The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19
TARDY FRENCH JUSTICE.
AN ERROR OF LONG 400 THAT HAS
NOT BEEN SET RIGHT TET.
struggle or tire wire ara sep Of Pierre vaux
60 vindicnte His Memory-Eze wee Gen.
victed Ferty.two Years Ago ana Dice In
Prison-Ths Courts ConrtderinG Hts Case.

20 Yiua,cate His Menory-EHe was Con.
victed Ferty.two Years Ago ana Dice In
Prisop-The Courts CouuiderisE Hais Case.
PARIS. Dec. 11.-A good many people,
among them somo Frenchmon, arc curious to
know what attitude the French Government
would take In the case Of Capt. Dreyfus should
that much.talked.of officer be found innocent Of
the'crimo with which no is charged. Most per-
sons, doubtless. would venture the opinion that
his liberation would DO instant; but, TO a man
acquainted with the French judicial system. at
least, that conclusion might seem o little hasty.
French law, In the eyes Of the Government
that maintains 1t, is hallowcd by tho principle
that Is said to have been laid down IN the case
OF Mrs, CGsar, and its announcement, more
over. is d matter of such delibcration that 1t
takes a power equal TO moving heaven and
earth TO set aside a decree once made. A judi.
cial backdown, such as is consequent upon the
acknowledgment Of error, is considered In
France not only undignihed, but positively
bad form. The Court Of Cessation usually goes
through some long.drawn. out evolutions In red
tape for the purpose of evading II, and 1t 10
often successful. Tho English Court of Chan
Gerry has long enjoyed an honorable reputation
MS tho most conspicuous example Of the en-.
bodimcnt Of procrastination extant, but that is
only because the Court Of Cessation 10 not 30
well known. There can DO no question as to
which merits the palm.
Notwithstanding the infallibfity arrogated
by the French Judiciary, judicial errors are far
from uncommon, and a half dozen of the past
few months, the victims Of which are not yet
,rehabilitated, might be cited as instances Of a
very disturbing state of affairs. Even moro
salient is a case which is about TO come up for
final, II tardy, settlement before the Court Of
Cassation-a case which, II Capt Dreyfu, were
in a position to hear Of II, would doubtless
- H. A-..f-, A--tr a.. "a - -
progress Of affairs Improvement upon which
he would have no right to expect. This case
Is an appeal to the court to clear the memory
of an innocent man who was sent for life to the
penal colony Of French Guiana just forty-hve
years ago, and died in captivity In 1879.
Three years after the sentence, or in 1855, the
mans innocence was proved. and the court
was asked TO set aside the sentence. The court
received the papers in the case. and has been
eravely considering them ever since. 1t 10
considered certain that now, after weighing the
question with unhurried impartiality. week in
and week out for q matter Of forty years. the
majesty Of the French law will permit It's in.
terpretcrs to declare judicially the innocence
of the man 1t made its victim.
5 This case. too, Notwithstanding the seeming
pleasantly In the statement, has been expedited.
The unfortunate convict was Pierre yaux. the
Years been sitting in the Chamber Of Deputies.
fEe son has spcnt the best years of his life in
RIatSSna9's m 1ns SpPea and i' The ene eo rsSri y HE f al hIs
name, and notwithstanding the Influence that
his position has given him kis only nov that he
obstacles in the path of the legal stage coach.
Srtth, the lapse S}@e 0 Of yeTSTis s but 5iG,d few are r., l fse icon.
aithongh discussed enough. is one OF the isst
Pierre vaux, the convict, was bor= In 1921
in the department Of Saone-et-Lnire. The son
OF . lahorer. he and his brothers were brought
I~ettivea scant education. At the age OF is ho
was apprenticed to a. m.Ker Of wooden shoes,
l end # ns' h shsn.tfat A h 81 sGaS isissss En- tIs. idea Ss at &
voted to study, and, wholly unaided. he made
such T~5ogress that at the end Of -four years ho
soon became a leader in local politics. young Is
Hugo and Lamsrtine. When the republican
became It's recognized. mouthpiece in the de-.
pps snsa mt b shehr saH. G G9 nj P.r safif Sc s.g grG Sa'a
office and was noted as q fiery orator in the vii.
lage councils. Meanwhile he had married and
testified d0W yOr TO- t. farming ntndrIfv and md Was Sas. eE,e{5 y, yl...'
when sus sSsSiiY. the coup j d $:st%.'i came Co. Ssa;
wanted to be Mayor. 50 he sought these friends.
Grm him. 4 few days after this defeat { . ire
oOSuErcd IL tno SlllbRc IN WHICH nc IlF0u. IL
was followed BY, a second q week later ana by,a
.hird at q short interval. The Villagers were in
ine sensdii !! ERIE The PeGnose w sas n spres %f. 1h Rlsia ths
reyalutionists had sworn to burn every village
IN nas shs la1 iasd Sne y SHORTY Sas sI Rs'RtsS # h as w ths e. e
ood.for;nothin suspected Of theft and even
at the accusation. yaux was arrested. tried
rnd convicted upon the evidence Of GalIemerd.
friend arrested as IN accessory, to penal seryi-
tude for life. and was transported to Cayenne.
morse. confessed that he had perjured himself.
ana sfS that 1t va h no. who had started the fires;
before being brought'to trial. An appeal was
g. once taken in the case Of vauxs and II was
year passed. and nothing was done; the august
Court OF Cessation was still considering the ap.
p pSse m SssoT TaSx inp w = nnd to scsO her r husband nn;
bn, that was denied her, Meanwhile The CON.
wrote home constantly, telling his wife 81 his
love for her and his children, and bidding her
he wrote. land now my beloved country viii
f fSt. me free; be patient and all will be we'll
great justice Of the law which kept him in
SS' the terrible rasRs e fiiHaassi q the he str ,iac q %fruitless
hoping, or the Court Of Cessation.
stain in' upon m'saoG ais e sSs %e Mas si@ sfil tS Eas DEAD Fl. es she
dren were branded rs the offspring of a feIon.
}nht, al Inc 1me: the Court Of Cessation was
stain. and to establish a legal Endorsement of
honorable parentago for his children. Things
had to be considered. Did the man who con.
tossed really mean TO contest And was he
telling the truth when he confessodi Thou.
sands Of similar, questions. Of course. presented
s~iona!cly and judicially. II was a great lob
for the, Court of Cessation. but soon 1t will
forty-two years span. and the. present Pierre
veuN will know that In the eye of the law his
father never really set the.hrcs for which he was
arrested by the police of Napoleon III. In 1852.
. This tale. II II could be made known 10 him.
might furnish Cant. Dreyfus material for many
days thought; and there would DO no question
or his having the limo at his disposal.