The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-09
ALL LOOK FOR HIS
CONDEMNATION
CONTINUED From First Page)

an ordinary convict. 1t concluded with
| the words:
L wish to live
THAT is soldiers SOUL exclaimed
NJ. Demange, ''and it is that man you
call a traitor. That is the man who in
your presence restraints his sobs and
his emotions.
"Ah, gentlemen, ] would rather de-
fend guilty men who were clever dis
semblers than an innocent man who is
too sincere"
Other letters of the prisoner were
read, all breathing the same desire to
live to see his honor restored, though
the writer was broken down In health
and spirit.
One letter written in 1897, appeals
to General De Boisdeffre to lend his gen
erous aid in securing for the VIII
restoration to the liberty of which he
had been robbed.
Writing to his brother, the prisoner
said:
while one or more scoundrels are
walking free, it would be happy re-
lease for me to die, but it would be
disgrace to Lucille and my children"
In his letter the writer urged his
brother to find the culprits, while care
fully protecting the interests of the coun-
try.
rs not that the cry of an innocent
man?' asked NJ. Demange, adding:
Yet, though General De Boisdeffre
received the letter, he did not forward
it to Matthieu Dreyfus.''
Five Ministers of War;" said NJ.
Demange, pronounced Dreyfus guilty,
while admitting it was impossible to pro-
duce proofs. General De Boisdeffre.
General Gonse and General Roget also
affirmed their belief in his guilt But
happily they stated reasons, and in
stead of proofs, only accumulated pre-
sumption"
Counsel paid an eloquent tribute to
the honesty of purpose manifested by
the generals.
Dealing next with the confessions.
counsel read the report OF Captain Leb-
rrln-Renault, of the Republican Guard,
who had the prisoner In custody pre-
yious to his degradation, and maintained
that the exact words of Dreyfus, which
were now known, only reflected ideas
Du Patty De Clam had previously ex-
pressed to the prisoner, adding that al
though Du Patty De Clam maintained
the contrary, it was certain imagination
had played 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 following his interview with Drey-
fus had disappeared Du Patty De
Clam, counsel pointed ont, had evil
IDENTIFY forgotten his remarks TO Dreyfus,
as he had forgotten other facts.
Nj M n hn ok
the attitude of General Gonse towards
the alleged confessions and marveled
mt the fact that Captain Lebrun- Renault
who was sent to the Elysee palace ex-
pressly to repeat the confessions, did
not mention them. 1t was likewise in
applicable that General Saussier aad
General MERCER took no steps to verify
the so-called confessions. which were
lost sight of until NJ. Cavaignac sprung
them upon the Chamber of Deputies as
proof of the guilt of Dreyfus. The
Cour of Cessation had justly decided
that they were not confessions.
Proceeding to discuss the secret dos
sier, NJ. Demange examined the docu-
ments one after the other. He said that
all interpretations of the document com
mencing doubts proof" were hypotheti-
cal, but applied much more easily 20
Esterhazy than Dreyfus. 1t was so
with the other documents.
There was nothing to indicate Drey-
fus was concerned any more than any
one else.
In regard to the letters of November
ID and 18th sent by Major Panizzardi
to his chief, it had been alleged that
they proved Dreyfus had relations with
Colonel Schwartzkoppen. whereas, in
reality Major Panizzardi merely denied
that Dreyfus had any relations with
Italy. 1t was impossible to doubt the
authenticity Of these facts. 1t was in
credible that Colonel Schwartzkoppen
and Major Panizzardi deceived their
Governments.
Concluding an extended examination
of the secret dossier. NJ. Demange said:
II have finished my examination Of
the secret dossier. All France knows
the worthlessness of its contents. Yet
it is owing to it that the country was
distracted for months and it has been
thought that there were documents and
proofs in it which might bring France
to blows with a neighboring power. You
are now acquainted with it. The Sc
eret dossier has been exploded
you will pardon me the loss of time
/ have imposed upon You.
II will now take up the circumstantial
evidence"
A brief adjournment was here an
nounced.
Counsel was warmly applauded as he
took his seat.
NJ. Demamge, when the sitting was re-
sumed, took mp successfully and showed
the hollowness of the circumstantial
evidence against the prisoner.
After demonstrating the falsity of the
evidence of NJ. De Beaurepaires wit
nesses Mueller, Du Breuil, Villon and
Ccrnuschi, counsel said the only proof
left was the 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 had been said by
General Zurlinden himself. But coun-
sci asked the court to remember with ref
erence to those notes that all General
Deloye could say was that it was not
impossible that Dreyfus might have
possessed them. This was all he could
say when it was a question of high
| treason.
| At the request of NJ. Demange, the