The times., 1899-07-24

London, July LIT IS sucn an immense
relief amid the gloom and passion Of the
Dreyfus affair TO find 4 ray Of humor that
everybody including even the French, is
laughing over the story OF Karl and his
insuferable victim, Beaureneire. The ridi-
cule which kills even in France is bringing
Just retribution to the vicious creature
whose assault upon justice has made him
despised OF all men, except such of his
own countrymen as have suffered like
himself a complete loss of the sense of
humor in the bitterness of the national
quarrel. The story of the hoax played
upon him is worth telling in little fuller
detail than the cable has created it.
1t is necessary to say in preface that
Beaurepaire has been trying to mitigate
the crushing effect of the decision of the
Court of Cessation by issuing solemn proc
lamations to the effect that he possessed
complete proofs of the guilt OF Drsyfus,
which he would duly produce for the con-
fusion of the "trai or when the new court
martial should assemble al Rennes. Those
whom no amount of truth could convince
that Dreyfus was innoceBt-and the men
tai balance OF France has been so far upset
that there are many such-haye welcomed
rapturously Beaurepaire's bald assertions,
and now comes the exposure OF the absurd
basis upon which they rested.
About three weeks ago the practical
joker, who refused TO reveal his identity
beyond the name Karl, called upon NJ.
de Beaurepaire in Paris Hc declared that
he had in his possession conclusive proofs
OF Captain Dreyfus guilt proofs in Drey-
fus' own handwriting. These consisted OF,
first. an annotated time table CT the third
day Of mobilization Tor the Nancy districts;
second, an annotated cycling mep of the
road from Nancy to Metz, and third,
letter from a distinguished personage
whose name Karl refused for the moment
TO divulgs. the documents, he affirmed,
were at Basle, and he suggested that NJ.
de Beaurepaire should go to that town, but
it was arranged that Karl should go him
self TO fetch them, and $50 francs were CIV
en- to him for his expenses. Before tax
ing leave however. Karl asked N. de
Beaurepaire TO give him a safe address TO
which he might write, and he mentioned
Mesdames Chevreau. schoolmistresses, 26
Rue de Lubeck-
The gullible ex-msGisIrate was not sat
isfed with merely nibhling at the bait,
but swallowed hook and line and came for
mere without the least suspicion OF trick.
The joker. in order TO burlesque ell the
troduced the Indispensable yeiled woman.
he induced friends wife to play this
part. and wTote Deaurepaire that he had
already two documents in his pozsession,
but owing to certain difficulties be must
have 300 francs more. The yelled lady
turned up at the house Of Mesdame Chev-
reau and, presenting the letter for Il. de
Beaurspaire. was received with open arms.
She asked for reply that very afternoon,
and returned for it at ) O'Clock. NJ. De
Beaurepaire's letter contained only 200
francs, and was as follows:
Il have received Karl's letter. Let him
lose no time, for we are counting the days.
! send him go francs in addition to wha.
We agreed upon Tor the expenses OF his
journey If he brings back what he has
promised-that Is TO say, the sans repiique
Il will Immediately appeal to my friends.
who are already Informed. a-d he shall
have ? fine reward
(Signed: The man on whom Karl called
SPEEDY return. but no letters as far as
possible
4 Delicate Joke.
On the morrow Karl wrote again that
instead OF returning by Geneva he would
pass by Stuttgart to obtain documents OF
capital Importance. and that thence he
would so to Brussels TO get the papers
photographed. He asked whether it would
not be better to deposit the documents in
a safe place and bring back merely the
photographs in his shoes. which. he said,
we're specially made for this sort Of thing
He added that instead OF returning direct
from Brussels TO Paris, he would come
round by LuEembuIg and Mezieres, chang
ing trains at Scissors. and arriving at
Saint Denis on Monday. He begged VI. re
BeaurepaiTe 10 send some one there who
would recognize him by his clean-shaven
face. fair wig. g0ld-rimmed spectacles,
rough overcoat. English cap, grey trou-
sers, and yellow shoes.
The man" added Karl. ''wiIl cali me
by name. Karl and give me sealed mes
sage from you. ! will give him what I
bring with me, and we shall each return
10 Paris as we may choose l send you this
letter by the person whom you know, who
leaves tonight at 11:i5 and viii reach
Paris tomorrow at $50. She VIII imme-
diately bring back your reply. ;
Kindly enclose in your reply a further
sum for travelling expenses CT IT least geo
francs. have spent UP to now just l,2sJ
francs"
On Saturday the yelled lady called al
S a. N. cn Nine. Chevreau, went to sleep
during the five minutes she was kept wait
ing, ingeniousiy pretending fatigue after
long night in the train. and delivered
the above letter. which Nine Cheyreau
promised herself to transmit to NJ de
Beaurepaire. ana TO bring back the reply.
This reply. facsimile OF which the Fig
arc" publishes. is unsigned. but all who
know the former judges handwriting il
says, VIII recognize it. and II others want
10 investigate the question further It Of
fers to put at their disposal documents
for comparison This letter mentions the
despatch Of the additional 900 francs ask
ed for and adds that IL has been more dif-
fcult for him to send this money suddenly
than II would have been to send :. 600 after
having seen his friends, for everybody knew
that be was not rich. NJ de Beaurepaire
oouff fnucs:
i urgently beg you to bring me the
original documents. leaving the photo
graphs IN a safe place. Bring the docu-
ments 10 Paris to my house, or to the
neutral house where you sent your mes
senger, or TO carriage which is a good
plan, for can wait for you anywhere you
like n a closed cab. We can talk as we
pass through the outer boulevards: you
will give me the papers, and We shall par,
1t the coor o. house with double en-
trance. II Is all but impossible to arrange
as yod propose. a meeting at q railway
station. for I cannot go myself being too
well known. and have no safe person 70
send Why do You not leave the train
at some station like Courcelles, for in
stance? I would wait for you in a closed
carriage with my arm carelessly pro-
truding from the window. This would BE-
very safe
Karl. having thus obtained from ". dc
BeaurUr.dre this pretty proof OF his guilt
bility. sent him hack the $50 francs. with
excuses for his friyolity. adding, But
am convinced Of this-a tout malade Il
faut IN medecin."
He sent the story forthwith with the