Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-09-10
DREYFUS IS "GU|LTY."
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE)

| writing evidence, ana remifueu inc So"i
of the groans with which M. Scheurer-
Kestner was greeted when he displayed
the handwriting Of EsterhaEy In the
tribune of the Senate. us that all you
have?" dlsdainfully asked the Senator'S
To-day. the prosecution has no more
Turning 10 NJ. Bertillon's theories. M.
Demange remarked that NJ. Bertiilon mac
render great service 10 society in Great
ing the anthropometric system. but IL
must not be forgotten that genius ms
a dangerous neighbor. Treating the ar
gument Of the general staff that Ester
haZy was only man of straw, counsei
asked II this was 80. why EsternaZy
wished to commit suicide when Matthieu
Dreyfus denounced him?
Counsel said he was convinced the
bOrdereau was written, In his natural
hand, by Esterhazy, The paper on Whlch
il was written also condemned Ester-
hazy. There was an entire lack OF mo
tive in the case of Dreyfus, whlle thele
was every motive on the part OF hs'ei
| hazv prevfus was rich and happy; ne
had two children. who were his pride and
10Y. and wife Of whose devoted CVul"se
All we're aware-everything man could
desire. Why should he have risked all
that? a..
.Relieye me-" added NJ. Demange, my
! ccn,iction comes from an honest heart.
I am convinced that the judges, with the
] doubt which will remain in their minus
| viii find IL impossible TO declare the
| prisoner guilty, for they Will rather turn
| their eyes to the men hiding on the
other side OF the Channel. l ask you
once more II the noble. dignifed bearing
of the prisoner since 1894 is not that
Of an honest, loyal SOLDIER
BRILLIANT PRERORATION.
After this NJ Demange. with his voice
| broken with emotion, tears streaming
| down his face. and hands trembling, coll
! cluded his brilliant flight of oratory'
, "Ah. gentlemen" said he, II must now
| close IN order TO restore to you your
weIl-earned repose. for / have now been
addressing you for two days But there
is one thing which detains me. When L
have finished, the last word of the de-
fence will have been said, and you VIII
go IN your private room TO consider your
verdict.
"Once there. what are you going to ask
yourselves? II Dreyfus is innocent? Jhat
is not the point. But is he guilty? ASK
yourselfs. Are we going to say he sent
| these documents when we DO not even
know what they containT
your minds? That doubt will be sufficient
| for me. That doubt will mean his acquit-
| tai II Will not permit honest, loglcai
| consciences to say this man is guilty.
| Very well. gentlemen, / ask only one
thing. and that is that al this moment
Won cast one more backward glance. Re
member what the prisoner was on Devil
Island. Remember how, for five years.
this man. in spite of the most horrible
sufferings, Notwithstanding the most
cruel torture was never for single mo-
ment alone; a guard was with him night
and day: he was never allowed to eX-
change a syllable with a fellow creature.
I am not speaking Of the torture OF his
being placed in irons. 1 am speaking Of
the terrible mental torture to which he
was subjected. Well, gentlemen. the
spirit winch these sufferings. these tor
| tures. could not curb; that spirit which
remained proud and hight ask you-is
il the spirit OF a traitor? ] ask you If 1t
is not that of a true soldier. 1 ask you
If the man who only lived for his
cbirdren-that they might pear an
honored name; this man mere VINO
has the cult Of honor in his family;
I ask if you can believe him to be a
villain and a traitor to his motherland?
DEMANGE'S CLIMAX.
"My task is now accomplished. 1t Is
for you to do yours. l pray Co.. eX-
wards Heaven, 81 pray God that you
will restore to France the concord or
which she has so much need
Then. turning 10 the audience, Nj. De-
mango added. in conclusion:
AS TO YOU whoever you may be,
Frenchmen. be you with me or against
me. in the sublime idea expressed before
the Court OF Cessation, | say TO all, we
are Frenchmen. Let us then be united
in the common sentiment Of love OF coun-
try. love of justice, and love or the
army"
AS he reached this climax, counsePs
voice swelled like the tones of an organ.
The close of his impassioned peroratlon
was followed by an outburst of applause,
which was Immediately suppressed by
the president.
NJ. Labor then said he did not desire
TO speak.
CARRIERE REPLIES.
Major Carrere, however. claimed the
right TO reply, and when the court re-
sumed its session, after a brief adjourn
ment, the government commissioner be-
gan his remarks. He promised to be
brief, and said he desired 10 submit to the
court-martial a simple observation:
Weigh the importance OF the two
classes of testimony-that for and that
against the prisoner. Weigh their Inn
portance, and judge, in all the independ-
ence OF your character and all tho
strength OF soldiers. Proof Is every
where The hour OF supreme decision
has sounded. France anxiously awaits
your judgment. / also await IT, conf
IDENTIFY and fully maintaining the conclu-
sOns already announced. L demand the
application of article rs of the penal code,
and article 267 of the military code"
The demand of the government COM
missioner caused sensation in court
NJ. Demange made a brief reply to this,
and then Colonel Jouaust, the president
of the court, asked Dreyfus IL he any
thing TO add in his behalf The prisoner
rose and in voice choked with emotion,
declared, he had only one thing to say,
but Of that he>was perfectly assured. He
said:
DREYFUS'S FINAL WORD.
81 affirm, before my country and be-
fore the army that | am innocent. My
sole aim has been to save the honor of
my name-the name borne by my chill
dren. l have suffered five years OF the
most awful torture. But to-day, at least,
/ feel assured that am about to attain
my desire, through your loyalty and JUS
tice"
Colonel Jouaust: Have you finished,
Dreyfus?
Dreyfus: Yes. NJ. lie President.
The court then retired TO deliberate.
and the prisoner left the hall, never 10
return. as, in accordance with the law.
the verdict was rendered in his absence.
The ringing Of bell announced the re-
entry OF the judges. and Colonel Jouaust
soon began reading the judgment. which
opened with the question referred 10 the
Judges BY the Court of CassatioR-Was