The evening times., 1898-09-19
DREYFus aAGNHNG FRIENDS.
Strong Sentiment Lin His Favor
Prominent I'm America.

II
Strong Sentiment lin His Favor
Prominent I'm America.
Agitation in favor of securing new
trial for Capt. Albert Dreyfus, the French
cavalry officer, whose degradation and
subsequent impriAonnsSnt on the lie du
Diable, on a charge of having sold French
military secrets to the German imperial
government, has rcaqsed several crises
in France, has been started in America.
The center Of this movement Is in
New York, where there are many pro-
Dreyfusites among rich and influential
Hebrew merchants, and all are vi
tally Interested in the present ag-
itation. Among the men who are
most prominently mentioned as be-
ing interested In this movement for the
procuring Of new trial is Joseph III.
Fink. a diamond dealer of considerable
! wealth, whose place of business is at No.
| 49 Maiden Lane.
Among the adherents to the belief that
Dreyfus is innocent Is Capt c. j. r. Saol-
kowsky, of No. 1913 1 Street, this city,
and he is also strongly in favor of the
| granting of new trial for the famous
| military prisoner.
Capt. Saolkowsky Is a Pole by birth,
| an officer of the French cavalry in Afri-
| CT by profession, an American by prefer
| ence. and he is now employed in the
quartermasser generals office at the War
| Department.
Il knew Capt. Dreyfus, the finest ar
| tillery officer in the French service he
said in an interview; "in the year 1878,
| when l was a subaltern, l was er.ertain-
| ed at his house. About eighteen years
ago l resigned from the French army,
and since that time have been living in
this country. My home is in Buffalo.
THE trial of Capt Dreyfus for selling
| military knowledge to the Germans fell
like a thunderboft. 1t was the result of
| q strong anti-Semitic movement in
| France. Now, there is no honest officer
| in the French army who does not be-
! lieye in the innocence of Capt Dreyfus
| That he is a much-malisned man / am
| certain The basis of this whole Drey-
| fus affair lies. in my own opinion. in two
| things. In the first place, he is Jew.
and that is undoubtedly the reason why
| the prominent staff officers of the French
| army plotted conspiracy against him
! Besides that. his father and his family
| were violent Bonaparists, or Imperial
| lists, as they are called in France, and
this fact induced certain high officers
| in the French service TO concoct scheme
| against him.
II can state with most positive assur-
| ing used in putting on foot in this coun-
| try strong movement in favor of Drey-
| fuS. / am not allowed to say who the
| originatorS of IL are but that there Is
| such a movement and of a vaStness and
| strength that would surprise most Amer
| leans is an assured fact l am glad to
| see that all good Americans seem sure
| that Capt. Dreyfus Is innocent.
| Il have no doubt that the entire scheme
was concocted by those who were loudest
in their condemnatiens of Hebrews IN
| Paris. There is one thing that l do not
believe in connection with recent devel-
| opments in the case and that IS the re-
! ported suicide of Col. Henry. / think
| some one made away with him. In fact,
| he put out of the way because he
| knew too much that was discriminating
| against the accusers of DIVyfus. He him.
self was one of the principal witnesses in
the case and undoubtedly did much TO as
sist in prosecuting him.
The officers OF the general staff in
| Paris are becoming frightened, and, an
| other thing. the people that shouted so
| loudly against Dreyfus are now as
strongly in favor of a revision of the
| case. AS for Emile Zola, who acted SO
! bravely and boldly for Dreyfus. he Is one
| of the truest of men as well as being a
| great author. He takes the proper view
| Of the whole matter.
What had Dreyfus TO gain by selling
| military information to Germany? 1t
| could not have been desire for money
| that made him do ii He was rich and a
| millionaire. II could not have been am
| bition. for there was nothing to gain in
that line except the name OF traitor. 1t
Is entirely absurd to think that Dreyfus
had any motive at all for such a crime
| against the French government: and
that he did not do 1t. but was cast
into prison through the plotting of anti
Semistic accusers, will ultimately be
proven.
"And If there is not a new trial, and
now l am speaking after long delibera-
| ton on the subject, there will certainly
| be a revolution in France The people as
| a mass will see that Justice Is granted,
| and the better class Of men of the French
army will try TO prove the honor of the
| French officer by obtaining a new trial.
which will completely clear Capt. Drey-
| fus."