The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
Will the Court-sIart!al's Judgment
End the Dreyfus Affair?


According to despatch from Paris, Presi-
dent LouDET has declared that the impair
TALLY Of the court-martial now sitting at
Rennes Is undisputed. and that the judg-
ment rendered by that tribunal will DO
accepted by all Frenchmen us final settle
ment OF the Dreyfus case. Are these asser-
tions we'll founded?
II the court-martial shall pronounce
Dreyfus innocent, and If, in consequence
Of the decision he shall DO reinstated in his
army rank 1t Is certain that the Judgment
will be regarded as a righteous one by the
friends OF the accused and by disinterested
onlookers in foreign countries who are
familiar with the details OF the affair. 1t is
equally certain that such a judgment will
be angrily denounced by the partisans Of
the General Staff who include almost every
army officer, and who are believed to
comprehend, also, a majority Of French
men. So vehement would be the pro-
test against a reinstatement OF DREY-
FUs In the rank of which he has been
deprived that even General DE GALLIFEr
would shrink, it is said, from such a step,
end would adopt a com promise by placing
9he wronged officer on the retired list
President LoUBET, therefore, Is not JUS
titled In asserting that tho Judgment OF
the second court-martial will be accepted
by all Frenchmen, provided it is favorable
to the accused.
1t Is NO less plain that the judgment OF
Che second court martial will not be
accepted by the friends Of DREYFUs, or by
impartial onlookers who have followed the
proceedings of the tribunal, should the
result Of the trial be conviction OF the
accused. In the mass OF hearsay testimony
and expressions of personal opinion, there
cannot be discovered enough evidence OF
the kind that would DO considered legal in
England or here to justify even an indict-
ment by Grand Jury.
II, under the circumstances, the accused
s again condemned, his friends will. I'M
Questionably. try to obtain a revision OF the
second sentence. On what plea could they
base their applications Had the counsel
Sor DREYFUS protested against the scope
given to the investigation by the military
Tribunal, they might perhaps have de-
manded the annulment OF the sentence on
the ground that the military Judges were
precluded by the decision OF the Court OF
Cessation from undertaking the inquiry
whether DREYFUs was the author OF the
1orderedu. or whether he made q confession
OF guilt to Capt. LEBRUN-RENAuD. 1t Is
not quite certain that the court martial
was thus precluded, for it has been alleged
in the Paris press, and not contradicted,
That, according to NJ. MAZEAU, First Prcsi-
dent OF the Court Of Cessation, by whom
She judgment in the revision case was
Signed. the two specific inquiries named
might be entered upon anew by the second
Uourt-martial, provided new evidence bear
ing upon them should be produced.
Whether or no the counsel for DREYFUs
would have had right to demand, on the
ground mentioned. the annulment of Sec
end adverse sentence seems to be now a
purely academic question, H. as The Suns
correspondent at Rennes asserts, they vol
unfairly renowned the right In advance OF
the trial, and declared that they would well
come the fullest investigation ofthe conduct
0f the accused.
In any event, however, there may be one
ground upon which the counsel for DREYFUs
can demand that second adverse sentence
by court-martial shall be revised by the
Court Of Cessation. We refer, Of course. to
the ground on which the first sentence was
ennulled, namely, the discovery Of new facts
or documents tending to establish the inno-
cence Of the accused. but unknown to the
military tribunal by which sentence was
passed. Such facts and documents are be-
ueved to be in the possession OF the German
and Italian Governments, and, indisposed
rs Kaiser WILLIAM seems Just now to offend
the military party in France. he will
scarcely be able to resist the appeals that
will be addressed to him from all parts Of
the civilized world to save an innocent man
from second unjust conviction. Accord
Ing to telegram from Rome, the Italian
Government has expressed a willingness to
Furnish the defenders OF DREYFUs with ex
oulpatory evidence at the present trial, but
has been held back by Kaiser WILLIAM.
who considers that the public announce
ment made by the German Government.
that 1t never had any relations, direct or
Indirect, with the accused officer ought to
suffice
AS to the other statement made by PresI-
uent LoUBET that the impartiality Of the
hennes court-martial is undisputed, it GER
talnly is not confirmed by the reports OF
the foreign correspondents who are watch
ing the trial On the contrary, the
s1hioitIon Of prejudice against the accused