Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-26

Ard these details
present an ensemble
as mysterious as any other part Of the
mysterious affair. Since the beginning Of
1877 Dreyfus has been in solitary con.ine-
ment, without a view of either land or sea
He has even been in irons. The govern
ment has furnished him only with rations
of goats milk and bread. And. though the
DreyfUs family is allowed to send him stip-
ulated monthly sums for extra food and
other comforts in tropical climate tho
great mass Of This money has accumulated
-Gnused-to the amount of $1.4o0.
One of the most curious documents that
have come to light is Il page from the ac-
count book of the firm at Cayenne from
whom all the monthly Purchases of Drey-
1uS are effected. When 1t is remembered
that his only ratIons are goats milk and
bread. this meaSer list Of thirty days pro-
visions is eloquent of an economy that can
scarcely be voluntary. and IL presents viz
Idly the dilemma Of Il refined man forced
to make choice between health cleanliness
comfort-and nourishment.
Months supply.
One liter Of wood alcohol, for cooking.
two bottles of orange flower water. three
pots of preserved butter. TWO pounds Of
chocolate, two boxes of cheese. six bottles
of soda water, two bottles of mineral water
six pairs of socks. two pounds OF tohacco
fifty cigars. one wooden pipe, two large
boxes of matches. one large package of
writing paper, two packages of candles
one bottle Of granirla ted koia, 10 pounds ~
soap, two pairs of white cotton trousers
and six white handkerchiefs.
Other months showed orders for canned
meats and vegetables. Excepting Away
the goats milk and bread. the prisoner has
lived on these canned goods since early in
when oil Rp.
ment WIS begun. He might buy fresh meal
and vegetables but ii is said he will nor
cook them. Between Dreyfus and the di-
recteur of the administration Denitentiaire
there has been silent struggle going on
a struggle in which Dreyfus always gels
the worst of it
Seven miles ont in the ocean. twenty
seven miles northwest of CAYENNE IL the
three Salvation Islands. side by side and
separated only by two narrow channels
The He Roylle. almost ii mile long "on-
tains a little colony Of convicts. IT, lie
Saint Joseph contains some stores ami
small station Between them lies the H..
dbl Diable, inhabited by only Drey fuIs ana
his guards. 1t is I sun-blistered little is
land, bare Of trees except for one small
grove. Down on its lowest barest shore,
far from the grove of trees. there is a
wooden tower. Enon its ton there Is ::
HotchkiSs gun. beside the wooden tow -r
there is wooden house. surrounded by a
high, broad porch. This is the habitat lion
a high palisade, az high as the first story
OF house. Within the palisade ,ere is "A
hut. 1t is within the palisade that Drevfus
lives. The hut is his prison. and the ground
within the palisade his prison ward. H.,
sees only the sky.
His Daily Routine
The paiisade the hut. the house. the
porch and tower have all been photograph
ed and Traveller who got his informa ion
"A te l.aS
life that Dreyfus leads. At g am one of
the guards unocks the hut door. and the
prisoner may walk into his yard. H. takes
the air. He looks up at the sky. AMI then
ne walks From II am. till noon Ia. H.
locked ND again Ii is his lunch ho.lr
FROM noon till > J.. m. he may walk in his
yard again. He takes The ,.ir. He looks In
at the sky. And then he walks. AFRO th,n
he IS locked UP in the hu5 again TIL neHt
morning. Within the hut he has his room
to clean. his bed to make his dishes TO
Keep Clean. his daily cooking to be done
his books to read. his writing paper ami MS
pencils. Occupied hour after hour I'm ali
StruSe architectural calcgla tionS-archits:
ture is his favorite study Dreyfus l. heard
now and then to murmur his two ia ruri-e
phrases, That goes well and Nov II
VIII not be long. The guards never speak
to him. He never SPEAKS 20 mem. He has
refused 10 have any word With the peniten-
tiary administrator Nor would he ;,ily
to the governor of & Iidna when he care to
see him.
Might Have Escaped.
1t was not always thus. Curing the .rsx
two years of his life on the sun-baked Ii,r;a
island Dreyfus enjoyed what NJ Rober-
deau. the governor. has called a bien-erre
reiauf-''a relative well being" He then
inhabited A cabin, in which they had kept
a herd OF goats a little cabin on A bluff
beside the only grove Of trees. His guards
lived in larger building that had seen a
"A A n i.FlaF 1..-l L.
he roamed about, collecting bugs and sea-
Weed IN the cool hours. reading and writing
III his grove when il was hot He had his
1000 from the canteen of the lie Royale.
During these first two years. the COVER
nor himself is credited with having said in
moment of indiscretion. THE prisoner
was permitted liberties SO difficult TO ex-
PLAIN that they might we'll authorize GER
tain suDpositions. 1t would be curious to
seek along this line as d psychologists -
Guarded by men Of experience, owing no
allegiance to the authorities at Cayenne
and acting under direct Instructions from
Paris. Dreyfus, nevertheless, was allowed
to roam about the island as he pleased con-
unuaiiy tempted to engage in plans for an
esoape AT low tide the rocky shore of the
lie du Dlable Is separated from that of the
lie Royaie by less than loo yards of chan
mel Across it Dreyfus often talked with
lnGiN EQUALS from Cayenne. He consistently
refused their offers of assistance. Did h.
lear trap? Did Dreyfus fear he would be
shot escaping? Or, conscious of his inno-
cence, had he resolved to wait in PATIENCE
1t Is the common talk at Cayenne. among
a population more in sympathy with the
conVlcts than their jailers, that he might
easily nave been rescued any time within
the hrst two years IF he only wouldt' is
the continued phrase which travellers hear
In wlne-shop conversations now that the
revision has unsealed mems lips. IF he.
had given million. he could have been
rescued at any time! The million and the
rescue are Synonymous.
Possibility of Rescue
one individual Of Cayenne a liberated
convict named Dupont, now acting as a
petty money lender in and out the penal
settlements, even made trip to Paris TO
propose plan to the Dreyfus family He
vas received by Mime. Lucie Dreyfus, but
she would not comprehend On the other
hand, she was extremely anxious 20 en-
ploy him as her agent at Cayenne. with a
view of softening her husbands captivity.
He would be her known and official cor
respondent, accepted by the peuiteutiary
authorities. This position the good man
refused, because 10 be the known agent of
the Dreyfus family would have hurt his
business. The man chosen later Paul Du-
fourg. a negro baker and confectioner. has
earned his money.
Some time after the arrival of Dreyfus
at the islands, he said recently 10 lean