The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-13
TALK on THE DREYFUs CASE
Miss Richards Lectures nm This SUBJ
feet Before a Council of Jewish
Women.
washington Post.)

washington fOSI1
The History of the Dreyfus Case
was the title given by Miss Janet Eliz-
abeth Richards. to q clear n interest
ing review Of this world-famous Incl
dent. which she delivered last night
before the Washington section of the
was both narrative and critical, and
was in part as follows:
THE first thing which we are likely
TO ask about this case is why the
French people have beer willing to tol-
crate this infamy. One of the reasons
for this is the blind alteration they
have for the army, the one permanent
institution of the government. The
second reason is the hatred manifested
by a certain element in France toward
the Jews. This persecution is largely
led by the royalists, who are unwilling
that the ISraeliteS shall attain to high
places IN the state or in the army.
The crime for which Dreyfus was
tried was selling military secrets to a
foreign nation, presumably Germany.
The secret intelligence bureau of ev-
cry European nation is one of its most
important departments, and the fact
that Alfred Dreyfus had become a cap
tain of artillery, assigned to this bu-
| reau in France, at the age of 30, shows
that he was a man in whom great con-
fidence was reposed.
-Four a ago last fall a document,
| known as the bordereau, was brought
to the secret intelligence bureau of
France by the dOorkeeper Of h Ger
man embassy. This note, it is now GER
tain, was written by Count Esterhazey
to the military attache OF the German
embassy. The internal evidence which
has been presented before the court
of cessation within the last few days
shows hat an expert like Dreyfus
| would have never phrased the note as
it was phrased, but that an infantry
officer, like Esterhazey, would have
been altogether likely to have SO.
1t was on the evidence of this note that
Dreyfus was convicted, n it has now
been proved that he could never have
! written it.
| "Dreyfus was tried in secret, but ii
| was given out that he was condemned
| on account of his secret record, and not
on account of the bordereau. The Sc
cret evidence adduced against him was
forged by General MERCER. Dreyfus
| was condemned and sent to Devils is
| land, a most unhealthy locality just
| off the coast of French Guiana.
Ii was " Ollll1 1OCO IIlo( C1C Up
~pOrtunity came to do anything for
| Dreyfus. 1t was then that Picquart be-
anne h head of the secret intelligence
bureau. He made a discovery in re-
gard to E~sterhazey, and upon compaT-
ing the hand writing he became con-
WINGED that the latter was guilty.
Soon, however, letters by Esterhazey
were published, showing his hatred to
France and the army. He was tried
by a packed court-martial and &C.
quilted. Then lola wrote his phillipics
accusing the French officials of dishon-
esty and falsehood. In July last Cavig-
nae, the new minister of came be-
fore the chamber of deputies and made
a speech against Dreyfus, in which he
maintained that his guilt was evident
from his private correspondence, which
ne quoted. When PicQuart read this
|, he wrote asserting hat these docu-
ments were forgeries, as they were not
. in the secret papers when he was at
the head of the secret intelligence bu-
/ reau.
'Cavignac resigned and Zurlinden
became secretary of war. Soon after
| President Faure died, which was, I be-
lieve, a providential interposition, and
made the reopening of the Dreyfus case
| possible under LOubet.
THE whole case was reviewed by
| the court of cessation, and they took
tcSlllliOly 1IOIl last TcUI ud1y up W q
few days ago. The indictment against
Dreyfus was quashed and the trial is
to be all gOn over again at RenneS, in
Brittany. I think it is a foregone con-
| clusion that Dreyfus is now to have
| Justice"
During the course of the lecture Miss
Richards paid a high tribute to Colonel
| Picquart, whom she characterized as
| one of the grandest figures in modern
| France. She also had much praise fO1
! President Loubet, whose election, she
thinks, vas responsible for the review
| of the Dreyfus case.