The San Francisco call., 1899-09-08

Dreyfus trial. With the speech
L I of the Government commissary,
Major Carriere, the case entered
upon the final stage of pleadings ana
the verdict will be delivered on Mon
day There is even talk tonight of the
trial ending tomorrow by holding an
extra afternoon session for NJ. Labor S
speech and the deliberation of the
judges. This, however, is considered
unlikely, as the Government is anxious
to have the judgment withheld over
Sunday in order to avert demonstra-
tions which would probably involve
bloodshed on day where the workmen
are free.
The Government is not only fearful
regarding Rennes, but is particularly
fearful regarding Paris and other large
towns where passions have been heated
and the verdict whichever way it is
given, is practically certain to give rise
to trouble. 1t is understood that the
Government has intimated it's desire to
the president Of the courtmartial
Colonel Jouaust, and there is no reason
to believe that he will not fall in with
its views.
Colonel Jouaust this morning took
the most important decision yet taken
and took it entirely upon his own re-
sponsibility, although he is undoubted-
ly only the mouthpiece of the whole
body of judges. His decision to ex-
clude the testimony of Colonel
Schwarzkoppen and Major Panizzardi
was most significant, as it meant that
the court had already reached conclu-
Cin "a he J0la in Of col
were merely a waste of time and might
be dispensed with if they were not a
necessity.
The court has made up it's mind, but
which way? This is the view point and
forms the sole topic of discussion. Both
sides are equally confident that the
court will decide in accordance with
their views.
The Dreyfusards declare that the
judges cannot condemn Captain Drey-
fus after rejecting the decisive evidence
which Colonel Schwarzkoppen and
Panizzardi would have given in his
favor.
The -Dreyfusards, on the other
hand, explain to-days rulings on the
ground that the judges recognize that
the evidence of the two military at
taches would be worthless, because
their agent at any cost.
A sample of this reason was given
by an anti-Dreyfusard journalist, who
when praising Colonel Jouaust's de-
cision, explained: What weight could
he attach to the testimony of Schwarz-
koppen and PaniZzardi? The receiver
of stolen goods must shield the thief as
much as he can"
From the popular point Of view the
scene in court when Colonel Jouaust
delivers the judgment will be divested
of its most sensational feature, owing
to the absence of the central figure.
Captain Dreyfus will be taken to an
adjacent room when the judges retire
to consider their verdict A moment
before they are to re-enter bell will
be rung and as they take their places
behind the long table on the stage the
infantry guard will present arms and
remain at present arms while Colonel
Jouaust, standing in the center of the
platform reads the verdict.
Captain Dreyfus will not be brought
back to the courtroom and will not be
present at the meeting of the judges,
but when the courtroom has been
cleared by the gendarmes, which will be
done as soon as Colonel Jouaust con-
cludes. the reading clerk of the court
will proceed to the room where Dreyfus
will be waiting and read to him the
verdict in the presence Of a couple of
gendarmes.
The public will thus be robbed of the
spectacle of his emotions, which are
bound to be most profound. whether
the decree sends him to the arms of his
family or back to the penal settlement
The verdict may be condemnation
an unequivocal acquittal or form Of
acquittal that would be equivalent to
the Scotch verdict mot proven" The
last will be the case If the Judges
should pronounce against him by a
vote of four to three. That is. he would
be freed, even though the judges in his
favor should be in the minority. But
this, naturally, would be very unsatis-
factory, as he would bear the stigma
for the rest of his days.
Captain Dreyfus thus has five
chances against the prosecutions s
three. Unanimity, six to one. five to
two four to three or three to four will
set him at liberty. while unanimity six
to one or five to two will convict him.
If convicted, the judgment will be car
ried to the military court of appeals.
which will be p formal matter. The
special court will only quash the in
dictment and order a retrial if it should
be established the present court mar
tial has erred in a matter of procedure.
This is in the highest degree improb-
able. The Court of Cessation will have
also the right to order retrial if 1t
should decide that the court-martial
has deviated from its instructions.
This is the only loophole for Dreyfus,
and his friends will undoubtedly fight
this point tooth and nail.
Extraordinary measures have been
taken to spirit Dreyfus away, whether
acquitted or recondemned. His de-
parture from Rennes will be enveloped
in the same mystery as was his arrival.