The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-08-15
LOOKED PALE AND WORRIED
Officer Who Obtained the COndemna.
ton of ofDreyfus Makes Poor Witness.
FORMER PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
Says That Dreyfus Lied II He Told He Had
Given Him Certain Information
But the Prisoner Calmly
- Sets the Matter Right
The Trial.


Sets the Matter Right
The Trial.
Special to News-Democrat.
Rennes, Aug 1.-THE public session
of the Dreyfus court martial opened at
$3.50 this morning. The room was pack
ed with spectators The first witness
called by the prosecution was Lieuten-
ant Colonel DelarocheVernet. The
testimony was unimportant. Next came
Cassimir- -Perier, who was president OF
France when Dreyfus was convicted.
He impressed the court with the fact
that he had no direct connection with
the case, but repeated only that Gen
eral Mercier and others had told him.
"If Dreyfus says that he fully in
formed me about the case, he les"
cried Perier.
The audience leaned forward excited
ly, Dreyfus paled, but said calmly and
with dignity, "I did not say I had in
formed Casimir-Perier. I wrote him
several letters, which, perhaps, he never
received"
The prisoner seemed like new man
today. He seemed ready for any oppo-
nent. Dreyfuss counsel frequently
questioned the witness. The latter prac-
tically washed his hands of the affair,
' and the promised startling rvelation
were not forthcoming.
General Mercier, ex-minister of war,
was the next summoned. He was the
officer who obtained the prisoners con-
demnation and sought a revision Of the
case He looked worried and spoke in
a low, hesitating voice. The witness
related how the bordereaux was found
and given to Col. Henry, who turned 1t
over to his chiefs. He said that Lieut..
Colonel Du Patty de Clam was appointed
to make a preliminary investigation.
De Clam set Dreyfus to writing at his
dictation, and dictated to him the bor-
dereaux. On the strength Of the SINH
larity between the prisoners copy and
original, Dreyfus was arrested. After
the degradation Of Dreyfus General
Mercier said Capt. Lebrum-Renault
informed him about the prisoners con-
fession. The witness complained over
Lebrum- Renault's efforts to substitute
someone else for Dreyfus as the traitor
General De Freycinet has told me, y
said the witness chat the Dreyfus syn
dicate raised S5,OOO,OOO francs in Eng
land and Germany to effect such a
substitution" If this was meant for q
boom, it was fizzle. A murmur rar
through the court which swelled into
laugh, the first laughter in the Drey'
fus tragedy. The court thereupon took
a recess Of ten minutes.
SESSION RESUMED.
When the session was resumed, Gen
eral Mercier began reading the docu
4 ments to support his statements. He
. talked as a man having his reputation
1T stake and appealed frequently t.
the court The conclusion Of Genera
Merciers testimony was the occasion o.
a sensational scene. Mercier said:
1T see no reason to change the opin
ion I entertained at the last trial, in
stead, 1t is fortified If I did not hon
estly believe the prisoner guilty woult
say So"
Dreyfus leaned forward trembling
and said, "That is what you ought t.
do"
Mercier turned, shaking with excite
ment, and said,
Captain Dreyfus, If had any doub
of your guilt. would acknowledge 1
and express to you my regret"
Dreyfus jumped to his feet, and al
most screamed, "You should, you shall
YOU must acknowledge It,"
Half of the audience was on its fee
and some were cheering. There wa
an ominous silence when General Mer
cier stepped down and a faint hiss wa
heard. Then some began to hoot ant
pressed forward as If to mob the ex
minister of war