The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-09
Letters of Dreyfus.

Letters of Dreyfus.
among the letters of Dreyfus read by NJ.
Demange, was on in which. after assert
ing his innocence and declaring he always
selNeu tue trl-color with devotion and hon
OF, the prisoner complained thatA he was
treated on Devils Island like an ordinary
convict. 1t concludes with the words; Il
wish to live"
That is a soldiers SOUL" exclaimed NJ.
| Demange, and it is that man you call a
traitor That is the man, who in your
presence, restrains his sobs and his emo
| tons.
"Ah, gentlemen would rather defend
| guilty men who were clever dissemblers
than an innocent man who is too sin
cere."
Other letters of the prisoner were read,
all breathing the same desire to live to
| see ms honor restored, though the writer
! was broken down in health and spirit
| one letter, written in 1897, appeals to
| Gen, de Boisdeffre to lend his generous
| aid IN securing for the writer restoration
| TO the liberty of which he had been robbed
Writing to his brother the prisoner
said
While one or more scoundrels are walk
| ing free, ii would be happy release for
| me to die, but it would be a disgrace to
| Lucille and my children"
In his letter the writer urged his brother
to find the culprits, while carefully protect
| ing the interests of the country
rs that not the cry of an innocent
MANI" asked NJ. Demange, adding. yet
| though Gen. De Boisdeffre received the let
| ter, he did not forward it to Matlhieu
| Dreyfus.
Presumption, Not Proofs.
Give ministers of war" said M. De-
mango, pronounced Dreyfus guilty. while
admitting it was impossible to produce
proofs. Gen. De Boisdeffre, Gen. Gonse
! and Gen. Roget also armed their belief in
| his guilt But happily. they stated reas-
Ons and, instead of proofs only accumula-
| ted presumption"
Counsel paid an eloquent tribute to the
| honesty of purpose manifested by the
| generals
| Dealing next with the confessions, coun-
sci read the report of Capt. Lebrun-Re-
| nault, of the Republican guard, who had
| the prisoner in Gus oily previous 10 his de-
| gradat on. and maintained that the exact
words of preyfus. which were now known,
| only reflected ideas Du Patty de Clam had
| previously expressed to the prisoner, add
| ing that although Du Patty de Clam main
| tained the contrary it was certain imagin-
| alton had played a much greater part than
| reason in the acts of Du Patty de Clam. 1t
was also significant that the report drawn
| up by Du Patty de Clam on the day fol-
| lowing his interview with Dreyfus had dis
/ L
pointed out, had evidently forgotten his
| remarks to Dreyfus, as he had forgotten
| other facts.
| The Alleged Confessions.
NJ. Demange said he was surprised at the
| attitude of Gen. Gonse towards the al
ieged confessions and maryeled @ at the fact fact
| to the Elysee palace expressly to repeat
| the confessions, did not mention them. It.
1 .1a t1,nf fNsaV,
| sier and Gen. Mercier took no steps to
| verify the so-called confessions, WHICH
| were lost sight of until M. Cavaignac
| sprung them upon the chamber OF depu-
ties as proof of the guilt of Dreyfus Tho
| Court of Casation had justly decided that
| they were not confessions.
| Proceeding to discuss the secret doesier
| NJ. Demange examined the documents one
| after the other He said that all inter-
pretetions of the document commencing
| doubts proof were hypothetical, but ap-
| piled much more easily to Esterhazy than
| Dreyfus. 1t was so with the other docu-
| ments. There was nothing to indicate
| Dreyfus was concerned any more than
| any one else.
In regard to the letters of Nov. ? and H.
| sent by Mai Panzzardi TO his chief 1t
| had been alleged chat they proved Drey-
fus had relations with Col. Schwartzkop-
pen whereas, in reality, Maj. Panizzardi
| merely denied that Dreyfus had any rela-
tions with Italy. 1t was Impossible to
doubt the authenticity Of these facts. 1t
was incredible that Col. Schwartzkoppen
and Mai. Panizzardi deceived their gov
| ernments.
As to the Secret DOssier.
Concluding an extended examination of
| the secret dossier, NJ. Demange said:
| 81 have finished my examination of the
| secret dossier. All France knows the
worthlessness of its contents Yet 1t IS
| owing to il that the country was distracted
| for months and it has been thought that
! there were documents and proofs in II
| which might bring France to blows with
| neighboring Power You are now ac-
| orainted with it, The secret dossier has
| been exploded
"You will pardon me the loss of time l
have imposed upon you. WIZ now take
| up the circumstantial evidence
A brief adjournment of the court was
here announced. Counsel was warmly ap-
| plauded as he took his seat
CircumstantiaI Evidence.
NJ. Demange, when the sitting was re-
| sumed. took up successfully tnd showed
the holIowness of the crcumstantial evil
dence against the prisoner
| After demonstrating the falslty of the
| evidence of NJ. Beaurepaire's witnesses,
| Mueller, Dubreuil, Villon and Cernusehl
| counsel SAID the only pIool lSAt was t4iV
| bordereau. Who could have sent it? Who
wrote it? Complete light could only be
| shed on it by the production OF the notes
| enumerated in the bordereau. This mad
| been said by Gen Zurlinden himself But
counsel asked the court TO remember with
! references to these notes, that all zen
| neloye could say was that It was not I'M
possibIe that Dreyfus might have possess
| ed them. This was all he could say when
Il was question of high treason
A. tbe request of NJ. Demange, the court
at This juuclure adjouInd until to-mor-
| row. 80. RI.
The announcement was made this after
noon that the verdict os The courtmartal
win be rendered tomorrow.
Naitre Labor foregoes the right to
-, for the defense, LEST by doing so he
irritate the judges and destroy the good
effect honed for from the speech of NJ.
IRE court therefore, VIII Deliberate on
,hs conclusion ct NJ Demlnge's speech AMI
| the Judgment VIII probably be delivered
| before neon.