The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-03-03
He ridiculed the evidence Of the experts,

He ridiculed the evidence OF the experts,
and declared, amid howls from the public,
that an infamy had been committed in the
communicating Of the secret document.
He read out the last letters received by
Nine. Dreyfus from Devils Island, which
brought tears to the eyes OF many OF the
ladies. He gave long eulogy on Picquart,
attacked Esterhazy, and concluded amid
how)s Of reprobation ut O'Clock.
The Judge then asked the prisoners II
they had anything to add to their defence.
Zola in a hoarse voice said, Nothing" Per-
reux shook his head to the Judge, who then
directed the jury as to the two questions to
which they had to make answer. namely:
One. Was Perreux guilty OF libelling the
Esterhazy court-martial? and two. Was
Zola guilty as his accomplice? He added
that IL extenuating circumstances were
found they should be added after answer
ing the questions.
The Jury retired at $50 D. m. During the
absence Of the jury Zola sat munching
sandwiches. Labori was in state Of great
exhaustion, almost lying on the counsels'
bench.
The Jury returned at FIVE minutes to Z.
When they announced both the prisoners
guilty without extenuatlng circumstances
there was a most violent scene in court.
Cries OF Long live France" "Down with
the Jews!' "No Jews in the Army" Long
live Esterhazy!" rent the air.
General Gonse waved his sword and De-
roulede waved his hat. Nine. Zola flung
Labori caught his two hands. The court
retired to consider the sentence.
When the Court returned, the President
again asked the prisoners IL they had any
thing to say IN application OF the penalty.
Both prisoners shook their heads. The
President then sentenced Perreux to four
months Imprisonment and fine OF 5000
francs. This was received In silence by the
public, but when he sentenced Zola to the
maximum penalty OF one years imprison-
ment and 5000 francs flne, hideous
shout of exultation broke out, which was
echoed back by a roar from the huge crowd
outside.
The court was cleared amid indescrib-
able excitement, and guards, whose rifles
were loaded with ball cartridges, were
cheering vociferously. They cried outthat
the sentence was inadequate.
1t Is inadequate to describe this distract
ed country by saying that France Is no
longer republic. It Is better and truer
to say that France has never been re-
public. No man dares cry "yive la Re-
publique' in the streets OF Paris.
u. LOid alu -us n CIECuA, cus
itor Of the Paris L'Aurore, were prosecuted
by the French Government as the result OF
letter written by NJ. Zola and published
in L'Aurore on January 13, 1898. In this
letter, which was addressed to the President
Of France, the novelist alleged, among
other things, that the fourt-martial which
had tried Count Esterhazy, charged with
being the real author Of the Dreyfus bor-
dereau, had dismiss Sd the case by orders.
The trial of the novelist and the editor
began on February in the Palace Of JUS
tice. The conviction OF the defendants
was foregone conclusion from the first.
The bordereau, or memorandum, men
toned in the trial was written upon one
side Of sheet OF foolscap, and was alleged
to have been found among the waste paper
in the Germany Embassy in Paris.
1.-THE paper was watermarked, and none
like 1t was found either on Dreyfus, at his
Office, or at his home, although the bor-
dereau was alleged to be in his handwrit-
I, ing, and a verdict to that effect was found
at his trial.
The memorandum In question related to
certain important French military secrets.
Dreyfus was arrested on October Is, 1894
and after his conviction was publicly dis
graced and sentenced to life Imprisonment
on the lie du Diable.