The San Francisco call., 1899-09-10

Prominent residents of San Francisco
are of the opinion that the second con-
viction of Captain Dreyfus is an in
justice, but that the verdict probably
saves France from a revolution. Here
are some interesting expressions on the
subject:
Raphael WE'LL, a leading representative
OF the French colony in San Francisco; !;
II have not for a moment since the tndr
ing OF the Supreme Court of France at
tr!buting the bordereau il plain language
to EsteIhazy, but leaving the revision Oh
the trial Of 1894 to It's natural Judges, the
military court. expected any other YER
dict than the one rendered at Rennes. Inc
matter is not ended here. Dreyfus per
sonally must disappear. and the moinen-
tous time has now arrived when france
must come TO conclusion whether the
military oliSarchy is 10 reign supreme.
If 1t is to reign, its dislocauon Is not
very far off. | hope the spirit OF lisa Will
be revived, and That this court of liars,
forgCrs and porjurcrs Will find III new
revolution their downfall and the Fesur-
recton OF great and liberal France.
Speaking Of further proceedings under
the French system, Mr.. WE'LL said ms
case viii naturally so 10 military court
of appeals, where only the cold law VIII
be considered. | have no doubt the court
of appears Will affirm the Judgment OF
the CUurt-rnartial. The condemned man
cannot 70 to a civil court, but il the Min
lister of Justice finds an error upon any
new point or revelation he can nave the
Cassation-the supreme court OF france
take the matter under review. The SUI
preme court may order another REVISION
or dismiss the whole proceeding. The en-
couraging sign to me-the one ray OF
sunshine in all the darkness-is that two
members of the court-martial had the
courage to vote for acquittal In france
the Judges vote viva voce, and the names
of the junior members OF the court are
! u 7 J., on, iroNTN "a
younger otficers-those nearest TO the
people-voted for acquittal.
DR.. Louis Bazet, 9l0 Geary street. late
member Of the Board OF Health: What
do | think of the verdict? What can l
think in view of the meager information
furnished me through the columns or the
newspapers and besides from the tact
that the Government has withheld the
secrets OF the dossier? AT tirst-that is,
at the time that Dreyfus was on his first
trial-I believed him guilty. | did not
consider that the French Government
would place an innocent man on trial on
such a serious charge as high treason II
there were not some proof against him.
With this view of it l believed him guilty.
But when the court of revision on care
full examination OF the evidence laid De-
fore II overruled the first trial ana gave
Dreyfus a new trial, then l changed my
mind and now l believe him to be inno-
cent l think, however, that the trench
Government will ere long recognize this
fact and restore Dreyfus-if not to actual
active service in the army TO at least his
liberty. The public mind is so disturbed
at present that il would be unsafe TO
acouit Dreyfus. 1t would be the means
of creating a revolution, and TO prevent
this-which would be a calamity to the
whole nation-he had to be convicted.
That is all that there is to it. There is
one thing very certain, and this is that
if Dreyfus were tried In the United States
he would not be convicted on the kind of
evidence adduced against him in France.
The Government should have given the
contents of the dossier to the public as
we'll as the evidence against the accused,
but this might antagonize foreign Gov
ernments and ambassadors. The end is
not yet
and Sansome streets: Il consider the
finding of the Court-martial very unjust
in face of the evidence offered-Or, at
least. 80 much of it as has been submitted
TO the public, Yet, considering the state
France. no other verdict could be rem
dered which would save the nation from
a revolution 1t was either convict an
Innocent man and save the military, or
acoIlit an innocent man and destroy the
military and bring about revolution.
Again YOU must bear in mind that there
is an exposition coming off in Paris next
year, and had the court acquitted Drey-