New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-02
EMILE ZOLA'S ACCUSATIONS.


Emile Zoa. in his famous II accuse" letter,
published in the "Aurore." which led to his trial
and conviction on the charge Of military officers,
said:
Il accuse Lieutenant Colonel Du Patty de Clam
Of having been the diabolical worker Of judi
cial error, unconsclousy, am ready TO believe,
and OF then having defended his nefarious 40
| ings for the last three years by the most absurd
md culpable Vaccinations I accuse General
Mercer (who was Minister for War when Drey-
fus was tried) Of being the sccompce, at least.
| through weak intelligence. in the greatest In
! iuuity Of the century. | accuse General Bllot
| minister for War during the late Dreyfus as-
| tation) Of having in his hands the certain proofs
| OF the innocence Of Dreyfus and Of having sup
| pressed them. thus rendering himself guilty or
treason against humanity and Justice for a
political reason and In order to save the compro-
| missed staff
| Il accuse General Bolsdeffre (the Chief of the
| General Staff) and General Gense Uhe Assist
ant Chief Of the General Stah) of being the ac-
complices in the same crime. the one through
religious anmosity. doubtless, the other per
haps through the esprit de corps which makes
the War Ofice sacred and unassailable ark.
accuse General De Pellieux and Major Ravary
of having made fagltious investigation, where
by mean an inquiry OF the most monstrous
partiality.
Il accuse the three experts in Handwriting the
men Belhomme Varinard and Couard Of hav-
ing drawn up false and fraudulent reports. un-
less a medical examination shall prove them TO
be victims of a disease Of sight or Of judgment
accuse the officers of the War Office OF having
organized a press campaign In order to lead
public opinion astray.
nall I
having condemned a man on a document kept
secret and | accuse the second court martial
Of having covered this illegality by order and Of
committing in It's turn the judicial crime OF
knowingly acquitting a guilty person
After a long trial. in February last. NJ. Zola
was sentenced to one years imprisonment and
70 pay a fine of 5000 francs for these alleged
ubels and NJ Parrcaux. the manager Of the
"Aurore" " WAS sentenced to four months inn
prjsonment. and to pay 1000 francs fine.
IN his way to and from the courthouse during
tho trial NJ Zola was continually hooted by
,,obs and at its conclusion narrowly escaped
nersonal violence When the French author
heard the verdict he exclaimed:
They are cannibas'
General Bosdeffre. the Chief OF the General
Staff Of the French Army. VINO mas JUST re-
airod is understood TO be In high favor At 81.
Pot He gained FonSlh'i"p' I'p"i"''''
b, his attitude in defence Of the army during
49, zo,o trlo, and at one time was looked upon
as nossibv aiming at n military dictatorship.
Prince Henry Of orleans. who is credited with
hoping for n military movement against 'he
French Republic also tried to make capital out
of the trial He showed himself daily IN the
hall Of the courthouse. and one day emnraceu
,,o,or rstcrbozy another Of the French officers
implicated in the scandal. crying "Nive TAT
r,.o," which aroused enthusiasm among his Or
,o,n,st friends. hu, which did not otherwise ex-
cite the crowd present to any degree.
President Faure. while the case was on triai'
openly patronized General Boisdeffre. ana the
result. namely the conviction Of NJ Zoia' was
looked upon as a great triumph for the army
There were seven thousand civic guards ana
other officers duty in and about the COURT
house when the verdict was rendered
NJ. Zola was defended by NJ Labor. ana NJ.
Perrenx was defended by NJ. Clemenceau