The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-09
Awaiting Vindiction


since his recent arrival at
Rennes. His experience is like rude
awakening from a long and troubled
sleep-in his years of confinement he
has been like one quite out of the world
The story of the plots and schemes of
those who he had every reason to be-
lieve were friendly to him, came like a
grievous revelation. He was astounded
when he learned. long after the fact,
of the base treachery of men whom,
surely, he had never harmed and on
whose good offices he had supposed
himself entitled to count.
The Dreyfus case is a tragedy in
many chapters-since it is soon to be
well before the public again, it is worth
while that account be taken of its out
lines. The affair started in 1894, in
April, with the ''bordereau," or memo
randum, which a secret agent of the
French war department managed to
abstract from the German embassy.
1t was not signed. Patty de Clam,
French officer, was called in. He con-
GUIDED or pretended to conclude, that
the writing was the hand of Dreyfus;
Patty de Clam was an ardent anti
semitic. A bank expert was instructed
to make an examination. He said that
Dreyfus did not write the bordereau.
Weeks later the matter of dealing
with Dreyfus was committed to Patty
| de Clam. After a ridiculous prelude in
which his scheme to draw Dreyfus into
betrayal of himself utterly failed
de Clam landed Dreyfus in prison. Dur
| ing more than a fortnight after his
Imprisonment, Dreyfus was in utter
! ignorance of the charge against him.
| OF course, he was condemned, and he
was sent to Devils Island. MERCER,
the minister of war. indolently yielded
to the pressure brought to bear by Patty
de Clam, who was generously aided,
| among Others by Commandant Henry.
| Meanwhile, Colonel Picquart, in the
summer of 1896, who had become chief
| of the bureau of information, seized
| certain kilograms and papers which
seemed to establish clearly the fact that
an officer named Esterhazy was the
writer of the bordereau. Then fighting
at close range began, with the result
that the weak minister Of war dis
missed Picquart from the service In
the progress of the DRAMA Patty de
Clam, Henry and Esterhazy, in the eff
fort to compromise Picquart and keep
suspicion directed from themselves.
dealt in forged telegrahs. They were
trapped in this.
In November, 1897, Esterhazy was
! publicly accused. Trials followed In
volving Esterhazy. number of the
friends of Dreyfus and lola: and Paris
was virtually in the throes of an anti
semetic war. Picquart, who had first
fastened the crime on Esterhazy, was
sent to prison. Later on Henry admit
ted that the effort to fix the guilt
on Dreyfus he, Henry. had been guilty
of forgery. Two or three days later
overwhelmed with remorse and shame
Henry very properly committed sui
eide. Esterhazy, undaunted and des'
perate, kept at it; his particular role
was by hook or crook to discredit Pic
quart.
But it was vain to fight against Fate
The tide was turning-slowly, to bt
sure, but it was turning. When Fell,
Faure died, under circumstances tina
gave scandal an opportunity. Dreyfu'
was freed of his most potent foe; undel
Loubet, the new president, the move
ment started that has landed Dreyfu!
in Rennes.