The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1897-12-02

martial of selling French military plans
to the agents of foreign government,
| continues to be widely discussed in Paris
and throughout France. The presenta-
tion of the prisoners case to the French
Government, which caused the present
agitation, reveals a romance with the
| gang" of so-called Journalists and
stock jobbers who beset the late Max
Lebaudy, the millionaire conscript.
| The plot, it would further seem, was
| conceived in 1898, when the wave of
Jew batting" swept over Europe. Drey-
! fus is of Jewish extraction, and these
| jackals of Partisan society, casting about
! for funds, determined to bleed this
wealthy Jew" A beautiful adventures,
whose house was the resort of a number
of French officers and foreign diplomats,
is said to have acted as the go-between
in these transactions.
By invitation Dreyfus was 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 money
was demanded for its surrender. Drey-
fus, however. it is said. refused to pay
chase of the document would be an ad-
mission of his guilt and would furnish
ground for future extortion, and being
aware that the fact that he had been
friendly toward the woman, who herself
was a party to the plot, would be consid-
cred part of the strongest evidence of his
guilt.
Friends of Dreyfus assert that the
newspapers have constantly maintained
n warfare against Dreyfus, even up to
the present time, and that in consequence
the prisoners wife and family are obhg-
ed to keep secluded.
Alfred Dreyfus is now enduring the
most terrible punishment inflicted by
civilized nation upon human being. -Four
wears ago he was rich, brilliant Partisan,
a captain in the army, attached to the
general staff Suddenly he was arrested
and without legal procedure condemned
bv a council of war to exile for life in
French Guiana. He was charged with
betraying French military plans to for
eign government, understood to be the
German. The sole evidence against him
WAS a brief note, alleged to have been
found in the waste paper basket of the
German embassy.
Although the trial of Dreyfus was alb
solutely secret. his condemnation was of
the most public character conceivable.
The unfortunate man was taken to the
Champ de Mars, the largest parade
ground in Paris, where 1000 troops We're
drawn up in line. Dreyfus stood in the
midst of them. After the Judgment Of
the council of war had been read, lieu
tenant took the sword of DreyfuS and
broke it across his knee. and then cut the
buttons, epaulets and other marks of mill
tary rank from him.
Then he was sent to his place of exile,
the Devils Island, off the coast Of French
Guiana. in South America. There yell
low fever is permanent. On this island
he is condemned TO spend the rest of his
life, watched day and night by three old
soldiers. not one of whom may ever speak
to him. I4atterly his hut has been inclos-
ed in large iron cage, in order that all
possibility of escape may be removed.
Compared to this the life imprisonment
of an ordinary criminal is merciful. Drey-
fus is certainly being tortured to death.