The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-09-09

Increasing urotestntions of Innocence and
his vopchinR letters to his family. ex-
claiming: "In them you see his soul
which speaks Alone In his tomb he COM
hops of seeing his Innocence ackno WI
edged
Among the letters Of Dreyfus read By
NJ Demange was one in which, after as
sorting his Innocence and declaring he al
ways served the trIcolor fieg with devo-
tlun and honor, the prisoner complained
that he was treated on DEVILS island like
ar ordinary convict It concludess II
With TO live"
aThat is soldiers soul, - exclaimed
NJ DemHnge, land it is that man you
call traitor. That Is the man who in
your presence restraints his sobs and his
emotions.
"Ah, gentlemen, would rather defend
guilty men who are clever diesem blers
than an Innocent man who Is too
sincere. -
Other letters of the prisoner were read.
ali breathinR the same desire to live TO see
his honor restored, though the writer WAS
broken down in health ard spirits.
One letter. written III 1897, appeals to
General DIS Bcisdeffre to lend his gener-
Gus aid in securing for the writer rsstora-
ton Of his liberty OF which he had been
robbed.
Writing to his brother, the prisoner
saiG: "While ons or more scoundrels are
walking free 1t will tie a happy release
for me to die. But it will be disgrace
TO Lucille and my children" This letter
continues vita urging his brother TO lind
the culprits, while carefully protecting
the interests of the country.
lis not that the cry Of any innocent
man?i asked NJ Demange. "Yet,
though General de Boisdeffre received the
letter he did not forward 1t to Matthew
Drsyfus.
s'Ffve ministers of war pronounced
Drefyus guilty while admitting It was
impossible to produce proofs. General
de Boisdere, General 6onse and General
RoGe5 also affirmed their belief in his
guilt But happily they stated reason :
and instead of proofs only accum nlated
presumptions
After pointing out that the generals
only stedied the case at the very mo-
ment when public alteration had reduced
the whole question to n conflict between
Dreyfus and the army, thus making Ii
impossible that the general should not DO
preiudicea and probabilities and presump-
tions seemed to them to be proofs, counsel
paid an eloquent tribute to the "honesty
o. purpose" manifested by the generals,
Dealing next with the confessions =, ooun-
sci read the report of Captain Lebrau-
HenauIt, of the Republican Guard, who
had the prisoner in custody previo us to
his degradation, and maintained that the
exact words of Dretyus, which were now
known, only reflected the ideas OF Colon
the prisoner, adding that although On
Patty de Clam maintained the contrary
II was certain imagination had played a
much greater part than reason in the acts
OF Du Patty de Clam.
IL was also significant that the report
drawn up y Du Patty de Clam on the
dag following his interview with Drey-
fus he'd dlsar peared. Du Patty de Clam
counsel pointed, had evidently forgotten
his remark 20 Dreyfus, as he had forgot
the other ocourances.
nj. DemanRe said be was surprised at
the attitude of General Gonse towards the
alleged confessions and marveled at the
fact that Captain Lsbrun- Renault, who
was sent to the Elysee palace, purposely
to repeat the confessions. did not mention
them. IL was likewise inexplicable that
General Saussier and General Mercier to
know steps TO verify the so-ealled oonfes.
siOns, which were lost sight of until NJ.
CavaIgnac sprung them upon the cham
Der of deputies as proof of the guilt of
Dreyfus. The court OF cassatiou had
justly decided that they were not confess
sions- Proceeding to discuss the secret
dossier, 81. Demange examined the docu-
inents enc Efter the other. lie said that
all interpre tations of the document COM
meDclng doubts proof" were hypoThecal
but they applied more easily TO EsteFha2y
than TO Dreyfua. JIG was so with the other
documents. The leakage descrlb bed 20
Dreyfus could only refer TO the- plans of
fortressss and this leakage continued un-
tiI 1897.
The document contained the words
"Cette cannallle de D. only indicated
DOOR devil ana could not be ascribed to
man whom another lettsr described as
friend in the second bureau. The sixth
document YVES q letter written by Count
Won Munster bedenburg the German am
hassador to France, from Germany to
Colonel acknowledgment. the military at
taohe of Germany at Paris, containing
the words: GAS regards Drsyfus, we are
easy"
M. Demangs pointed cut that the Drey
fus case was the universal topic of Ger
many at that time aud that at fret the
German officials might have been uneasy
but had evidently treasured themselves
Counsel was indignant at the Count Won
Munster Ledenburg had not expressly de-
olared Dreyfus was innocent.
In regard to the letters of November 2
and November II, sent by Major Paniz-
zardi TO his chief 1t had Leen alleged that
they proved Dreyfus had relations with
Colonel Sehwartzkoppen, whereas in
reality Major Panizzardi merely denied
that DEeyfus had any relations with
Italy. It was impossible to doubt the
authenticity of these facts. 1t was iDcred-
ible that Colonel Sohwartzkoppen and
Major panizzardi deceived their govern
ments. The omission of Esterhazy's
name from the letters was Intentional.
"I have finished" said M Dsman2e,
"my examination of the secret dossier.
All France knows tbs worth lessness of it's
contents. Yet 1t Is owing to 1t that the
country has been distracted for months
ard it has been thought that tneie were
documents and proofs in it which might
bring France to blows with neighhor-
ing power. You are now acquainted with
It, ! he secret dossier has been exploded.
You will pardon the loss of time l
have Imposed upon you.
II Will now take up the circumstantial
evidence
brief adjournment of the court was
here announced.
Counsel was warmly appIauded as he
took his seat.
On the resumption of the session NJ.
Demange accused the circumstantial evil
denoe adduced In 1894. He said thu per-
turbation of Dreyfus at the diotation
scens had nothing to do with producing
the idea of guilty In the minds of those
present. Colonel Du Patty de Clam, III.
Cochfert and Major 6reibelin were all
convinced beforehand of his guilt as a re-