The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
ABOUT MADAME DREYFUS
DIFFICULTIES OF OBTAINING AN IN
TERVIEW WITH THE POOR LADY.
She Greatly DisIiI1es PUbIicity-AIl
Published Portraits of Drcyfus
Are Imaginary.
Cassell's Magazine.

CIhlS interview with Nine. Dfey1uS mas
been obtained by Miss Mary Spencer War
rem only after great difficulties. Her corre-
spondence while she was in Paris was tam
pered with, and even her letters to our Of
flee have met with similar treatment)
For some time now Nine. Dreyfus has re-
sided at quiet little village on the Seine, a
few miles out of Paris. Here she can obtain
greater seclusion for herself, with fresh
country air and the delights of a garden for
her children. The village is beautifully sit
uated and the house stands in a charming
garden, bright with flower beds and lawn,
hanked by pine, acacia and other trees. The
letter which L carefully deposited in the
hands of a servant of the house two days
before had prepared Nine Dreyfus for my
visit, and in a few moments after 1 arrived
we were engaged in an animated converse
ton.
The first thing of which I became con-
WINGED was that the lady with whom l was
talking was extremely anxious to avoid ali
unnecessary publicity. Well aware of the
great interest the countries of Europe are
taking in the painful case of her husband,
and compelled she is by the force OF cir
cumstances to keep herself before the pub
lic yet she shrinks palpably from self-ad-
V6ruSeInGnL, anu WOulQ pIelcTg IL pOSSAHISy
to live altogether apart from the world.
For the children's sake" bright, cheer
full face bellies the aching heart that must
be the lot of her who is forcibly separated
from one who is dearer to her than life it
self And flor the chiIdren's sake" the
mother has an added desire for seclusion.
The bright-eyed merry and altogether
hght-hearted little ones do not understand
i hot do their
home They think that their father is trav-
cling and talk joyfully of his return, plan
ming in their artlesS way the many Things
to be done when father comes home. IL
is better to keep them in ignorance as long
as possible, and in response to my request
for photographs, Nine. Dreyfus tells me
that she is sorry to have to refuse, but that
she does not wish either her own or her
children's features to become familiar to
the public.
There are no photographs of either of
them in existence, and she would rather
that such should continue to be the case.
one could not press the matter-it would be
both indicate and unkind; but When L
sought permission to reproduce the portrait
of Captain Dreyfus ] was rather surprised
to hear that the gentleman had only been
photographed once in his life-that was
many years ago when he was young lieu
tenant-it was done by a friend and bore
very little resemblance to the clever ana
energetic captain of the staff of more re-
cent days. Any portrait which has appeared
Of either husband or wife is neither au-
InenIlc nor aulnOflZtu anu 49, III ldCli OHtJ
imaginative Nine. Dreyfus has no photo
graph of her husband in the house, neither
has she the remotest scrap OF his writing.
The reason for the nonpOSSesS1On OF the
latter is obvious; the authorities were too
anxious to establish the guilt of the cap
tain to leave much in the house which might
be helpful to his defenders.
DREYFUS'S LETTERS OPENED.
Much is said about the monthly letters the
unhappy prisoner of the lie du Diable sends
to his wife, but no one need laud the lenien-
cy of the government in this respect-these
letters never reach their destination. They
go to the central prison and are there fill
tered. 1t is only what the authorities are
pleased to allow which ultimately reaches
Nine. Dreyfus. Even then the contents are
sad beyond all expression, and though the
captain declares his trust in God and be-
lieVes his innocence will be ultimately es
tablished before the world, yet he cannot
prevent the ring of despair at his lot and
the occasional expression Of acute suffering
becoming paramount. Ills devoted love Tor
his wife runs through every epistle, and one
cannot but feel the deepest sympathy with
the unfortunate soldier in his gloomy exile
when he writes such words as the follow
ing: How all my love for you comes home
to me at this moment! 1t is solely the
thought of you my poor darling, that en-
ables me to struggle on. To think
that L am accused Of the most mOnstrous
crime soldier can commit! Even to-day
hor SgfS 10 g era am ' bgt Sport Oh
sured that if l am successful in treading
this Calvary to the end 1t will be for your
sake, my poor darling; it will be to avoid
for you a fresh sorrow in addition to all
those you have already supported. 4"
Your courage, your devotion are sublime
You are assuredly one of the noblest
women OF the world; my admiration for you
is such that If succeed in drinking my bit
ter cup TO the dregs it will be in order to be
worthy of your heroism. / wiring my hands
in grief for you and for our children. ="
| All around me Is profound silence. broken
| only by the moaning of the sea- DO not
! weep, dearest; / will struggle to the last
minute for your sake and for that of my
| children. Embrace them tenderly for me.
Words cannot describe the love of poor
Alferd Dreyfus for his children. and they
! are children to be proud of. Pierre, his
mother tells, me, is the living image OF his
! father. He is tall, well built and thoroughly
manly, giving the impression OF a more
/ advanced age than the seven years which
/ can actually be credited to him. He has
! high forehead large dark eyes, nose OF
| the Grecian type and a firm but sweet
1 tempered mouth q very intelligent, bright