The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-06

CAcLAl ~ NSlG Va -
and conviction.
THIS NOTE ITSEL FORGERY
This note now turns out to have been
forged by Colonel Henry. a seIf-made
man of otherwise untarnished reputation,
OF limited understanding and education.
and who is believed to have acted in the
matter entirely in obedience to orders re-
ceived from above.
Colonel Henry has now placed himself
beyond the reach of further disgrace and
punishment by resorting to the only
means that commend themselves to a SOL
der when placed in asituation from
which there is no issue-namely, the con-
demnation of an innocent man to the
frightfui indignity of military degradation
followed by solitary imprisonment on
the pestilential Devils Island, where, in
order to make his punishment still more
bitter his hut was surrounded first by
great steel cage and subsequently by
nigh wall, lest he might enjoy the sight
OF thesea.
NO DOUBT OF INNOCENCE.
No doubt remains of the innocence OF
Dreyfus. Until now all unprejudiced peo-
pie in France and abroad have been will
ms to admit that he had been Illegally
convicted. But even the widest fight OF
imagination could not conceive tina. the
document on the strength of which he
was convicted, had been deliberately
forged by one Of his comrades, a brother
officer in charge of one of the most in
portant divisions of the War Department.
and whose previous career and character
all lead to the belief that ne acted in the
matter not on his own initiative, but in
obedience to orders above.
CHARGE AGAINST DREYFUs.
1t was in 1894, that a Parsian paper,
the 1ibre Parole, the organ of the anti
Semitic party, became aware through
some indiscretion at the War Department
that number of very important military
secrets had been communicated to for
eign power. The paper in question pro-
ceeded at once to communicate this in
telligence to its readers, adding that prob
ably the treachery in question was the
work Of some Jew, the paper having al
ways taken the ground that no Jew ought
to be permitted in the ranks of the
French army. This insinuation of the
Libre Parole seems to have been the cause
Of the concentration of attention upon
Captain Dreyfus, of the artillery, who
happened to be the only Hebrew employed
on the general staff of the army. 1t was
clear that some military secrets had been
The investigation following on
the charges of the Libre Parole showed
that. 1t was necessary at all costs to |
find, II not the culprit at any rate a |
scapegoat
OTHER MEN ACCUSED.
There are some who believe that Colonel |
was the culprit and that he |
was shielded from punishment owing to |
he intimacy Of his wife with General |
ie Boisdeffre, the chief of the general |
staff of the army. His unsavory financial |
;crapes and his perpetual need of money |
'endered him an exceedingly likely person
% play the traitor There are others,
gain, who hold that the cuprlt traitor
vas General de Boisdeffre himself and
hat he had communicated secrets of the
french war department to the military
authorities in Russia in the hope of there
" promoting the alliance between mis-
ountry and Russia He formerly served
IS military attache to the French en-
,assy at St. Petersburg, and while there
became acquainted with many prominent
russian officers. with whom he has re-
NAMED in correspondence ever since.
Several officers, among them Colonel Pat
Y du Clam, and Colonel Henry, of the
staff, were thereupon in
rusted by General de Boisdeffre with the
uty of getting up the case against Drey-
US. In the first place a paper alleged to
ave been obtained through an Alsatian
py from the waste paper baskets of the
ierman Embassy was produced. 1t con-
listed OF a bordereau, or list of French
Military documnts. The handwriting pos
essed but a faint resemblance to that Of
)reyfus.
In fact ii far more closely resembles that
f CoClonel Esterhazy. and the experts in
as stated above, by d large
majority, decided against its being in the
anGwriting OF Dreyfus. However. on the
trength of the evidence of the Govern
lent expert, BertIlon, Dreyfus was ar
ssted. not by the Governor OF Paris, OF
Y order of the Minister Of War. but by
hat Of General de Boisdefre in his capac-
y as chief Of the staff. and he remain
i closely imprisoned. debarred from in
srcourse with any member OF his family.
: from any communication with the out
de world until brought before court
lartial. the members OF which were Sc
.cted by General de B0isdeffre.
'ORGED NOTE PUT IN EVIDENCE.
Yet even in spite OF their selection they
ere reluctant 70 convict him OF TIE be-
-ayal OF RANGES military secrets 10 a for
gn power on the strength OF the border
IL. and II was then that the note non
Omitted by Colonel HeCn-y, was shown ,
the mme5ers OF the court martial. win
u The knowledge OF either The prisoner
his counsel. and il was on the strength
this that Dreyfus was imprisoned
Il is unnecessary 20 recall here the
-incipzl features Of his punishment. how
s sword was broken IN twain, his but ,
IT'S and stripes torn from h~s Uniform.
ID how he wa sdrummed out q the army
the espianade OF the military school
ar the ChsCrnp de Mars. after vhlca he
as conveyed win every environment o.
dignity 20 Devils Island. OF the Psstlea-
a. coast o. French Guiana {
IRST INTIMATION or INNOCENCE
Two years later. that Is 20 say. L ls1
e same Alacla1 spies Who had procured
e Bo75erezu. brought 70 tne French
ar O9ice q note addressed by ths Ger
Al Military AtIsche 70 Colonel -s.erha-
p Th-s Eel into the AzDds q Coi0zel
cquart. at that Tine chef % The Irssi-
ye1ce department. oE ire Var Once who Il
as led thereby 10 institute Il izve=ziza- .
N whsc1 Convinced aim taas ire border :
u was n the handwriting q Esteraszy. I
a r1t Th2- q Dreysus- q
Fer to-rteea .zoaIaz PIsGgaEt eaoaEht r .