The National tribune., 1898-09-08
THE DREYFUS CASE.

Dreytus case, which was reopened In the
most sensational way by Lieut-Col
Henry. one of the chief witnesses against
Dreyfus, confessing to the War Minister
that he had forged important document
airy evidence, and then cutting his
throat
Into the Dreyfus case enter host OF
burning question, the main ones being
the social position and patriotism of the
Jews, who have such prominent part
in French public life, finances, journal
ism, ETC., the method Of administering
justice in France, the integrity of the
higher circles of the army, etc.
Capt. Dreyfus is a Jew, a man of
great wealth, highly educated as a SOL
der, with reputation as strategist,
and was Of as high social position as a
Jew could obtain. Four years ago he
was suddenly brought to trial on the ac-
cusation that he had been selling mill
tary secrets to Germany. The trial was
conducted in way that would have
been utterly impossible in England or
America, no matter how fragrant a
mans crime, how clear the evidence
against him, or how despicable his
character 1t showed how deep hold
the methods of the Inquisition have
upon all Latin peoples.
The principal evidence was the famous
bordereau, or memorandum, written
upon the margin of newspaper. This
and other evidence neither the prisoner
nor bis counsel was allowed to see. 1t
is claimed that Dreyfus made a confes-
sion. If so it was probabl y one of those
confessions the Inquisilion knew how to
extort. The prisoner was stripped of
all his military insignia in a most the
atrical way, and his sword broken before
his regiment on parade, and he was sub
lected to all manner of indignities and
insults. Finally, he was sent to the
most terrible of all French military
prisons, on the Island of the Devil, and
there daily tor ured and insulted. He
continued to protest his innocence, and
appeal for a new trial. His powerful
friends in France did the same, securing
at last the enormous influence Of lola,
the novelist. France was shaken to the
foundations by the contention. On the
one side it was alleged that Dreyfus was
type of the Jews who prey upon all
lands, and have patriotism and love for
none; that he had been foisted into high
place by Jewish influence, and took ad-
vantage oft to basely betray his country f.;
that the honor of the army" required
that the most condign punishment should
be inflicted upon him, and that the man
who questioned this was himself a traitor
to France and her army.
On the other hand it was alleged
that Dreyfus was singled out for destruc-
ton because he was a Jew, and the
brightest Jew in the army, and that the
higher staff was trying to cover up
some other rottenness by prosecuting
him.
The anti-Dreyfus crowd was so much
more numerous and influential than the
other, that they succeeded in defeating
the movement for a new trial. and
lola was adjudged guilty of defama-
ton of the army, and only escaped
long imprisonment by flying the
country. Only two months ago the
Chamber of Deputies affirmed it, belief
in the guilt Of Dreyfus by a vote of
572 to 2.
Now that one of the main witnesses
has confessed that one of the main pieces
of evidence was forged by him, since
an examination of the document shows
it to be a very clumsy forgery, and the
forger has committed suicide, France
is in Mysteries. No one can guess what
the next cataclysm may be. 1t may be
barricades and revolution it may be
war with Germany over the revelations
as to her malevolent spying and in
trguing. 1t may be development that
the upper circles of the army are as
corrupt as they were at the beginning OF
tho l.oroo Drncr;ou won,