El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-09-09
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
FAMOUS DREYFUS CASE

at once proved that the bOrdereau
could only have been written by Ester
hazy or one who had cleverly initiated
his handwriting.
While Picquart was developing this
evidence privately, q stock broker with
whom EsterhaZy had had dealings and
who was a friend of Matthew Dreyfus.
pu blic explosion followed, Nine. Drey-
fus demanding a retrisl of the case on
the newly discovered evidence.
The general staff endeavOred to
make light of the accusation against
Esterhazy, but for his activity in the
matter Picquart was relieved from his
post in Paris and set on a dangerous
expedition to Africa. At the same
time the announcement was made that
Dreyfns had really been convicted on
the strength Of evidence being con-
tanned 10 the secret dossier, and to
which absolutely no reference had
been made on the trial OF the case.
For the purpose of making the mat
ter clear, it may be related here that
the most damaging fact in the secret
dOssier-a letter referring to one
CD" was afterward traced to Colonel
Henry, who confessed that he had
forged it to strength en- the case against
Dreyfus, and who, when sent to prison
But the clamor for revision on the
strength of the Esterhszy revelations
continued, and the government was
finally forced to order his trial on the
charge of writing in the bordereau.
The trial was farce. The minister
of war had previously expressed his
belief that Dreyfus had been properly
convicted. To convict Esterhazy on
the charge of having written the paper
would be to admit, Practically, the in
nocence of Dreyfus; so with the presi-
dent of the court virtually acting as
counsel for Esterhszy, he was acquit-
ted
En- PEASANT, he has since admitted
that he was the author of the border
eau. Picquart was arrested on the
charge of having forged evidence
against Esterhazy, but he has since
been released.
The il,-concealed efforts of the gov
eminent to shield Esteahazy and the
nocence then called lola into the case.
and in a series of letters be accused
the government first, of having shield
ed Esterhazy, whom he denounced as
being the guilty man, and next of con-
sciOusly keeping Dreyfus, an innocent
man, in confinement. He invited
suit for libel. The government bad
him arrested. Three trials were had,
all of which were as farcical as the
trial of Esterhszy, the government con-
Quoting all of them in manner plain
]y Intended to suppress the facts. Fin
ally lola was convicted, but he had
then taken refuge in England, where
he still remains.
His trial was the final stand OF the
general staff against revision, how
ever. The discoveries Of Picqusrt,
the farcial trial of Esterhazy, his sub
sequent confession that he had written
the bordereau, Henry's confession and
suicide, the Zols trial and the acknowl-
edgement that Dreyfus bad been con-
victed on evidence which had been
presented to neither the prisoner nor
his counsel. and to which no reply was
possible, forced the issue, and the
court of cessation. before which the
application for revision was heard, aft
ter lengthy consideration and a grea-
threshing over of evidence, granted
the new trial, which is now in progress
at Rennes.-San Francisco Bulletin.