Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-05-30
BEAUPRE'S PLEA
DREYFUs CASE AGAIN PARIS SEN
SATION.
PUBLIC OPINION CHANGED
CROWDS NO LONGER HISS THEIR
CONTEMPT.
ELOQUENT Defense of the Unfortunate e
Prisoner of Devils Isle Is Made
in Demanding n Revision
High officials Orator.
ically Lashed.
CROWDS NO LONGER HISS THEIR
CONTEMPT.

PARIS, May 29.-The court of casa tion
| met to-day to hear the debates in the ap-
plcation for d revision of the Dreyfus case.
The doors of the place of justice were
opened at IL o'clock. Persons connected
with the case, newspaper men and others
began to arrive half an hour previously.
There was much animation in the lobbies
of the palace, but the crowds in the vicin-
ity were not large. Extensive precautions
were taken to preserve order inside and
outside the building. The colonel command
ing the guard at the palace has been given
special reinforcements by the military gov
ernor of Paris, General Zurlinden, and con-
siderable forces of military and mounted
police have been assembled at the barracks
in the vicinity of the court. The witnesses
who have testified in the Dreyfus case
were admitted by door on the left of the
palace, and tose connected with the trial
of NM. Deroulede and Marcel Habert, for
melting soldiers to insubordination in con-
nection with the election of President Lou
bet, which is also before the court to-day,
were admitted by another door on the
right of the building.
Spectators about the palace were selling
seats at points of vantage for from 10 to
20 francs each, but the business done was
not good as during the Zola trial, when
they easily obtained 40 francs for seats.
Partisan Celebrities Present.
The courtroom was filed with Partisan
celebrities, the greater part of the hall
having been reserved for ticket holders.
Many judges belonging to other courts
were among those present and absolute
tranquility prevailed. There were about
twenty ladies among the audience filling
the galleries.
The proceedings commenced at noon.
Amid profound silence, the president of
the civil section of the court read his re-
port on the case. After recalling the con-
tentions under which the prosecution of
Dreyfus was instituted in 1894, he dealt
with the contradictory evidence of the ex-
perts in handwriting and mentioned the
protest of innocence by Dreyfus, who said
to Lieutenant Colonel Henry: This odfous
accusation is the death of my life. l must
have justice done me- Henry replied that
the matter did not come within his COM
petence. NJ. Ballot de Beaupre then read
number of eulogistic reports on Drey-
fus, when the latter was a military school
probationer on the general staff, his in
terrogatory by Lieutenant Colonel De Patty
du Clam, in which Dreyfus persisted in
denying having had relations with any
foreign embassy, and his statement that
he had not given any documents to any
agent relating to the defense of the coun-
try.
Reporter Described the Scene.
The reporter afterwards described the
scene in Du Patty de CLAIMS office, in the
presence of the chief of detectives, NJ.
Rochefort, and sketched the history of the
Dreyfus family.
According to Du Patty de Clam, Dreyfus,
when he saw the resemblance to his hand
writing exclaimed: "They have stolen my
handwriting"
1t was also pointed out that Dreyfus,
when the report or Ormes-Chevilles was
presented at the court-martial, protested he
had never seen the 120 short gun used and
that he did not know before July of the dis
position of the frontier forces. The pris-
oner also said he had not had copy of
the firing manual, knew nothing of the
documents respecting Madagascar and
said to the reporter of the court-martial:
Il have now been more than six weeks in
confinement. I swear l am innocent. The
son of an ex-Alsatian Protestant, aband-
oned everything to serve France, and l am
to-day worthy of leading her soldiers on
the battlefield. The martyrdom l suffer
is atrocious."
NJ. Ballot de Beaupre then dealt with the
Ormes-Chevilles report and Dreyfus' rela-
tions with married women.
The hearing of the argument in the Drey-
fus case was adjourned without any in
cident worth noting, at o'clock.
The report said the first suspicion of
Dreyfus emanated from Colonel Fabre,
who was struck with the similarity of the
word ARTILLERY" in the bordereau and in a
document written by Dreyfus.
Related Henry's Account.
Continuing, the report dealt with Lieu
tenant Colonel Henry's account of his con-
versation with Dreyfus when the latter
was transferred to the Cherche Midi pris-
on Dreyfus said: 1T is terrible. l am
accused of frightful thing
Henry asked of what he was accused and
Dreyfus replied:
II am accused of the crime of high trea-
| son."
1.-The devil" answered Henry. But on
what grounds?"
II don't know" said Dreyfus. IT am
nearly mad / would prefer to receive a
| bullet in the head. L am not guilty. This
accusation is the death of my life.'
To this Henry said: '1f you are not
guilty you must not lose your head. An
| innocent man is always strong. Have you
| a family?'
yes, replied the prisoner; "a wife and
children. l am well on ana must nave
| Justice done me-"
THAT does not come within my compe-
tence," was Henry's next remark, "but
| Justice will certainly be done you. Dc
you know what you are accused OFF,
"Yes; I am accused of giving documents
| to a foreign power
What Documents"
"I don't know. Du Patty de Clam only
spoke of secret and confidential documents
without further explanation. l replied that
during my probation at the general staff
office many documents passed through my
| hands, but that l communicated them Ia
nobody"
The Ormes-Chevalles report concluded
with saying that Dreyfus, having supple
and very obsequious character was adapt
ed for espionage.
Judicial History of the Case.
NJ Ballot de Beaupre then reviewed the
judicial history of the case and said 1t
now rested with the court to pronounce
judgment. He upheld the statement that
there was sufficient presumption that
doubts and errors existed and that they
justified a revision of the case. He had
examined the different cases in which the
trial and said that in his opinion the court
ought not to consider the idea of annulinp
the sentence but should only consider a
revision of it. a revision. he contended,
was imperative and, in support of his
statement. he rehearsed the facts on which
among which he included the culpable
Vaccinations of Henry and Du Paty du
Clam against Dreyfus, their Outrageous
schemes to force the hand of the minis