The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-05
Dreyfus Passes Through the Most Trying
Day of His Trial.
SCENE OF HIS DEGRADATION
Recounted by the Witnesses for the Observation-Disclosures Recount
His Alleged Confession-Some Suspicious Circumstances Re.
gardieg it Brought Out o n Cross Examination-The De.
PENDANTS Vehement Denial and His Tribute to
His Wife a S His Sole Support Against
Committing Suicide.

! the officer walked smartly to the wit
ness box, saluted the court and threw
his KEPT ON the table. He hen stood
at attention, awaiting questions.
DREYFUS' ALLEGED CONFESSION
RECOUNTED.
The president of the court, Colonel
Jouaust, said: ION January 5. 1895. the
day Of the prisoners degradation you
were entrusted with the task of con-
Quoting him from the Cherche Midi
prison to the military school, where he
remained some time in your charge.
Tell the court what passed between you
and him at that time"
Captain Lebrun-Renault: "On Sat-
urday, January 5, 1895. 1 was ordered
with my squadron to proceed to the
Cherchi Mid prison and TAKE charge OF
DreyfuS who was to be degraded at 3
O'Clock in n of the courtyards OF the
military school. Starting at 7:15 o'clock
I arrived at the place indicated at 7:45
o'clock. The office of the garrison adju-
tant was pointed out to me as the place
to keep the prisoner until the hour OF
the degradation parade. He began to
protest his innocence n to say that
with considerable means at his dispose
and a bright future in store for nlm. ne
could have no motive in being guilty
of treason. He said: L am innocent.
III AA~ y\o4o IL "AA ~ -
knowledged. The minister knows it
well. He told du Patty de Clam to tell
me so some days G in my cell. He
knows that if I communicated docu-
mentS to Germany they were of no i'm
p%ortance and it was to obtain more Sc
rious and more important documents
The witness added that Captain dat
tel was present when the statement was
made.
Referring to articles in the newspa-
| pers in regard to the confession Captain
Lebrun-Renault said: General MERCER
said to me: GO to the Elysee and re-
peat to the president Of h republic
what you have told me- While I was
in the ante room I heard someone make
remarks about me in very discourteous
terms. M. Dupuy ushered me before
the president who said: You have had
relations with journalists and have been
indiscreet. Certain articles have ap-
peared in the newspapers I replied
that perhaps journalists were among
the persons 1 had SEEN, but 1 said I had
not spoken directly to journalists. No
mention was made of the confession and
I left after having received a lecture
from the president
One of the judges asked the witness
if he did not remember hearing Dreyfus
say that the documents delivered were
OuIy COpISS W WHICH, captain LCUIuu-
Renault replied: "I do not recollect. I
do not remember that phrase. But he
may have said it. I talked with Drey-
fus for a quarter of an hour. The SEN
tence I have quoted was that which I
jotted down in my notebook"
The judge-What did General MERCER
tell you when you mentioned the con
fession to him?
Captain Lebrun-Renault-He asked
rvh n r0xvf,, - -4sl ~-I ~- 81
me to go to the Elysee and describe
the confession. But I was given no time
to Mention it then.
The judge-Did you go there for that
purpose?
Captain Lebrun-Renault-I went there
for that purpose.
The judge-It is a great pity you said
nothing on the subject.
Captain Lebrun-Renault-I had no
time to speak Of it.
The judge-Did the president know
why you come to the Elysee?
Captain Observation-Disclosures presi-
dent was notified that I was coming.
For my part 1 was somewhat intimida-
ted, which is easily explained. heard
myself described as a traitor" Ca
nallle' and cur" That was not en-
couraging.
M. Demange asked the witness if il
was really a conversation with Dreyfus
or IL { n prisoners remarks consisted
OF a broken dialogue as General Gonse
had said.
Captain Observation-Disclosures
spoke to me, but I did not reply.
M. Demange asked the witness how
ne could detect confessions in a SEN
tence containing the words, II am inno-
cent. In three years my innocence will
be acknowledged"
captain Lebrun-Renault-It is not for
me TO reconcile the inconsistencies of a
sentence of which the material fact
that documents had been communica-
ted was admitted. Tt is not for me to
give IAN explanation. It is for Dreyfus
ana the defense to explain. I heard
tnls sentence. 1 was only a kind Of
pnonograph and I repeaed it without
commentary. (Excitement.) 1 have no
impression whatever, he said, Dreyfus
SAID a great deal to me. 1 retained this
sentence and I repeated it when asked.
II L did not mention it in my report il
was because I had the task of conduct
ing Dreyfus from the prison to the
place of degradation and it was not nv
outy TO make Dreyfus talk. Excite
inent.)
NJ. Demange-How could General
Gonse and General MERCER, on hearing
sOoA SlOIs, UCllcNc lHty HdO 10 zeal
with a confession and how could they
send you to the Elysee?
Captain Labrun-Renault-I have no
idea.
NJ. Demange reminded the witness
that before the court of cessation he
considered the sentence of the prisoner
which he had quoted to be a kind OF
explanation or excuse.
Captain Lebrun-Renauit-Why. Mon
sieur lie President, that is a personal
question. I have no opinion to express
on that point. I am no judge Of things.
1 repeat simply Dreyfus told me.
Certain persons may consider his re-
marks as embodying confessions, 9TH
ers as being explanations. That is
their business. (Commotion.)
M Labori-Why did the witness keep
the leaf Of his pocketbook with the note
OF confessions for years? The witness
seems to say that it was mere chance.
L am surprised hat the witness de-
stroyed it just the day after it was men
toned in the chamber Of deputies.
10 this Captain Lebrun-Renault re-