Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-22

Major Forzinetti an order, dated October Ia.
informing him that in the course Of the
morning Capt. Alfred Dreyfus Of the 18th
Regiment Of Artillery, stagiary, at the gem
eral STAN corps, accused of the crime Of
high treason. would be delivered into his
custody, and that he was personally re-
sronsible fol his safe keeping.
A Dramatic Arrest.
Meanwhile Alfred Dreyfus had presented
| himself at the ministry Of war. where he
was received by Maj. du Patty de Clam.
I am very glad to see my dear COM
rade," said the major. I'VE will 60 out to-
gether directly, and will then tell YOU
what l have asked you to come here for.
Just now 1 am very busy. So would you
| be SO good as to take down q letter which
1 will dictate to you, whilst am sorting
these papers? 1t is letter to Gen. de
Boisdeffre about some documents which he
has asked me for
| There were three other people in the
room, all strangers to Alfred Dreyfus, and
"a circumstance which only struck the
prisoner afterward-certain mirrors had
been SO arranged that every movement of
MS features could be seen by everybody
present.
Dreyfus sat down and took I'D a pen
The major began to dictate: Although
nave had no news from you to the effect
that you wish to see me- 1 nevertheless
Then, interrupting himself suddenly, he
cried out: Write properly, my good fellow
what Is the matter with you? Your hand
seems to shake
My fingers are cold" said Dreyfus.
BE very cal eful" said the major This
Is a very serious business" Then he con-
tinued his dictation as follows: "First a
note on the hydraulic brake 100 How it
worked when experiments were made
Secondly, a note concerning the cover
ing forces. Several notifications will be
made by the new plan.
Thirdly. note relative to alterations in
the formations Of artillery corps
Fourthly, note relating to NADIA
Filthy, the draft Of a manual of arttl-
lery field practice, March IA, 1884,
This last document Is extremely diff
cult to procure and can only have 1t at
my disposal for very few days. The min
lister has sent q certain number of COPIES
to the different regiments and the resi-
ments are responsible for them. Every
ofncer who has copy has to return It
after the msneuvers. So. If you wish to
make such extracts from 1t as may inter-
est you, will procure you q copy, subject
to your promising to return 1t to me as soon
as you have done with II. Perhaps, how
ever. you would prefer that should copy
it out word for word and send you the
copy. ,,.. a...., ;,
This letter gave the exact text Of the
famous bordereau. or list Of documents, on
which. as far as the public knows. Alfred
Dreyfus was tried end convicted. Accord
ing to the most accredited version-the real
facts OF the case never have been and never
will be made known-this bordereau came
into the hands Of the government in this
way: An agent of the military secret serv-
ice, disguised as a ragpicker, who was in
the habit Of collecting the waste paper
thrown out into the street by the servants
at the German embassy discovered 1t
amongst this refuse. 1t was written on
buff-colored PAPER and had been torn into
four pieces. The writing closely resembled
that OF Alfred Dreyfus aid was pronounced
by two experts 20 be in his writing, whilst
another expert commissioned by the gov
eminent declared the contrary. According
to the friends Of Alfred Dreyfus this docu-
ment was not written by him. On the other
hand. 1t is pointed out that very probably
this document was only the pretense on
which Dreyfus was tried-that is to say as
far as the public is allowed to know-and
may possibly have been manufactured by
the French military authorities as the most
expeditions way Of convicting a man who
was known to be guilty on superabundant
evidence. But as have already said, moth
known because of the gravity of the in
terests involved.
Suicide Suggested to Dreyfus.
When Maj du Patty de Clam had finished
debating this letter, he made some excuse
for leaving the room with the three persons
who were with him. leaving Dreyfus alone.
1t was then for the first time that Dreyfus
noticed that by his side. under some papers,
there lay large army revolver loaded in
each Of the six chambers. 1t has since
| transpired that this weapon had been left
there on purpose by the commander, 80
that the accused man, If he chose, might
put summary end to the inquiry. About
half an hour elapsed and then the door was
lung open and NJ. Cochefert, head of the
detective police. marched in, followed by
Commander Henry Of the second bureau
NJ. Cochefert walked up to Dreyfus and
placed his hard on his shoulder, crying
In the name Of the law"
But why?' cried Capt. Dreyfus. what
am / accused Off"
Patty de Clam, who had also entered. THE
emotion which you displayed just now
when 1 was debating that letter to you is
quite enough proof of that"
Il swear to you that do not understand
what you mean," cried Dreyfus.
Go to-. 1t is useless for you to fight
against the evidence. Your treachery has
been discovered"
I'm the name Of the law" cried M. Coohe-
fert, I arrest you, Alfred Dreyfus for the
crime OF high treason" Thereupon the
mead OF the police handed the accused man
over to the custody of Commander Henry
to be conveyed to the Cherche-Midi prison.
Before the Trial.
From the day of his arrest until the day
OF his trial Alfred Dreyfus was kept in
| the most rigorous confinement. He was
not allowed either to read or write.
Maitre Demange was allowed to see his
! client on December 8. and from that date
| on has never wavered In an absolute be-
| lief in the captains innocence. He stated,
on leaving the prison, that Dreyfus had
denied the accusation without ceasing
He denies having written the note, which
| Is the document on which the accusation
Is based. 1t is worthy Of note that, as
far as Maitre Demange knew, the bordereau
was the only document on which these
| proceedings were taken.
The long inquiry was closed at last. and
on Wednesday. December 10, Alfred Drey-
fus was brought up to be tried by court
martial. The courts martial for the Paris
military district are held In the building
OF the conseh de gueTrs. which is Just