Evening journal., 1897-12-06
FRANCE ALL AGOG.
Interest In Dreyfus Case Con
tinues Unabated.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS NEGLECTED.
Hot Words During n Debate In the
Chamber of Deputies Lead TO "A Duel
with Revolvers by Promi-
nent Newspaper Men.

PARIS, Dec. 6.-All political and So
cial interests continue to be merged in
the case Of Alfred Dreyfus, the former
captain Of French artillery who is al
legged to have been unjustly accused,
tried and Sentenced TO imprisonment
for life on the charge of having sold
important plans of the French war de-
partment to agents Of a foreign power
Everything else Is neglected, from the
famous Russian military band, which
. has been giving concerts to small au-
diences TO the booksellers, who COM
plain that no one reads anything but
the newspapers. The latter still devote
endless columns, in the biggest type, to
the affairs OF Dreyfus his friends and
enemies and everybody in any way con-
nected with the case. The conductor
Of a train which brought Mr. and Mrs.
Gladstone to Paris, on their way to the
south Of France. thought they were TO
appear as witnesses in the case. This
illustrates how Paris Is absorbed In the
matter. Everybody seems TO be mixed
up in the case, from the pope to En-
peror William of Germany, and syndi-
Gates and secret societies are said 10 be
hard at work spending millions on one
side or the other, and all France Is in
the throes of an agitation which is un-
parallelcd since the days Of Danton and
Robespierre.
According to The Daily Telegraph OF
London copies Of which paper have
been passed around here by those inter-
ested in the subject, person who IS
really behind the scenes" says: I'M
doubtedly some person or persons did
get very important facts regarding our
~.
municated them to the German war
Office within q fortnight after the de-
csion in question had been taken. If
the extent to which this odious treason
was committed and the results it has
produced in a neighboring country were
fully made known. 1 doubt whether
knowing my countrymen as I do, that
they would remain satisfied with the
punishment Of one man. They would
call for n radical change in the entire
| system, and possibly for more. This
| guilt may be brought home to another,
or to others, without necessarily esteb-
fishing the innocence of Dreyfus, who Is
! lost beyond help and hope"
The case of Dreyfus was discussed in
the chamber of deputies and occasion
ally gave rise 20 heated utterances. A
good majority of the deputies. however,
sustained the stand in the matter taken
! by the government.
a duel was fought yesterday between
NJ Mllleraud, the well known Socialist
deputy and editor of La Petite Repub-
lique Franchise, and NJ. Joseph Rel
mach, Conservative deputy for the dis
trict of Digne, a well known journalist
and author. editor of La Republique
Franchise. The encounter grew out Of
some hot words exchanged in the cham
ber yesterday during the Dreyfus de-
bate. Both men fired twice. Neither
was hit, and their seconds declared that
honor was satisfied.
The preliminary inquiry into the 'F,s-
terhazy affair" will be made by the mil
itary prosecutor attached TO the court
martial, according to the French Gus
tom, with the view OF determining
whether the charges warrant court
martial. It is expected the case viii
consume three weeks, and people are
now eagerly discussing whether the
court martial, if ordered, will be secre
or public. The preliminaries are al
ways private, but there Is great oppo
sition to the court martial taking place
in private, and the French officials als'
are believed to be In fear Of repeti
ton Of the unpopular phases Of th'
Dreyfus trial.