Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-05
THE DREYFUS CASE.
ALL OTHER PARIS INTERESTS
MERGED THEREIN.
AN ESTERHAZY INVESTIGATION
Charges Against the French Major
to BE Officially Inquired Into-The
Matter I'm the Chamber of Depu-
tiea-Prospective Duel n Result.
Copyrighted. 1897. by the Associated
Press)

social interests continue TO be merged in
the case of Alfred Dreyfus, the former
captain OF French artillery, who is al1
legged to have been unjustly sentenced
TO Imprisonment for life, on the charge
Of having sold important plans Of the
French War Department to agents OF a
foreign Power. Everything else is neg
lected. The journals still devote endless
columns in the biggest type to the affairs
of Dreyfus, his friends, his enemies, and
everybody else in any way connected
with the case. Everybody seems to be
mixed up in the case, from the Pope to
Emperor William, Of Germany. and syn
dicates and secret societies are said to be
hard at work, spending millions on one
side or the other, and all France is In
the throes Of an agitation which is I'M
paralleled since the days OF Danton and
| RobesDierre.
According to the Daily Telegraph, of
London, on Thursday last, copies Of
which paper have been passed around
here by those interested in the subject
a person who is really behind the
scenes says: Undoubtedly some per-
son or persons did get very important
| facts regarding our plans Ohe French
military plans) and communicate them to
the German War Office within fort
night after the decisions In question had
been taken. If the extent to which this
odious treason was committed, and the
results 1t has produced in neighboring
country We're fully made known, L doubt
whether, knowing my countrymen as
do flntr
punishment of one man. They would call
for radical change in the entire system.
and possibly for more. This guilt may be
brought home to another, or to others,
without necessarily establishing the inno-
cence of Dreyfus, who is lost beyond help
and hope"
A COURT-MARTIAIA
The Military Governor Of Paris. General
Saussier, has ordered the formation of
a court-martial to examine into the
charges brought against Count Ferdinand
Walsin Esterhazy, the retired major in
the French army, who is accused of
writing the letter which brought about
the sentencing of Dreyfus to imprlson-
| ment for life, and who is alleged To have
admitted the authorship of letters pub
lished by the Figaro recently rejecting
| upon France and the French army.
The Journal says that the decision Of
| General Saussier Is based upon the de-
cision Of General Pellier who was ap-
pointed by the Minister Of War to ex-
anime into the charges brought against
Count Esterhazy, and which is as follows:
80 far as Dreyfus is concerned, the case
has been tried. No new fact has been
brought out, and no new document has
| been submitted during the course of the
To a raxrfcf Of ba frfq
In consequence, there is no ground for
proceeding against Count EsterhaZy, so
far as regards the crime of high trea-
son, for which Alfred Dreyfus was con-
demned. Both sides profess to be pleased
with the announcement"
The. anti-DreyfusianS contend that the
order of General Saussier cannot be con-
strued as implying doubt as 10 the va
lidity of the sentence imposed upon Drey-
fus, and that the Esterhazy inquiry IS
not concerned with the Dreyfus case, but
is merely a sequel TO the inquiry Of
General Pellier.
On the other hand, the Dreyfusians as
sert that the inquiry will necessitate the
Introduction of expert evidence concern
ing the handwriting of the memorandum
which convicted Dreyfus, proving 1t TO be
Esterhazy's, and they also propose to in
troduce evidence that documents which
were not submitted for the inspection OF
Dreyfus or his counsel at the time of his
trial by court-martial were communi-
Gated to the officers composing the court.
There seems TO be no doubt that this
was done, and lawyers who have been
questioned on the subject claim that 1t
invalidates the court-martial.
The investigation into the Esterhazy
affair will be made by the military Of
llcers attached to the court-martial. 1t
is said the case will consume three weeks,
and the people are now eagerly discuss
ing whether the court-martial, If ordered,
will be secret or public. The prelimi-
naries are always private; but there is
great public opposition TO the court-mar-
tails taking place in private, and the
French officials, also, are believed to be
in fear of repetition Of the unpopular
phases of the Dreyfus trial.
DREYFUS CASE IN CHAMBER.
The case of Dreyfus was discussed in
the Chamber of Deputies to-day, and oc-
casionally gave rise TO heated utterances.
A good majority of the deputies, how
ever, sustained the position taken by the
government
NJ Andre Castelin, representing the
district OF Laon, editor of the Cocarde.
of the late General Boulanger, brought
the matter up by asking the Premier, NJ
Meline. to reassure the public, especially
the army, on the subject, to which the
Premier replied: There is no Dreyfus
affair, and can be none"
General Bilot, the Minister OF War,
was summoned, and he was soon placed
in possession of the facts In the case.
In his reply to the deputies he spoke in
decidedly warm tones. Among other
things he said:
''The Premier has already told you that
there was no such thing as the Dreytus
case. A year ago, upon an Interpolation
by NJ. Castelin, the War Minister ayailed
himself of the opportunity TO say that
Dreyfus had been fairly tried and unani-
mously condemned by seven Of his equals,
on the evidence Of twenty-seyen officers.
(Applause) The government, when ques-
toned a few days ago, declared through
the Minister of War that they considered
that Dreyfus had been regularly ana
justly tried.
For myself, In my soul and conscience,
as a soldier and chief of the army, re-
gard the sentence as just. Dreyfus Is
guilty" (Applause)
The Minister of War then repeated the
remarks Of the Premier concerning Ester
hazy, and he ended with general express
sion Of regret at the fact that he had 10
means OF dealing with the 'calumnies
against the CHIEF of STAFF" and begging
the Chamber 10 assist in bringing the
"odious campaign" to an end.
Seven resolutions were proposed. That
of NJ. Henri de Lavert Republican,. rep
resenting the District OF Saint Yrieux.
THAT the Chamber respect judgment
passed. and sympathizing with the hon.
age rendered to the army by the Minister
- xUar ,assas IN the order of the dav"