It was expected that today╒s proceedings in the Dreyfus case would be of exceptional interest, having regard to the contradictory evidence presented on Saturday by M. Casimir-Perier and General Mercier, and the demand of the former at the close of the sitting to be heard again for the purpose of repudiating the latter╒s version of the ex-President╒s attitude at what was represented to have been a moment of great national peril. But all anticipations in this respect fell far short of the reality, for before the Court re-assembled in the early hours of the morning a perfect panic was created by the perpetration of a dastardly outrage. An attempt, which very nearly proved successful, was made to assassinate one of the chief actors in the Dreyfus drama, the eloquent and distinguished advocate Maitre Labori, who, together with Maitre Demange, is engaged in conducting the prisoner╒s defence. As the learned gentleman was walking down to court, his cane in one hand and his ╥serviette,╙ as the morocco satchel which corresponds to the English barrister╒s brief bag is called, under his left arm, he was suddenly set upon by a disreputable-looking individual who has been lying in wait for him, and shot in the back with a revolver.
The scene of the attempt was the Quai Ch teaubriand, near the junction of the canal with the river Vilaine, about 1,000 yards from the Lyce where the Court-martial meets. Maitre Labori, who was accompanied by Colonel Piequart and that officer╒s brother-in-law, Mr. Gast, had just reached the bridge when the would-be assassin sprang out from his place of concealment and, coming up behind the advocate, fired a revolver in his back. A remarkable circumstances connected with the outrage is the fact that the learned gentleman was under police protection, but the officers, seeing that he was engaged in a very earnest conversation with his companions, held themselves at a respectful distance from the group, and were unable either to prevent the crime or to effect the arrest of the perpetrator, who took to flight along the towing-path and made good his escape. Some men who were unloading stones from a barge on to the quay attempted to capture the miscreant, who, however, pointed his revolver at them, exclaiming, ╥Let me pass; I have just killed Dreyfus.╙ Maitre Labori╒s two secretaries and a number of other people, including a score of mounted gendarmes, promptly set off in pursuit, but though the fellow was reported to have been run to earth in a field on the way to Ch teaugiron, the day went by without any news of his capture.
With regard to the unfortunate victim of the attack, Maitre Labori is a man of robust constitution, and though he for a few moments lost consciousness, he was able on regaining the use of his senses to remove his coat and vest unaided. It was then seen that the bullet had penetrated his flesh between the shoulder-blades.
