly:
"Bring in the next witness"
An infantry sergeant. seated beneath
Major Carrieres desk. then walked to
the middle of the court. where in a
.rsrnson arm chair placed there for
distinguished witnesses sat Casimir-
Perier. formerly President of France
THE latter was conducted by the sol
dier and assembled the platform. He
was dressed In a black frock coat
WIFI the rosette Of the Legion OF
Honor at his buttonhole and light
cheek trousers and carried silk hat
in his hand.