The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-12-10
THE CABINET WINS.
French Government Sustained
In the Dreyfus Case.
KESTNER SPEAKS IN THE SENATE.
Answering Him, the Minister of War
Declares No Evidence Submitted and
Reiterates His Belief That the Con-
demned Captain Is Guilty.

Oemut0 NhptAtn
PARIS, Dec. S.-The cabinet decided
to answer in the senate the interpella-
ton regarding the Dreyfus scandal and
to allow all the discussion desired. 1t
was believed the order of the day would
be voted, as was the case in the cham
Der of deputies, and that. therefore, the
governments action in the matter
would be sustained.
A band of law students assembled in
front of the Luxembourg palace, where
the senate sits, and engaged in an anti
Dreyfus demonstration. They traversed
several streets in Indian file, shouting
Down with Scheurer!" Down with
the senate" "Down with The Figaro"
and Down with Zola!" The police,
however were able to keep the crowds
moving.
There We're many ladies and officers
in the galleries of the senate and the
whole hall was crowded.
When the opening formalites had
been concluded. the president, NJ Lou
bet announced that NJ. Scheurer Kest-
.ner, one of the four vice Presidents, de-
sired to interpelate the government in
the persons of the premier, Nj. Meline,
and the minister for war, General Bill
lot, in regard to their declarations in
the chamber of deputies on Saturday
last on the subject of the alleged false
imprisonment of Alfred Dreyfus. a for
mer captain of French artillery. con-
victed by court martial of selling i'm
portant French military secrets to the
agents of foreign power.
The premier signifled his readiness to
answer the questions put to him. and
the senate decided to open the discus
sion forthwith.
NJ. Scheurer Kestner then arose and
reviewed the Dreyfus case at length.
He traversed the statement of NJ. Me-
line relative to his evidence, saying
that although he had not delivered the
documents into the premier's hands. he
had shown them to him.
Continuing, NJ. Scheurer Kestner said
he had been violently attacked by
part Of the press; but, he added. he had
also found valiant and dislnterested
help from members of both chambers.
literary men andeythers, adding:
II told NJ Meline he could publicly
declare me mistaken if he could show
proofs that Dreyfus was guilty. M.
Meline, however, refused to do so. and
also declined to consider my evidence
respecting the anonymous note If
Dreyfus was not convicted on the anony-
nous note, then he was convicted on ev-
idence which was not communicated to
the defense, ard WHO wiIhdare to defend
such a procedure before this assembly,
which, only the other day, in order to
secure prisoners against the miscar-
riage of justice voted reforms in the
criminal procedure?"
NJ. Scheurer Kestner then declared
that the government had refused re-
vision of the trial and asserted that
the authorship of the anonymous note
was the cruX of the whole question. He
added that he was certain it was not
written by Dreyfus, and asked that the
matter be re-eXamined The speaker
did not wish to prejudice the results of
the inquiry, but he asked If the minis
ter for war, General Billot, had acted
justly in publicly declaring Dreyfus to
be guilty.
M. Scheurer Kestner concluded with
protesting against those who had
dragged the honor of the army into
judicial matter"
M. Scheurer Kestner read his speech
in quiet unimpassioned tones, empha-
sizing the principal passages. When he
referred to the disinterested support he
had received from two newspapers ac-
cused of being subsidized by the friends
of Dreyfus, a storm of Kisses followed,
but he stood undismayed until it sub
sided and then went on.
The minister for war General Billot,
replied that NJ. Scheurer Kestner had
submitted to him no evidence. He had
contended, the minister explained, that
the anonymous note was the basis Of the
whole affair and that if it was shown
not to have been written by Dreyfus,
the latter ought to be accorded a new
trial. But the general as minister for
war. could not go back on the judgment
of the court martial and he acted with
in his right in declaring and repeating
that Dreyfus was guilty.
At the end of the discussion the SEN
ate unanimously voted the order OF the
day in favor of the government.
The impression in the lobbies after
the close of the debate and the adoption
of the motion was that NJ. Scheurer
Kestners defense had received death
blow.