The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-07
THE SALVATION
or Captain Drcyfus Hangs on a Word
from Emperor William-All Franco
In BreathIess Suspense.


IN Breathless Suspense.
RENNEs, Sept. 6.-The salvation Of
Captain Dreyfus hangs on a single
word from Emperor William. This ls
the general opinion here Tonight. II
the kaiser consents to allow Colonel
Schwarzkoppen, the German military
attache in Paris in 1894. to testify before
the court martial, or to send deposi-
tion. or, what Is considered still more
probable, to allow his deposition to be
accompanied by the actual documents
mentioned in the bordereau, then Drey-
fus is saved.
II the emperor, however, decides that
1t is not in the interes Of Germany for
Colonel SchwRrzkoppen to intervene,
then the Dreyfus case is hopeless, and
his condemnation Is certain.
Tonight the eyes Of France are look
ing across the frontier to Stuttgart,
where the kaiser is staying, and anx-
Iously awaiting his decision. He is In
the position OF the spectators Of a glad
itorial combat in the coliseum OF ancient
Rome, with Dreyfus lying at the feet Of
his antagonist, and watching whether
the emperor points his thumb down or
not. AT late hour this evening he
had given no sign either way. and
Frenchmen are awaiting with breath
less interest the first indication Of his
Will.
To all lntents and purposes Emperor
William stands to-day the arbiter Of
the internal peace OF France, for every
one anticipates that King Humbert
will follow his lead. This Is probably
the explanation Of the delay. Emperor
William has gone to Wurtemberg from
Alsace- Lorraine and King Humbert is
ut Turin. Communication between
the two monarchs is, therefore, some-
what complicated, and as they will
undoubtedly agree upon Identical meas
ures In replying to n. Laborl's appeal.
It Is possible that several days will
elRpse before their decision is known.
The opinion generally held here Is
that Emperor William and King Hum
bert will allow Colonel schwarzkoppen
and Colonel Panlzzardi to be examined
by rOgatory commission, and their
commissions to be sent to Rennes,
with supplementary evidence from the
originals of EsterhaZys reasonable
communications.
The antI-Dreyfusards are extreme
ly exasperated at what they character
Ize as NJ. Labori's trick" He had
long been seeking to Invoke the inter-
ventIon Of the German and italian SOW
ereigns, and seized the appearance OF
Cernuschl as his opportunity, declaring
that the admission Of the evidence Of
this foreigner justified his application
regarding schwarzkoppen and Paniz-
zardl.
N. Laborl Insisted that the appear
unce OF Cernuschl on the witness stand
was quite without precedent. but the
antl-Dreyfusards point out, and with a
certain amount Of reason. that the
counsel for the defense were really the
first to Introduce foreign testimony, as
they summoned the English journalist,
Rowland Strong, on the question Of Es-
terhazy's confession to having written
the bordereau. Any way, It can be
safely asserted that the admission of
Cernuscl as q witness for the prosecu-
ton came ms n veritRble God-send to
the defense, giving them almost nt the
last moment a more or less legitimate
basis for NJ. LaborI's application to
summon the German and italian at
taches. The nntI-Dreyfusards assert
that the members OF the court martial
will ignore the afTirmatlons Of COlonels
SchwarEkoppen and PanizEnrdl. be-
cause they recognize that the testimony
OF these officers Will be given by or
der, with view to save their own spy,
but in less prejudiCed circles II Is be-
lleved that the court cannot disregard
the solemn declarations of the two at
tnches without giving rise to q still
graver situation In an international
sense than now prevails.
To-day's public proceedings were
marked by three important Incidents.
The first was General Zurlinden's ad-
mission that the erasure and restitution
OF Esterhazy's name In the petit bleu
could not have been perpetrated by
Colonel Plcquart, and consequently
must be attributed to some one inside
the general stan. The second was the
declaration by NJ. Paleologue that the
secret dossier contained n document
which showed that SchwarEkoppen, In
the opinion OF PnleOlogue, sent to Es-
terhazy the identical petit bleu for
which Colonel Plcquart was detained
ten months on n charge OF forgery.
The third was General Btiiots tnstnu-
alton that Estnrhazy and Captain prey-
fus were accomplices, which led to an
lmpassloned protestHtlon on the part OF
the accused, and n thrilling scene be-
tween NJ. Labnrl md Colonel Jouaust,
resulting In the advocates excited de-
nunciatIon Of Colonel Jouausrs treat
ment OF him. n denunClatlon tantn-
mount to an accusation OF open par
tiallty.
General zurllnden's admission that
Colonel Plcquart could have not perpe-
trated the eraEurc In the petit bleu was
n startling Incident, Because, although
he declared that the matter formed
only n small point In the prosecution Of
PIcQunrt, and that, 80 far rs he was
concerned, the proceedings were only
I,gtItutn1 In order mt In nllOw n French
officer to lie beneath the blow OF the
charges brought against him by Major
Lauth, yet the fact that Colonel Pie
quart lnnguIshed ten months In prison
under these unproven nccusnttnns can
not be regarded otherwise than Rs n
blot upon the reputation Of General
ZurlIndCn. md still more OF the staff