Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-07

Rennes, France, Aug. 1.-THE Dreyfus
court martial opened at o'clock this
morning. Dreyfus entered with a firm
step though he was pallid. He answered
the formal questions of the judge as to
his name, age, ETC., in a clear and de-
termined voice.
A strong detachment of gendarmes,
mounted and afoot, was posted inside
the streets around the lycee building in
which the trial is to be held, at six,
though the crowd at that time num-
bered not more than fifty, most of
whom we're Journalists. The neighbor-
hood bore an air of perfect tranquility.
A quarter of an hour later the project
of police ordered avenue De La Care
and all by-streets leading to it closed,
and the space in front of the lycee
cleared of all spectators. At the same
time detachment of infantry was
drawn up in two double lines across the
avenue from the military prison to the
lycee entrance.
The crowd by this time had increased
to several hundred, but were kept back
ia distance of $50 yards on either side of
this passage. Dreyfus emerged from
the military prison under guard of
tered the lycee.
The principal personages in the trial
arrived between $50 and o'clock. The
generals passed with hardly a cheer
from the spectators. Mercier alone be-
ing greeted with a few cries of long
live the army" and long live Mercier'
No demonstration greeted Col. Pic
quart, who appeared in cheerful
mood. smiling and .chatting with
friends.
The court adjourned after deciding to
sit behind closed doors tomorrow and as
long thereafter as necessary for exam
ination OF the secret dossier. The next
session will probably be Saturday.
The scene at the opening of the court
was very animated. Every inch of
space was filled with members of the
court. counsel for and against the pris-
oner and their assistants, witnesses,
journalists and privileged members of
the public. with a sprinkling OF the mis-
celfaneous public at the back, and a
strong military guard. The soldiers
presented arms as the court, beaded by
Col. Jouaust, president of the court, and
six artillery officers entered and took
seats on the stage.
Then amid a tiutter and craning of
necks the famous prisoner was brought
In. His features We're deathly pale and
his teeth were set with a determined
but not defiant bearing. He took a seat
in front Of the Judges. after having
given the court the military salute.
With gendarme behind him with
sheathed sword he sat regarding the
judges fxediy
The proceedings occupied a couple of
hours. Jouaust questioned the prisoner
severely and at length as to his con-
nection with the famous bordereau.
Dreyfus repeatedly and with the most
vehement emotion declared his inno
cence of the charge that he had given
any representative of a foreign govern
ment information which would have
been of advantage TO it in making war
on France Jouast's examination was
more in the nature of that of prose-
cutting counsel than of judge. He
made gestures of impatience at some of
the denials given by the prisoner to
questions.
The examination also went minutely
into the sources of Information accessi-
BILE to Dreyfus while a member of the
general staff. To most of the sugges-
tions as to information he might have
secured thus Dreyfus made emphatic
denial and pointed out as to others
that what information he had was so
incomplete as to be of no use to for
eign government.
His goings and comings for some
years We're also inquired into and he
was asked to explain why he went to
various places, including Alsace. He
declared all these movements We're en-
tirely free from any criminal intent. He
confessed he had relations with a GER
tain Austrian woman, but denied he
ever gambled in her house. He also de-
MED with great emphasis that he ever.
confessed to Col. DuPaty De Clam. TIE