The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21
WAS DREYFUS INNOCENT?
THE ALLEGED TRAITOR's CAREER
RECOUNTED BY A FRIEND.

40 10 !
THE ALLEGED TRAITORS CAREER
RECoUNTED By A FRIEND.
Hins, Family, ana Euabits or tho French Cap
tain Convicted OF sciIinE Army Secrets to
eernany-Grounds Tor DoubtinE Hts Guilt
HiEh Character OF the Men Fighting TOR Hin.
To THE EDITOR OF THE suN-Sir: As the Drey.
fus affair has entered on q new phase and
public opinion both in and out OF France has
been greatly excited on account Of the doubts
that have sprung up through the Intervention In
favor Of the prisoner of NJ. Scheurer-K %estner,
vice-Prosident of the French Senate, 1 venture
to send you some information about Capt. ORGY.
fus, with whom l have been on terms Of friend
ship from childhood, and at the same. timo my
opinion on his guilt or innocence.
Alfred Dreyfus was born at Mulhausen, in
Alsace, in October. 1859. In 1896 he entered
school in his native city and remained there m
til 1872. At that time the system Of teaching
was changed to German in all tho schools Of
Alsace, and Drcyfus was sent by his father to
the Ste. Barbe School in Paris to complete his
studies. During the scholastic year 1876
1877, when he was preparing for his examina-
ton for the degree Of bachelor Of science. not
being In very good health, he asked his father,
. rich cotton spinner Of Mulhausen, to allow
him to leave the school and return home. q
After working for three months in his fathers
factory. In spite of tho certainty of quickly
making for himself q brilliant position. he do
cided to take up again his studies and to try to
enter the Ecole Polytechnique of Paris. He 70.
turned to that city, passed his examination
successfully for tho bachelors degree in the
month Of November Of tho same year. and en-
tered the classes preparatory. for the great
school. to which no was admitted In the follow
ing year, 1878.
The statement Of these facts viii show you
that Droyfus rave mp voluntarily . commercial
career in which he might have obtained O po-
aition worth moro than 100000 francs o year,
90 his brothers did, In order to enter the Poly
technio School, to work there,hard and steadily,
with tho prospect Of devoting himself later to
the service Of his country q m officer with q
pay amounting to 1850 francs o year. This is
In reply to the attacks Of which he has been the
object In many newspapers which represented
him as greedy for money, and looking only af.
tor money.
He remained two years at the Ecole Poly.
technique. where he was but little liked by his
comrades; in fact, though Dreyfus was always
IN excellent comrade with his old friends and
with those Of whom he was especially fond. he
had o naughty, ~sneering and mookinE expres-
sion for all now acquaintance. That 10 the
cause of o certain Indifference with which many
condemnation which overwhelmed him later.
tached to the Fontainebleau School In 1880, left
that school in 1882 and was appointed Lieu
Mans. He was sent with a detachment to Paris
and remained there until he was appointed Cap
tain in 1889. Then he married Mile. Hademard,
Paris, and ! have always. heard 1t said that hiD
bride brought him . dowry Of 100000 franes.
him in possession Of his inheritance, which
wal . large one: He must certainly haye en-.
s 3 year. a. w aasi not sim q s sam naSS%I and nd c was de voted
TO HIS wife. He became q candidate for tho
School Of War. Eas admittsS: md lef. !, VT, M1 .
i zsss s e Wan s1aN, { 2ness !, 3. v eli t NOV :. 'A' MN
When he was tried several new1spapsrs A.
sais ssaAd Can't. brsyfus L tho Soanssst q, soss.
Jacques Dreyfas, IL over so yesrs Of ago. and
Empire, has had no military service to per
thieu D%reyfus,. although, ali their Interests are
military services In France, and both served IN
the Ninth Regiment Of Hussars ct Vesoul about
Hisss s Lt the E,sk 81 81 S sSs s tSsStas'n . sS sMfI n
ssshsT bad PrspsTsd Ios them 81 hls Sacsory;
an Important establishment In France ct Bel
f Sa1il II In The slq fg;s sSn q q the SsHlS Sessf oisS %Ss %as tho 3
sSs Eo 81 ] FG %,i;;se3 S.s.: = f a. ~ sn SiSsSs so 70
It % diiicult for me 70 give an Impartial opin-
i From aG sSs 1 1aS iSnso dSS fSa%s aiSSy SR ssIis sa%i
In the Captain'e innocence. and even If the in.
msSs II Par Ehi saou Il S Sos Sem %aSs az t thss inc he
- Innocent, ! should. remain firmly OF the same
never insult him By believing him capable Of
having committed the dreadful crime for
t Gs'f honesty eS T and perfeot good faith faith Of the t %SIUs
officers who formed tho council OF wal which
tSdgs sS. hiT indssa from %nv th nat but. + Sd Is a ;n9a1iihIS
may have formed their Judgment on documents
siSle that a frishtfqi judicial error was com:
Hitted; As the trial took place behind closed
the matter. Nevertheless, it is q matter Of
public n%otoristy that he was condemned on
the Ssn, evidence asns . OF the wg5a fSs nS Sssd Sr9 Ssser some .
wrapper which, it was alleged, had been found
In the office Of . foreign embassy, and that
opinions as to whether the writing. on the
wrapper yaS bis, two at least denied that they
W ssysni feIs sure ~ 81 that "a t this wrapper mu na' have ",
been. prepared for the occasion, but, unfortu-
nately. that is only q guess. :,
a. - u CASltcLiOuS W. Ia WIN uil
France was at the beginning OF tho trial must
DO borne in mind. The anti-Semitic party had
carry on against him and all. those of his religion
2 most violent campaign. It SCI. loose against
death. The mob had completely lost its head,
and II the unfortunate Captain had been de-
nyered to 1t, 1t would have torn him to pieces
without giving him the time to open his mouth.
The judges themselves, in spite OF their evil
dent honesty, and their desire to render q judg-
ment in accordance. with their consciencss.
may, they not have been In some degree i'm:
bued, In spite Of themselves, with the general
rage and hatred against the unfortunate ORGY.
The latter, nevertheless. had some courageous
friends who testified before the court-martial
IN m.a n,s l a ana these friends were oy no
came voluntarily TO defend him are men well
their high social position. Among them i shall
mention MN. GEORGES, Koechlin and Jean.
kaire. They came, without proofs, of course.
but came nevertheless. with the desire OF tell.
Ing the judges what they themselves thought
OF the accused man. what they felt, what they
were morally sure of, that in their houia and