Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-30
THE CASE OF CAPT. DREYFUs.
Accused officer Retired nv Court
Martial-End of the Case

-uaTtiai-Euu OF the Ease.
During the year just closing France sue
cessfully passed the crisis brought on by
the celebrated Dreyfus case, and averted
what at one time seemed to promise a
revolution which would threaten the life
OF the republic. After a long and hard
struggle, the friends of Captain Dreyfus
succeeded in obtaining for him a new
trial by court-martial. Captain Dreyfus
was brought to France from Devils Island
early in July, and on August his second
trial began in the city of Rennes, in the
south OF France. Colonel Jouaust of the
engineers presided over the court, and
with MIN were associated Lieutenant Colo
nel Brogniart Of the artillery, Commandant
fronllet of the infantry, Comma ndant
Merle. Captain De Breon Captain Beauvais
ana captain Parfait of the artillery. Major
Carrlere conducted the prosecution in be-
half of the government. Maitre Labori
conducted the defense The trial lasted
over month, and was remarkable in the
character of the testimony which was pre-
scented by the government and the recrimi-
nations which passed between some of the
most prominent officers of the French
army. On September 8 the judges of the
court-martial by a vote of five to two rem
dered verdict of guilty against Dreyfus,
ana by the same vote he was condemned
to ten years imprisonment. The verdict
was awaited throughout France, and in
Paris particularly. with the greatest inter-
eSl mere WAS, however, no disturbance,
and the service of the police and troops
which had been held in readiness, were not
needed Since then Paris, and, indeed, the
whole OF France, has been eminently quiet
and peaceful.
To the rest of the civilized world how
ever, the verdict came as a great shock
Criticism and indig1iationywe aroused by
the verdict. Proposals were made to boy
colt French manufactures and the expoSi-
ton at Paris in the coming year.
me judges of the court-martial had in
cluoed IN their verdict the remarkable ex-
preston that there Meres 'extenuating cir
cumstances and sigHed-ra formal recon-
mendation to President ,4sOubet for mercy.
On September 10 the. council of ministers
decided to pardon Dreyfus, on condition
| OF mis- withdrawing his appeal to the coun-
Gil OF revision, and this pardon was at
| once granted by President Loubet At z
CLOCK on the morning sof September 2l
Drey1us left the prison at Rennes a free
man. and Joined his family at the village OF
Carpentras, In the valley of the Rhone
On September 81 General De GalIifet adj
dressed TO the varioas corps commanders
an order to be read to the troops through
| out the army, declaring the Dreyfus Incl
dent closed.
During the progress of the trial Maitre
Labor, counsel for Dreyfus, was wounded
by an unknown assassin. who made his
escape after the shooting. The wound,
however, proved not to be serious. and
after few days he was able to resume his
duties at the trial.
III the MIDST or the agitation over the
Dreyfus case, which had become more and
more fierce at the beginning of the year,
the French nation was sobered by the sud
den death of President Faure He died
from stroke of apoplexy on the evening
of February 16 at the presidential najace
He was succeeded by Emile Loubet, who
was elected by the senate and chamber
of deputies on Saturday, February Is, by
a single ballot. -
On the day of President Faure's funeral
Paul Deroulede and several other anti
Semites, who called themselves "nationa1.
ists." attempted coup d'etat, which ended