The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1899-09-13
CAPTAIN DREYFUe.

has spoken little, though he has seemed
In better spirits than might have been
anticipated. The meeting with his wife
was naturally very affecting, but both
held up as well as possible. He said
to her: 81 am not uneasy regarding
myself as | shall soon be free, but
think of you and my poor children.
They will be branded as the children OF
a traitor"
He Is convinced that the 10 years
Imprisonment to which he is sentenced
will be wiped out by the five years of
solitary secluslon he has undergone
on DEVILS island and he expects to be
released by Oct. 15 which will be five
years from the date of his former con-
demnation. He is so sanguine that he
has made an extraordinary request OF
his wife for a novel to read in the
meantime, explaining that his mind is
so shaken and weighed down by recent
events that he needs to divert his
thoughts and try to get all the recollec-
tions of. the last three months out of
his mind. He thinks that reading
novel will afford the desired mental
repose and keep him from brooding.
Madame Dreyfus father said his
daughter was bearing up well, consid-
ering the circumstances, but desired
to remain undisturbed in view of the
emotional strain of the interview with
her husband NJ. Hadamand said that
Nine. Dreyfus and the family were
hopeful and looked forward to some
favorable development.
"The verdict" he added, "is an In
fanny Captain Dreyfus is in poor
health as everyone knows He has
been extremely i'll from the moment of
his arrival in France and has been put
on a special regime. His health has
not improved and the nervous effect of
this terrible blow Is bound to
react on his general condition. His
suppression of all outward emotion is
due to his almost incredible force OF
Will. but It does not imply that he is
insensible to the mental and physical
torture he has undergone. On the con-
trary, the family just now see in his
weak state of health an abnormal i'm
passivity an ugly sign and fear for
him more than they care to express"
One strange fact is the eXtraordin-
ary difference of opinion respecting the
exact effect of the judgment-whether
he can be degraded again, and whether
the five years solitary confinement
he has undergone will be regarded as
equivalent to the 10 years detention
to which he is now sentenced and he
be released next month. This matter
is quite aside from the general i'm
preston that he will be pardoned in
few days by President Loubet who will
find some ground to exercise clemency.
NJ. Demange thinks the five years
will count for nothing and that Drey-
fus according to law, will have to suf-
fer 10 years detention. Many others,
however, including several lawyers,
hold a contrary opinion and declare
that he will be released in october.
This, as already cabled, is the belief
of Dreyfus himself.
Colonel Jouaust also declared that
Dreyfus must serve 10 years, but
speaking with friends, he expressed
conviction that there would not be
fresh degradation. This ceremony re-
quires breaking the prisoners sword
and tearing off his epauletes But
Dreyfus never had his sword restored
to him and he only wore undress uni
form without epauletes, so that 1t
would be impossible to carry out the
regulations for degradation. This is
Colonel Jouausts view.
Those who think Dreyfus will be re-
leased in October because the five
years on Devils island will wipe
out the present sentence. saw in the
fact that he was sentenced for exact
ly 10 years, confirmation of their view
but they were mistaken. He was sent
enced to 10 years not because that
happens to be double his term on Dew
lis island, but because. according to the
military code, the recording Of two
votes in his favor fixes the term Of
detention at 10 years. Had the ver-
dict been unanimous, he might have
been sentenced to 20 years.
An interesting fact developed is that
the police had taken every precaution
to get Dreyfus safely out Of Rennes
in the event OF acquittal, in which
case 1t was unanimously agreed there
would have been serious disorder and