The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-09
FIVE DREYFUSES DEAD,
PARENTS KILL THEMSELVES AND
THEIR CHILDREN.
The Father, Supposed to ne . Cousin OF 'he
Famous Capt. Droyrus. wrote That His
win wished to Die with Hin-Determinea
That Their Children SHOULD Never Knew
Grief - Charcoal Fumes KILLED Them.
Special Gable De,patch to The SUN.

SDcc'dI CuOto DcfpuIch TO
PARIS, Nov. s.-A sensation was caused here
to-day by a report that the father, MOTHER ana
three sisters of ex-Capt. Dreyfus, who was oe-
graded from the army and sentenced to lire I'M
prisonment for bctraying French military Sc
crets to n foreign government, had been tound
dead from asphy xiatiou at their home, % Ave-
nue. Marceau. 1t was at once assumed by the
public that they had committed suicide because
OF the action OF the Cabinet on Saturday In re-
fusing to set aside the judgment OF :he court
martial which condemned Dreyfus.
Later 1t was denied that tho dead persons
were so closely related to Dreyfus. They GER
tainly were not his father, mother, and sisters.
as the man was only 10 years old and the woman
80. while the three girls were mere children.
There Is no doubt, however, that the death Of
the father and mother, at least, was sell. planned
and that the deed was due to money losses sus.
tanned by the head of the family.
The name of the suicides was Dreyfus. Apart
from their doubtful connection with the con.
demned so-called traitor" the tragedy is in
t~eresting in itself.
The man was n prosperous merchant. but his
family connections are somewhat conflicting
ly reported. 1t is asserted that his wife
was born Countess O'Hagerty, and that
she belonged to an old Irish family
who had been connected for generations
Win the french court. In the race OF TINS asser-
ton the fact is known that tho children were
entered upon a school register as being Israel
ties OF American origin.
The death Of the family was brought about by
the fumes OF charcoal burned in q braZier. Tho
father left four letters. ono Of which was
addressed 10 tho editor of tho Temps.
In it no declared that he was neither
wicked nor insane. lie had been ruined
by a rogue whom the law could not touch,
and he commended that he had a perfect
right to take his own life. After urging all who
are tired Of the world to follow his example. he
said: 1T requires q little courage, and then
all is over"
lie declared that his wife voluntarily yield.
ed her life, and then said: AS for my
children, the question Is moro delicate.
Not knowing what life is. they can
not choose for themselves. and as It be-
longs to mo to take the decision I
consider that l render them u service in not
leaving them alone in the world. These chill.
dren, whom / adore, have always been very
happy. They had nothing but happiness. and l
am determined that they shall not know grief. ="
The children were aged -. IL. and z years.
Families of the name of Dreyfus arc very
common in Paris. The fatherin-law OF
the convict Dreyfus says that he did
not know the suicides. Nevertheless, il
is supposed that the man who killed
himself WAS a cousin Of the ex-Captain. II
is said that he was affected by the disgrace
brought on his family by the conviction of his
cousin, and for that reason had lately adopted
the maiden name OF his wife.