The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-11-20
is DREYFUS
INNOCENT?:
A Thrilling Romance Presented In
His Case.
THE PLOT SAID TO BE CONCEIVED;
BY THE GANG OF so.CALLED.
JOURNALISTS AND sTocK-JoB-
BERS WHO BEsET THE LATE
MAN LEBAUDY-AN ALsATIANs
SERGEANT-MAJoR CoNFEssEs
TIE CRIME.

Paris, Nov. 19-The allegation that
Alfred Dreyfus, the former captain of
the French artillery, was falsely accused
and convicted by q court martial of SELL
ing French military plans to the agents
OF foreign governments continues to be
widely discussed in Paris and through
out France. From q person who is i'm
Che couusels of the family, the correspon-
deut of the Associated Press here learns
that their presentation of the prisoners
case to the French government reveals a
THRILLING romance, in which figures the
gang of so called Journalists" and the
stock johbers who beset the late Max Lee
Dandy, the millionaire conscript.
1t is claimed that the documents Drew
fus was charged with selling to Germany
were never really sold to the agents OF
that country, but were pre- pared in imita-
tion Of Dreyfus' Handwriting to blackmall
him. his wife being wealthy woman
and he himself being in good circum.
stances.
The plot, it would further seem, was
conceived in 1893, when the wave OF Jew
batting swept over Europe. Dreyfus is
OF Hebrew extraction, and these jackals
OF farisian society, casting about for
funds, determined TO "hleed this wealthy
Jew" beautiful adventures, whose
house was the resort of number of
French officers and foreign diplomats. is
snld to have acted as the go.between in
these shady transactions.
By Invitation DreyfuS was u frequent
visitor to her house. In due course of
time the plan for the mobilization of the
French army, which had been drawn up
In handwriting which cleverly initiated
that OF Dreyfus, was produced and mouey
was demanded for its surrender. Drey-
fus hLw ever, it is said, refused to nav
the sum demanded, knowing that the
purchase of the document would be an
adm ission of his guilt, aud would fur
nish ground tor future eNtortion, and be-
ing aware that the fact he had been inti-,
mnte with this woman who herself was,
II party to the plot, would be considered
part OF the strongest evidence of his
guilt.
Continuing, the friend of the Dreyfus
family explains that the newspapers
whose attaches were concerned in the
plot haze constantly maintained a war
rare agaiust Dreyfus even up to the pres
ent time. and that In consequences the
prisoners wife and family are Obliged to
keep secluded. Attempts have con-
stantly been made, it is alleged, to cxtort
admissions from them to be used against
Dreyfus, and it is also said that aivand
have been made to Nine. Dreyfus, WI
OF the prisoner, in behalf of the ant
- A"' p 49, oieriHS 10 cease all Oppl II
sit1on 10 his release ''fur consider.
ton"
Finally. it is said that the plan for TIL
mobilization of the French army, which
l'reytus is said to have sold to agents al
n foreign government. was n conparal
lively unimportant document, the fea
lures of which were in the possession Oh.
8ll foreign governments and was easily
fabricated by experts
Lesoir says that the absence of NJ.
Scheurer- kestner, who has forced the
government to reopen the case, from yes
terday's meeting of the Senate,is the sub
Ject OF general comment. A report is
prevalent that he was summoned in the
morning by NJ. Faure, who said TO him:
line documents III the Dreyfus case
have been brought to my notice l give
you my word of honor that they contaSn
irrefutahle proofs of guilt leg YOU.
therefore,, to cease this campaign, by
which you are compromising the repuh- 5
lie and yourself to no purpose"
Nj. Scheurer Kestners friends, how
ever, deny this story.
Later u formal contradiction has been
olver officially to the story put IN circnla-
ton by l.escir as to the alleged interview
to-day between NJ. Faure and NJ Scheu-
rerKestner.
London, Nov. ia dispatch from
Paris to the Daily Mail says that friends
OF Dreyfus assert that Count walsing
Esterhazy was assisted in his treason by
an Alsatian sergeant major, who is now
IN Alsace, and has made a full confess
sion