Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-25
From the New York Tribune. ]

From the New York Tribune.l
1t is well within bounds to say that no
theatrical farce or opera buffe ever sur
passed, in the elements of grotesqueness
and travesty upon justice, the scene pre-
sented in the lola trial on Friday last A
general of the army, interested in a pecu-
liar degree in the cause Of the prosecution,
was called TO the witness stand. The
Judge told him he was to be examined as
witness. Thereupon the general made a
brief but impassioned stump speech, and
led the throng Of spectators in an outburst
OF cheeringIfor the prosecution. As soon
as order was restored the counsel for the
defendant started TO ask the general
question. you cannot exclaimed
the Judge. WHAT asked the counsel.
NO. repeated the Judge, who five min
utes before had said the general was 10 be
examined. You cannot ask him a single
question. Call the next witness" The
next witness was that Major Esterhazy up
on whose alleged guilt the whole case
largely turns. The Judge asked him a
question. Instead of answering Ester
hazy made a violent stump speech, insult
ing and abusing the defendant and his
friends. At its end the Judge asked the
the defendants counsel If he wanted to ask
any questions. Counsel replied that he
was drawing up formal application TO ex-
anime the general whom the Judge had
forbidden him to examine, and would like
to have it passed upon first. put your
questions TO Major Esterhazy Immediately"
cried the Judge, ''or not at all"' And,
the counsel venturing TO eXpostulate, the
Judge CURLY told him to shut up, and dis
missed Esterhazy from the witness-stand.
Later in the day Esterhazy was recalled
and examined. But he simply turned his
back upon the counsel and refused to
answer a single question; the Judge de-
clined to compel him TO answer; and the
audience cheered and applauded frantical
ly. And the scene was ended by the
Judge ordering the counsel to stop asking
questions.
The most remarkable thing in it all was
the Judges remark that above all else regard
must be had for the honor and security of
the Fatherland. That remark is echoed
on every hand. 1t is the shbboleth of
France. Don't reopen the Dreyfus case,
for the honor and security of the Father
land" Don't let witnesses testify, for
the honor and security of the Fatherlandn ~
"Spit upon Zola." "Kill lola For the
honor and security of the Fatherland :"
"Plunder and pillage the shops of the Jews,
for the honor and security of the Father
land" That, literally, is the tone of the
French mob to-day, and not of the mob
alone, but of generals of the army and of
judges upon the bench. Is it possible
that they think the honor of France will
be indicated by suppressing the truth?
Can they be so blind as to imagine that
the security of the Fatherand will be pro-
NOTED by letting the suspicion ripen into
conviction that high civil and military Of
ticers conspire to shield the guilty and con-
denim the innocent, and that justice is not
TO be had in the courts of France? To
reopen and make public the Dreyfus case
would probably be to expose some I'M
pleasant things But the worst that could
come of it, even confession that Dreyfus
was made a scapegoat for another's crime
and that it was Frances professed friend,
Russia, that was corruptng French Off
GERS and buying French secrets-even that
would be far less injurious to the honor
and security of France than was such a
scene as that of Friday in the lola trial.