The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-12
DReYFus' FATE.
1t is Said That He Will Be Left ON DEVILS
Island.

Copyright, 1898, the Associated Press.)
Paris, September l0.-Expeotation was
disappointed today. The ministerial
council was to have held a special meet
ing with the object of hearing the war
minister's account of the Dreyfus c'se
and the newly discovered dellnquenoies
Of the staff officers. But Gen. AurAnoen'
finding he had not yet the GROUNDS upon
which to form a sound opinion, asked for
an adjournment. He is serious, non
orable minded. worthy colleague OF the
conscientious Bison, and was chosen TO
investigate the Dreyfus affair, as minis
ter of war. because he is not biased and Is
weighted with q sense of responsibility
involved In the matter. Being Protes-
tant and of Bourgeoise breeding, he does
not share the ultra Catholic antl-JeWlsh
feeling of caste at the war otfice. Hav-
ing been prisoner of war in Germany in
1870 and being an Alsatian, he Is warm
ly patriotic and would sympathize with
the military judges of Dreyfus, should
he find evidence of guilt. Gen. Zurlinden
was to have given a verdict today. If
against re-opening the case, he would
have retired to leave the government
free hand. Judge ofsour disappointment
had adjourned.
The Dreyfus affair is in good channel.
The minister of justice has named six
accomplished, experienced, Keen jurists
to examine the secret papers and every
thing connectedtwith Dreyfus. The right
of opening will entirely depend on this
committee. Not one of the six is jew,
student all his life of Jewish history.
He has written "Menotheism of the jew
ish people, a standard work. Announcer
member Of the commi .tee M. Lepelleeier,
has found relaxation from legal TOLL IN
Greek literature. He is the author OF
Comparative Studies on Greek Mooern
Drama. All six men are OF unDiemIsneo
character and in the habit OF strung
evidence. The six will set to WORK olrecu-
'ly after the war minister gives his opln-
ion. w
Tie country now being violently anti
Semitic and Dreyfus being jew, the
government will have to act wariiy and
creep, rather than walk, forward. Ihe
late Col Henry's confession brought pub
lie opinion round to o revision, but the
HOSTILITY TO DREYFUS
is not apated. The people fsel that a mys-
terry of iniquity is involved in the affair
and they want to penetrate 1t. They are
staff is no better than when 1t rendered
the military disasters of 1870 inevitable.
The resignation of Gen. Boisdefre, as
chief of the general staff, is a standing
puzzle and it arouses suspicious. that
only public trial can quiet. The peo-
pie ask was Dreyfus an accomplish OF
Esterhazy? We're they both able toahold
rods in pickle for their superiors? Was
such power the reason why the trial WINS
stra gely conducted and Dreyfus relegated
to the solitude of DEVILS islandP The
darkest conjectures are seemingly justi-
fed by the circumstances connected with
Col Henry's suicide, which the Jews re-
mark, was accomplished on the day.Ethe
Zionist congress broke up. That event
partment of the war office and indeed
discredits the whole general staff.
No more gruesome event has ever
shocked human sentiment and consci snce
and though it happened within sight Of
Paris, it Is shrouded in mystery.
Col. Henry's is the second suicide con-
nected with the Dreyfus affair. The first
suicide was that of LIE Meroier Picard,
an intelligence agent of the general staff
of Col. acknowledgment, the German
attache here, and of the Italian
en- bassy He was found suspended from
a lamp hook In ceiling. Was he muir
dered? Was be suicide? The suspicious
1aCUS Oh MS uedUu were Ousuc0 up ny uAo
late government and NJ. Lepine, the form
er project of police. The reported suicide
of Major Count Esterhazy was canard.
He knows where too many skeletons are
concealed not TO feel safe. He will
DIE A NATURAL DEATH,
but fresh revelations may LEAD to others
Col. Henry. Thesfuries, as in
the Greek tragedies, seem to enter into
this drama. The fall of Gen. Boisdeffre
brings the drama home to the imperial
court of Russia, where. as a brilliant,
aristocratic military attache, he was a
great favorite. He was admitted to the
Intimate festivities of the imperial fami-
ly and was favorite waltzing partner
of the Empress DowaRer in her banding
days. Ths French republic sent him and
a special embassy to the late Gar fu-
neral and to the present Cars corona
ton. Great sums Of money were allowed
him to cut a dash. Finally, President
Faure took him to St. Petersburg to
assist in the preparation of the Franco
russian treaty. Why such great
deems himself with Henry
and resigns splendid position passes
he re-opening OF the
Dreyfus case may solve the puzzle.
Emily Crawford.
3 fF-xg