The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-02
TO REOPEN DREYFUS' CASE
On Discovery of Forged
Evidence.
FAMOUS SECRET LETTER
Which Played Such Part In His Con-
vietion Confessed by Colonel Henry 10
Have Been Written by Himself-The
Anti-Dreyfus Party Dumbfounded
His Friends Jubilant-The Cabinet
Decides TO Reopen the Case-Suicide
of Colonel Henry.

Paris. August 31-Lieutenant Col
onel Henry, who had been arrested on
the discovery that he was the author
of an important letter that figured in
the Dreyfus case, has committed sui
eide.
1t appears that so soon as NJ. Ca
vaignac assumed the Office Of minister
of war, he charged the official bureau
to make a thorough research of the
Dreyfus case, and it was this inquiry
which resulted in the discovery Of
documents, lately read in the chamber
OF deputies by NJ. Cavaignac, showing
that proof of the guilt Of Dreyfus was
forged When Colonel Henry was sum-
rnOned to the ministry of war and
questioned by M. Cavaignac, in the
presence Of General Boisdeffre and
others, he at first affirmed the authen-
t.city of the discriminating document;
| but when discrepancies were pointed
| out. he at first admitted adding SEN
| tences and finally confessed to fabri-
| eating the whole letter. 1t is affirmed,
! however that while this discovery has
! not changed M. CaVaignac'S belief in
! the culpability Of Dreyfus, the minis
| ter IS determined to punish all the
| guilty parties, no matter what their
rank or position may be.
| Colonel Henry confessed to having
| committed forgery, owing to the alb
| solute necessity for finding proofs
| against Dreyfus.' 1t is understood
that the document in question is the
| letter which has hitherto been alleged
| to have been written by the German
| military attachee to the Italian mill
tary attachee in October, 1896.
It is also said that when the interpret
F.! la1ion in the DreyfuS case was coming
up in the chamber of deputies this let
| ter was secretly communicated to the
cOurt-martial and was the chief evil
dence upon which Dreyfus was con-
| victed.
| The anti-Dreyfus papers are dumb
founded a the turn Of events, while,
on the other hand, the papers which
have been supporting the proposition
| to reopen the case are jubilant. They
! now demand the immediate release of
Colonel PicQuart, who is imprisoned on
| charges connected indirectly with the
Dreyfus affair, and they also insist
upon a review Of the Dreyfus trial.
1t is reported that at todays cabinet
meeting, the ministers admitted that
! a revision of the Dreyfus trial was
| dDSOlutoly unaVOlO0D1c anu d
| announcement that the ministry has
decided to initiate such a revision is
expected soon.
10 p. m.-General LemoutOn de Bois-
deffre, chief of the general staff of the
French army, has rendered his resig-
| nation to the government. In his let
! ter Of resignation, he explains that he
resigns owing to his misplaced conf
| dence in Lieutenant Colonel Henry
which led him to present as genuine
what was forged evidence.
| M. Cavaignac, the minister Of war
in reply asked General de Boisdeffre t
remain to ''see justice rendered in th'
matter
General de Boisdeffre thanked NJ. Ca
| vaignac for proofs Of his esteem, bu
, persisted in his resignation. He will
be replaced, therefore, by Genera
! Renouard, director of the military col
lege.
Colonel Henry was attached to tn
war department when Dreyfus wa
: convicted and he was one of the prom
5 inent witnesses who testified unfa
/ vorably to n. Zola during the latter
: sensational trial on the charge o
/ libeling military officials.
: Macy, France, August 31.-A court
: martial here has just sentenced pri
l | vate soldier to three months impris
onmeDt and 500 francs fine for shout
? | ing "Vive Zola.''