The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-22
.ZOLA'S FIGHT FOR TRUTH
VIGOROUSLY ADDRESSES JURY IN
 HIS OWN DEFENSE.

Stake-With Raised Voice the Novelist
 Proclaims That Dreyfus Is Innocent--
 Nothing but Kisses for His Effort.
 Paris, Feb. 21.-The closing scenes of the now famous Zola trial were replete to-day with stirring declarations and at times startling accusations. M. Zola was hissed the instant he appeared at the Court of Assizes. In his address, the advocate general declared that Zola's assertion that the Esterhazy court martial acquitted a guilty per- son, in accordance with superior orr ders, remained entirely improved. He said that Major Esterhazy could not have been the author of the bordereau, and protested against certain news- papers accusing officers of seeking to overthrow the republic. The advocate general severely criticised the attitude of Colonel PicQuart and M. Le Blods, and regarding the reproach that the court martial of Major Esterhazy was conducted behind closed doors, he said that when question of foreign af- fairs is under discussion the matter must be judged among Frenchmen. The Esterhazy court proved the fact that they were divided in opinion on the question of the trial taking place behind closed doors; but, they were unanimous in acquitting the officer" In conclusion. he expressed confidence that the jury would condemn M. Zola without hesitation. The session of the court was then suspended.
 When the session was resumed, M. Zola read an address in which he said that the premier, M. Moline, had the air of giving the jury, who are charged to avenge the national honor, the order to find me guilty" Loud protests). The presiding judge said: You cans not say that the premier has given an order to condemn you
 Continuing M. Zola said: "Such pro- ceedings are an abominable piece Of political manners. I have never in- suited the army, as has been said, but I have raised cry of alarm, and I leave history to judge me and appre- ciate my acts. Those who dishonor France are those who mingle cries of 'Vive pArmee' with tAbas les Juifss (down with the Jews) and 'Vive Ester- hazy' after the letters he has written I am not defending my liberty, gen- clement, in presenting myself befor6 you. I am defending the truth. Look me in the face, gentlemen. Have I been bought, or am I a traitor. am a free writer who intends to resume his vocation and take up his interrupts ed labor. indignantly protest against the charge of being an Italian.
 1xo cJI my liberty. Condemn me then, if you wish. Itswill be but an additional er- TOT. It will be the seed which will ger- minate and prevent France from falf- ing into indifference. If the country is in trouble the fault lies with the gov- ernment who in the hope of saving some culprit tried to prevent the truth from coming into the light of day. The very life of the people is at stake. It IS for you to utter the truth upon this affair and render justice" M. Zola then dwelt upon the fact that the entire peo- pie had been thrown into painful an- guish through doubts of the guilt of Dreyfus and said: "The government who know all. and who, like you arc convinced of the innocense of Dreyfus, will one day make 1t known and will publish it without running any risk.s''
 Then raising his voice M. Zola three times proclaimed the following: "Be- fore all the world, I swear Dreyfus Is innocent Loud n1urmurs and misses from the back of the chamber greeted this utterance. M. Zola concluded with remarking: "The day will come when France will thank me for saving her honor" ((Prolonged uproar)
 M Laborie counsel for M. Zola, fol- lowed with an eloquent speech. His opening words were: we are here in the defense of justice and right" They were hailed with loud protests from the back of the court room. "Neverthe- less," continued M. Laborie, truth will prevail. The elections will not be all lowed to pass amid mystery and ann biguities" He then thanked "all those personages of intellectual and of elite France who had courage to express their convictions"
 He referred to the 'inspired' articles of the press and said: "If a syndicate exists, it is a syndicate of good faith and loyalty, whose aim is to obtain justice and right in the interests of the entire country and this syndicate has the greatest faith in your perspicacity." This caused a violent uproar against which M. Laborie vehemently protest- ed An individual in the back of th6 court room shouted: "How much have they paid your" To this M. Laborie re- torted: "If we had been paid such as you would have applauded us" M. Laborie then proceeded to reproach the premier with refusing to allow gener- als to be judged before jury and he asked: Are generals. then, above the legal conscience of the country? Our opponents talked of confidence in the army. We, too, have confidence in 1t; but it is not an insult to the army to raise cry of alarm as M. Zola has done. He spoke in strong terms, but he did not insult the army" In con- clusion M. Laborie declared that he in- tended to prove M. Zola's good faith and review the whole affair, groping with the things hitherto unknown. The court was then adjourned.
 Yaie-Harvard Games.