The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-14
NJ. lola RAISES A STORM.
HIS VIOLENT LETTER sBNT 10 TEE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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They make Bonnres er the Paper Contain.
ing His Letter. asa Wsuid lake te Drive
Hina Ont-RsterhnHY en- the Retired List.

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las uis Letter. asa weuid lake 20 Drive
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Special Cable DsspateA to TIE sUx.
PARIS, Jan. lathe latest development in
the Droyfus affair was the placing to-day on the
retired list Of the army of Major Count Estor-
hazy. who was acquitted Tuesday by q court
martial of the charges OF having betrayed
French military secrets and OF having written
unexpectedly Of France and the French Army.
In tho Chamber of Deputies to-day Comte do
Mum, the leader Of tho Church party, Interpret
lated the Government in reference to the open
letter to President Faure written by NJ. lola,
tho novelist, who is q warm partisan Of Dreyfus.
In this letter, which was printed to-day In the
Aurore. NJ. Clemenceau's organ, M. lola at
tackled every General who was engaged in the
Esterhazy affair. and charged Gen. Billot. Min
lister of War, and several others with perjury.
In conclusion. M. lola invited tho Government
to prosecute him for his utterancos. Comte do
Nun desired to know what the Government In
tended to do in the matter.
Prime Minister Moline replied that the Gov
eminent would remit the letter to the Depart
ment of Justice. and that q similar course would
be followed in oil cases where officers were the
object of attack.
Comte de Nuns order of the day urging that
an end be put to tho Dreyfus campaign was
adopted by q vote of $40 to 1872.
In consequence Of the revelations Of the court
martial Of Count Esterhazy, Col. Picquart, for
merly of the War Department, has been arrested
and confined in tho fortress ct Mont valericn,
where no will remain until no is released BY the
finding Of O court-martial,
The Senate to-day rejected tho candidacy Of
M. Scheurer-Kestner who was seeking re-
election as one OF tho Presidents OF that
body. NJ. Scheurer-K estner received only IT
r1Ax. z-A ~ "a toNat 80 600 TT. H.. HnAn ~rArns-
nent recently as q defender of Capt. Dreyfus.
The open letter of NJ. lola to President Faure.
which was writton in connection with the 40
quittal of Count Esterhazy. has acted like oil on
the fire of hate against Dreyfus and the Jews,
in which the novelist is himself now moro than
ever involved. If he were not technically a
F%renchman, M. lola would doubtless be OK
PEELED from tho country.
Tho indignant populaco are seeking proofs
that he is o foreigner. Those who are opposed
to Dreyfus bought this morning all the copies
obtainable Of the Aurore, in which NJ. Zola's
letter appeared, and made bonfires Of them.
Eflgies of NJ. lola and Msthiou Dreyfus. q
brother of the convict, were also burned.
The arrest of Col. Picquart caused q thrill Of
popular delight this morning, which was re-
minated when Prime Minister Melino an
nounced In the Chamber of Deputies the Gov
ernment's intention to prosecute M. lola.
In view OF the violent and unrestrained Ian
guage NJ. lola employed in his letter and the
luminosity he has attracted to himself little that
might occur would DO surprising in tho present
temper Of the populace.
NJ. lola denounces Major Du Patty do Clam as
an arch conspirator and the fendish promoter
of tho whole Dreyfus plot. He accuses Gen.
Billot, Minister of War, of lcse humanite and
lese Justice for n political object. He declares
that Gap pil1of having had indubttah1a DrO0fa
of Dreyfus's innocence. suppressed them. Cons.
Mercier. Boisdeffre, Gonsc. and Pellieux are
hardly less vehemently attacked.
The reply of Prime Minister Meline to Count
dc Nuns Interpolation in the Chamber Of Dpe-
uties concerning NJ. Zola's letter was brief and
dignifed. He said that the Government under
stood the indignation felt by the Chamber
on reading the abominable charges against
the military judges, who had Judged in the
freedom of their conscience. Tho Government
shared tho Indignation, and. despite the fact that
1t was what the writer sought, had decided to
refer the article to the Justice of the country.
The Government. M. Meline declared. would
defend the honor of the army and tho authority
of justice.
Gen. Billot followed NJ. Meline. He was evi.
IDENTIFY embarrassed. He complained of the in.
sulting attempts to involve the army in miserR-
bic political r~ivalries. and the defamation in the
face of Europe of those who must command in
hours of danger. He added that he disdained
these outrages.
NJ. Jean Jaures, Socialist, raised q tumult by
demanding that the affair be removed from the
hands of tho military oligarchy.
NJ. Caviagnac, ex-Minister of War. attacked
tho Government for not stopping the agita-
ton. and moved an order of the day
In that sense. Other orders were sub
mitted until one was offered by Count
de Nun. which declared tho expectation
that the Government will take the necessary
steps to put an end to the attacks upon the honor
of the army. This was adopted by q majority
of 100.