The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-08


THE day on which. amid the shock
of furious political passions saw let
loose over our country this tempest Of
madness when I saw everything had
learned to revere and love since child
hood imperilled, I, a Frenchman, the
son of a soldier. endured every torture.
When I turn my eyes towards DeviPs
Island where was buried alive one who
from the bottom of my heart, I be-
lieved to be a martyr, began to Won
der if divine justice had not abandoned
him. Since then I have recovered. I
have hearkencd to the voice of my con-
science and have pursued an undeviat-
ing course, free from anger, or passion,
not needing hatred or prejudice have
done my duty. You will do yours,
which is to mete out justice.
NJ. Demange said he wished to clear
ly define the prisoners position say
ing:
when the case of. the revision be-
gan Dreyfus was a convict and serious
necessary before the case could be ia
ken up by the court of cessation. Today
it is for the public prosecutor to prove
his guilt. Let none blame US therefore
if we have not proved the innocence of
our client. The task was not incum-
bent upon US. 1t is for the government
commissioners to show he is guilty of
the abomlnable crime imputed TO him.
NJ Demange then protested against
the suggestion that it had been at
tempted to put EsterhaZy on trial ex-
DIalulHS
was that the innocence of Dreyfus
should appear, dazzling and complete,
and that the court martial should pro-
claim it. Counsel was satisfied that the
judges of 1894 were honest like the
present judges. But if the former had
seen Esterhazy's handwriting they
would have pronounced a different YER
dict.
Counsel then entered into details
dealing with the information collected
regarding the prisoner in 1894 He said:
The only real information is that
found in the cries from his soul. Even
before his conviction, what was his
first cry2
I will not take my life because I
am innocent "
NJ Demange dilated upon the pris-
oner's increasing protestations of innO-
cence and his touching letters to his
family exclaiming: In them you see
his soul which speaks Alone in his
tomb he communes with himself He
cherishes the hope of seeing his inno-
cence acknowledged"
Among the letters of Dreyfus read by
M Demange was one in which after
asserting his innocence and declaring
he always served the tri-color with de-
VOtiOn and honor, the prisoner COM
planned that he was treated on Devils
Island like an ordinary convict. 1t con-
cludes with the words: I wish to
live"
THAT is a soldiers soul" exclaimed
NJ Demange, "and it is that man you
call a traitor. That is the man who in
your presence restrainS himself and his
emotions.
.'Ah! Gentlemen I would rather de-
fend guilty men who are clever dis
semblers than an innocent man who is
too sincere"
other letters of the prisoners were
read, all breathing the same desire to
live to see his honor disclosed. though
the writer was broken down in health
and spirit. One letter written in 1897.
appeals to Gen. De Boisdeffre to lend
his generous aid in securing for the
writer restoration to 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 a happy re-
lease for me to die, but it would be a
disgrace to Lucille and my children. - In
this letter the writer urges his brother
to find the culprits, while carefully pro
tecting the interests of the country.
rs not that the cry of an innocent
man2" asked NJ. Demange, adding:
Yet. through Gen. De Boisdeffre re-
ceived the letter he did not forward it
to Matthew Dreyfus.
Five ministers of war" said N.
Demange, pronounced Dreyfus guilty
while admitting it was impossible to
produce proofs. Gen. De BOisdeffre,
Gen. GOnse and Gen. Roget also affirm
ed their belief in his guilt But happi-
~, they stated reasons. and instead of
proofs. only accumulated presump-
tiOns."
After pointing out that the generals
only studied the case at the very mo-
ment when public alteration had
reduced the whole question to a con-
fiict between Dreyfus and the army,
thus making it impossible that the gen
erals should not be Dreiudiced and
probabilities and presumptions seemed
to them to be proofs NJ. Demange
said: 4 must acknowledge. however.
the honesty and honorable conduct of
the generals who could not have acted
otherwise than they have done"
Counsel then paid an eloquent tri-
butte to "the honesty of purpose" mani
Tested by the generals.
Dealing next with the confessions,
counsel read the report of Captain Le-
brun Renault of the republican guard
who had the prisoner in custody, pre-
viOus to his degradation, and main
fus. which We're now known, reflected
ideas of Colonel Du Patty de Clam pre-
viously expressed to the prisoner, add
ing that although Du Patty de Clam
maintained the contrary, it was certain
imagination had played much greater
part than reason in the acts of DN
Patty de Clam. 1t was also significant
that the report drawn up by Du Patty
de Clam on the day following his inter
view with Dreyfus had disappeared.
Du Patty de Clam, counsel pointed out,
had evidently forgotten his remarks to
Dreyfus, as he had forgotten other
facts
NJ. Demange said he was surprised at
the attitude of General Gonse towards
alleged confessions and marvelled at
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
explicable that General Saussier and
General MERCER took no steps to verify
the so-called confessions, which We're
lost sight of until NJ. Cavaignac sprung
them on the chamber of deputies as
proof of the guilt of Dreyfus. The
court of~cassation had Justly decided
that they We're not confessions.
Proceeding to discuss the secret dos
sier, Mr.. Demange examined the docu-
ments one after the other. He said that
all interpretations of the document
commencing ..Doubts Proof, were hN-