Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-03
Another Chapter in the Drcuus cass.

Henry. following his confession that he
forged one of the discriminating docu-
ments In the Dreyfus case. constitutes
a startling development in matter
that for four years has kept France in
a fever of excitement, and its conse-
quencess will undoubtedly have dis
turbing effect on French politics. The
whole world has followed the matter
with intense interest. In November.
1894, the Libre Parole, an Anti-semitic
organ, under the title. ARREST of a
Jewish Officer" declared that an I'M
portant arrest had been made for the
crime of high treason, and that the
minister of war was trying to conceal
the facts. On December IA was begun
the trial of Alfred Dreyfus, the prison
er in question. He testified that he
was IS years old, born at Mulhouse.
and was a captain of artillery brevete.
At this juncture the doors were
closed. Notwithstanding the protest of
Dreyfus' counsel, and the further pro-
ceedings were had in secret. He was
condemned, it was said, on the evil
dence of a single document, and in
accordance with a special law passed
for the occasion he was transported to
the Isle du Diable," in the deadly
climate of Guiana. 1t was alleged that
Ereyfus had betrayed to foreign
power, presumably Germany. secrets
concerning the French army. In proof
of this there was exhibited at the trial
an unsigned letter, called a bordereau,
of which Dreyfus was declared to be
the author. The country took up the
question, and the anti-semitic journals
demanded the expulsion of all Jewish
officers from the army.
On November Is, 1897, NJ. Matthew
Dreyfus, brother of the condemned
officer, sent a letter to the minister Of
war, accusing Count Esterhazy. a re-
tired commander of infantry, of being
the author of the bordercau. On Janu-
airy 10, 1898, Esterhazy was tried by
court martial. General Ravary, who
had inquired into the charge by direc-
ton of the war department, made Il
report favorable to Esterhazy and
condemnatory of Colonel Picquart, at
one time head of the intelligence office,
who had formed suspicious against
Esterhazy, and had made them known.
The court unanimously pronounced
Esterhazy innocent.
On January Is, Emile lola printed in
the Aurore an open letter to the Presi
dent of the republic. reviewing the
Dreyfus and Esterhazy trials, and con-
Guiding: Il accuse the first court
martial of violating the law, by con-
demning the prisoner on the evidence
of document tlMtswas KEEP Secret;
and l accuse the second court martial
OF screening this illegality by their or
ders. and committing in. their turn a
judicial crime by knowingly aeguitting
guilty man.. H. H. g. s<ass
The prosecution of NJ. lola was or
dered, but the government endeavOred
to confine the scope of the inquiry to
the alleged libel against the court mar
tial of 1898, ignoring his accusation
against the one of 1894. The trial be-
gan before the Assize Court of Paris in
February and lasted over two weeks.
The scenes were tumultuous, and the
court gave lola scant consideration
overruling his efforts to introduce de-
tails of the Dreyfus case. Howling
mobs of anti-Semites thronged the
Zola's punishment. The prisoner was
found guilty. without extenuatng cir
cumstances, and was sentenced to one
years Imprisonment, the maximum
penalty.
Colonel Henry, who took his life
when arrested for his part in the con-
spiracy against Dreyfus, gave as a
reason for his forgery that it was alb
solutely essential to convict Dreyfus.
He is said to have fabricated the secret
document upon which that officer was
convicted. 1t is even suggested now that
his suicide was suggested by the war
ministry. 1t may be that Dreyfus is
not entirely innocent, but it would APP
pear that some: of the army officers
deliberately conspired to send him into
exile. The exposure of HenTy's crime
will reopen the whole Dreyfus-Ester-
hazy-Zola case, and the truth will like
ly be laid bare. A new trial for Drey-
fus will follow and France has an OPP
portunity to wipe out the shameful
stain upon its honor.