The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-09-22
N. C. Baptist.

BY PROF. GORRELL OF WAKE FOREST.
N C. Baptist.
AS was walking along the bou]e-
wards of Paris one morning, my atten-
ton was directed to hundreds OF pink
placards about two inches square past
ed on booths, trees, fences, and all
prominent objects along the sidewalk.
Impelled by curiosity l read several
and found them to be the most violent
and lnflammatory TRADES against the
Jews, urging all Frenchmen to unite
against them, and ending with this
stirring exhortation "Chossey les
Juifs de la Potrie." Drive the Jews
out of the country
The same unreasonable and Gas this
incident shows) contemplate anti
semitic feeling, together with the idol
ization of the army, has led the French
to commit, and the French people to
justify, an action, which, in its utter
lack of justice and fairness. stands
without parallel in the annals OF civil
zed nations.
The statement OF the case is about
as follows: In the summer and early
autumn of 1894, grave suspicious arose
among the French military authorities
that there was divulgence of some
important official secrets to Germany.
A strict watch was instituted about the
German embassy in Paris, and the con-
tents of the waste-basket specially ex-
amined. At last there was found an
unsigned memorandum or bordereau,
which ran about as follows: CATER a
good deal of trouble I have succeeded
in getting some information which
give to you then follow several secrets
relative to the equipment and man@u-
vres OF the French army. Experts
we're at once set to work to compare
the handwriting with that of proml-
nent French officers and upon this
ground they arrested a young artillery
captain by the name OF Alfred Drey-
fus. Dreyfus was at that time prob
ably the most brilliant artilIerist in the
army he was reared in Alsace, OF Ger
man ancestry, and had the misfortune
to be Jew, but by his superior talents
had risen to most responsible position
in military circles. Upon his arrest
be strenuously denied the charge and
asked to be allowed to defend himself
and to show proofs of his innocence.
All this was denied him the trial be
fore the Military Board was conducted
in the most secret manner possible.
The evidence against him was kept
from the public for fear OF internatlon-
al complications, said his accusers, and
the deienceless Jew was condemned to
life-imprisOnment In solitary confne-
ment on Devil Island off the coast of
French Guiana. AS the prisoner was
brought back to his cell, 1t is said be
was offered a revolver by the author
tiles in order that he might commit
suicide and so end it all, but Dreyfus
stoutly refused, adding that he felt
assured that before the lapse of three
years his innocence would be proved
and he would be liberated.
From all that can be learned, the
condemnation of Dreyfus was based on
the resemblance of his handwriting to
that of the bordereau; and yet it is
known that of the five experts who ex
amined the writing, two declared that
Dreyfus could not have written it, and
OF the three who decided against him,
one said that the great differences
found were due to the Jews attempt
to disguise his style. The military
authorities acknowledged also that a
most decisive piece of evidence was a
letter written by a German attache to
the Italian attache, in which reference
was made IN suspicious manner to a
certain D.-eupposedIy Dreyfus About
this statement will be made later on.
The quiet, studious, home-loving
captain was transported tn. his living
tomb the people shouted Down with
the Jew the army was satisfied and it
seemed that all was over.
Apd all would have been over, had
not Dreyfus had devoted wife and
wealthy and influential relatives who
determined to leave no stone untu1ned
to set matters right. Early in 1897,
Matthew Dreyfus, the brother of the
prisoner, made some discoveries which
convinced him that the real traitor was
an officer OF VIGOROUSLY evil character,
named Count Esterhazy. He denounc-
ed him publicly and coated so great
agitation that the Council of War was
compelled to try Esterhazy the trial
again took place behind closed doors
and resulted in his acqulttal, to the
Oroot 6o1iuh& If tho or,or, cd af IL.