The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-08
{ DAILY, $40 A YEAR.
CENTS 4 COPY.
| WEEKLY 2-TlM MES-A-W EEK 81 A YEAR
DREYFUS LOST UNTIL DEATH.
CHANCE OF ESTABLISHING INNO-
CENCE VERY SLIM.

The Case Again Under Consideration
in the French Senate and senti-
ment Clearly Against the Impris-
Oned Captnin-Scheurer-II estner
Reviews the Case at Length anN
Fails tn Make Much Impressions
Gen. BiIIOt Repeats His Assertion
That Dreyfus Is Guilty.
Paris. Dec I'm anticipation of an excIt-
ing session of the Senate the precincts OF
the Luxembourg palace were crowded to-
day, and the police we're called into requi-
sition to keep the people moving. Thera
We're many ladies' and persons of promi-
nence in the galleries of the Senate and
there was a fun attendance of senators.
When the opening formalites had BEEN
concluded, the president, M. Lobel am
nounced that NJ. Scheurer- -Kestner, desired
to interpollate the government, in tha
persons of the premier, NJ. Meline. and
the minister OF war, Gen. Bill
lot, in regard to their declarations in
the chamber Of deputies on Saturday lass
on the subject of the alleged false imprls-
onment Of Alfred Dreyfus a former cap
tain Of artillery. convicted by court martial
of selling military secrets to the agents
of a foreign power.
The premier expressed his willingness to
answer any questions put to him and the
Senate decided to open the session forth-
with.
M. Scheurer-Iestner then reviewed tho
Dreyfus case at length. He traversed the
statement of NJ. Melue, relative 30 his
evidence that Capt. Dreyfus was unjustly
condemned, saying that although he had
not delivered the documents into the pre-
mIer's hands, he had shown them TO him.
Continuing, NJ. Scheurer-Kestner said he
had been violently attacked by a part OF
the press. but he had also found valiant
ana dislnterested help from members OF
both chambers, literary men and others.
II told M. Meline." said the speaker,
that he could publicly declare me mistak-
en-, if he could show proofs that Capt.
Dreyfus was guilty"
IN. Meline, however. refused to do so,
and also declined to consider my evidence
respecting the anonymous note. If Capt.
Dreyfus was not convicted on an anony-
MOUSE note. then he was convicted on evil
dence which was not communicated to tha
defense and who will dare to defend such
a procedure before this assembly, which.
only the other day in order to secure prls-
oners against the miscarriage of Justice,
voted reforms in the criminal procedureg'
NJ. Scheurer-ke esther then declared that
the government had refused a revision of
the trial, and asserting that the author
ship of the anonymous note was the crux
of1ci OF the whole question, he added that
he was certain that il was not written
by Capt Dreyfus, and asked that the
matter be re-examned. The speaker did
not wish to prejudice the results Of the
inquiry, but he asked IL the minister Of
war, Gen. Billot. had acted justly in pub
licly declaring Capt. Dreyfus guilty
M. Scheurer-k kestner concluded with
protest against those who had dragged
the honor Of the army into a judicial
matter"
M. Scheurer- Kestner read his speech In
a quiet, unimpassioned tone, emphasizing
the principal passages. When he referred to
the dlsinterested support he had received
from two newspapers accused Of beng sub
sidized by the friends of Capt. Dreyfus, al
storm Of Kisses followed, but he stood un-
dismayed until 1t subsided and them
went on.
The speech of M. Scheurer- Kestner was
frequently interrupted by murmurs and
there was little applause
The minister for war, Gen. Billot re-
piled that M. Scheurer-Kestner had subs
mitted to him no evidence. He had COM
tended the minister explained, that the
anonymous note was the basis of the
whole affair, and that II 1t was shown
not 10 have been written by Capt Drey-
fus, the latter ought to be accorded new
trial But the general, as minister of war.
could not go back on the gentlemen ON
the court martial, and he acted within his
right in declaring and repeating that Capt.
Dreyfus was guilty. (Cheers).
The present inquiry, continued the nin-
lister for war, did not concern Capt. Drey-
fus, but concerned Maj. Esterhazy. the
officer whose letters, bitterly rejecting up
on France and the French army were re-
Gently published by the Figaro. The war
office, he declared, had done It's duty and
the various documents, including the Bor-
derau, would be submitted to a commis@
sion OF inquiry.
In conclusion, Gen. Billot said: let jus~
tice accomplish its work and let us alI
think patriotically of the army of France
-S-11~-s-
SPAIN AND THE MESSAGE