The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-11
Continued from First Page3

A tailor fashioned a suit OF blue paper,
the facing were of red. A mask with
a big moustache and a cap completed
the figure. The effigy was fastened to
two upright poles with wire.
On the breast were placardS reading
General MERCER" French Justice"
and Honest Witness"
The meeting in the Thalia theater
was impressive in it's earnestness. The
house was crowded to the doors, al
though an admission fee was charged.
Several times the police had to clear
the lobby after sale of tickets was
stopped.
Invitations were sent to leading citi-
zens and clergymen irrespective of race
and religion to take part in a great
Dreyfus protest meeting, which will
be held this week in Cooper Union.
Every leading Hebrew citizen is on the
committee and will take part.
At this meeting will be appointed a
committee of men of standing of the
financial political and religious world,
who will go to Washington and ask
the president to make personal ap~
peal to President LOubet of France for
justice for Captain Dreyfus.
When the committee is organized full
ly it is proposed to organize Dreyfus
clubs in every city in the union and
hold meetings of protest. A mammoth
petition for pardon will be obtained and
forwarded to President LOubet.
CHALLENGES ESTERHAzY.
Kansas City. Sept 11.-Captain Thos.
Phelan, a broad swordsman and
lenge to Count Esterhazy to fight him a
duel in defense of Captain Alfred Drey-
fus. Captain Phelan has engaged in
several personal encounters and is a
man of fearless character. He is said
to be backed by several prominent local
Jews. who have guaranteed his pas
sage to England to meet Esterhazy. He
is a veteran of the civil war. Captain
Phelan'S letter follows:
Kansas City, Mo-, Sept. II, 1899.
To Count Esterhazy, Upper Gloucester
Place, Dorset Square, London, Eng.
Sir:-Believing you to be the instiga-
tor and arch-cOnspirator responsible
for all the miseries and tribulatiOns of
Capt Dreyfus, again convicted as
traitor to his country and because he
(DreyfuS) is now unable to follow you
and demand satisfaction for the miser-
les you have heaped upon him, as an
IriSh-American who does not belong to
his race or creed, and believing that
man should not be punished on account
of his religion, do volunteer to take his
place in the field of honor at any time
or place you may designate, the place
of meeting to be on neutral grounds.
THOMAS PHELAN,
Ex-Captain U. s Volunteers.
MAY DEFEAT TREATY.
Washington, Sept. 1.-THE Dreyfus
verdict is attracting much attention
throughout official quarters but natur-
ally those in responsible positions
whose opinion would be valuable, are
reluctant to express adverse comment
| because of the national aspect of the
case. The feeling is general, however,
! in favor of Dreyfus and a strong senti-
ment has developed against the injus-
tice which according to the prevailing
belief, he has been subjected to- Some
of the officials express fear that this
sentiment will have a serious effect on
! the Franco-American treaty when it
comes before the senate as that in
strument has not proved very popular
! and the present feeling may turn the
| tide against it.
DENOUNCED IN LONDON.
London, Sept. 1.-THE afternoon
! newspapers of this city today are un-
animous in their denunciation of the
verdict in the court martial of Capt.
| Alfred Dreyfus and they TEEN with
| abuse of the system producing such
decision"
BOYCOTT AT BERLIN.
Berlin, Sept. lit is rumored that a
committee composed of leading man
ayers here is being formed for the pur-
| pose of preventing German participa-
tion in the Paris exposition of 1900.
RENNES DESERTED.
Rennes, Sept. ia state of calm
| prevails here. All the troops and gen
darmes quartered in the town and it's
environs have left and the journalists
and others interested in the trial have
departed since Saturday. The cafes
which for the last few weeks have been
thronged with excited crowds are de-
| serted.
This afternoon a solitary gendarne
paced up and down before the military
prison and there was not a policeman
or soldier near the Lycee, which last
week resembled a barracks
WOrkmen were busily dismantling
the court room and packing the
chairs, tables and benches on a trolley
car outside.
Madame DreyfuS visited her husband
in the prison this afternoon but not the
slightest interest was shown in their
meeting by the population. She found
him calm as yesterday.
nriSOnRF a nine
the first time in many days, which in
dicated that he was in better spirits
than could be expected.
THRIFTY Patty DE CLAM
New York, Sept. ia Herald spe-
cial from Washington says; Count
Sergius SmOlianinOff, an American citi-
zen for a number of years but Russian
by nativity, possessed of a large en-
tailed estate in Russia at this time
civil engineer by occupation as we'll as
an inventor of explosives, asserts that
a few years ago when he passed some
time in Paris for the purpose of sell
ing smokeless powder to the French
government he was put into communi-
cation with Col. Du Patty de Clam. He
saws that that Virtuous man demanded
four million francs for his share in
promoting the sale and an additional
two million francs for the then minis
ter of war. the price to be secured from
the government being II. .O0O, 600 francs
PARIS COMMENT.
Paris, Sept. 11.-Commenting on the
verdict in the Dreyfus case the Temps
today says that all good citizens who
had divided on the Dreyfus affair agree
in desiring that the verdict should re-
open an era of peace and repose for
France that is far from being incom-
patible with the judgment
Continuing the Temps says:
''We have strong belief that if the
judges did not give Dreyfus the bene-
fit of the doubt they implied it in the
admission of eXtenuating circum-
stances. Considerations foreign to the
affair, above all the improvident ut
terances of ill-adViSed partisans of the
revisiOnist campaign against the gen
erals are the cause of it. It is, however,
possible that Dreyfus may not lose this
benefit. It would be enough for the
chief of state to sign his OardO0 This