The evening times., 1899-09-20
NJ. SCHEURER. KESTNER.
The Dreyfus Champion Who Died mt
the Moment OF Victory.


the Moment OF Victory.
PARIS, Sept. 20.-It is striking fact
that NJ. Scheurer- Kestner one Of the few
men in high positions whose persistent ef-
forts in behalf of Dreyfus brought about q
revision of the case. should have died at
the moment when the fruition of his la
bors was in sight.
Though he became internationally ia
nous through his efforts in behalf of Drey-
fus. this was by no means his only claim
to distinction. He was widely known as
an able chemist and a politician OF more
than ordinary calibre, and his reputation
in France, at least, was secure before the
arrest of Dreyfus. in 1894, suddenly thrust
the unfortunate captain into prominence.
Like the unfortunate man whom he so
effectively befriended, M. Scheurer- Kest-
ner was an Alsastian by birth. He was
horn in 1888 at Mulhouse, from which town,
in the territory ceded to Germany, came
also the Dreyfus family. In religion Nd.
Scheurer- Kestner was a Protestant, and in
politics he was sterling Republican, hav-
ing had the courage Of his convictions at
time when their open expression involved
great perils -
He studied chemistry at the. Medical
School in Paris, and then became manager
OF the large industrial establishment of his
father-in-law, at Thanh, in the department
OF Haut- -Rhin.rC He was a master of his
scientific specially and a frequent and au-
thCritative contributor to its literature, his
most important work, elementary Prin-
ciples of the Chemical Theory of Types APP
piled TO Organic Combinations, being pub
lished in 1852. NJ. Scheurer- Kestner be-
came president OF the Chemical Society OF
Paris and a member Of other learned asso-
Citations.
In 1871 he began his long political ca
reer, being elected from the Haut- Rhin to
the Assembly. in which he gave his vote
in protest against the preliminaries oil
peace with Germany. On the cession OF
Alsace he resigned his seat, but was re-
elected as representative of the department
of the Seine. In 1875 he was transferred
to a seat in the Senate as a life member.
He was one of Gambettas closest and
most trusted friends during the latter's
lifetime, and from 1879 to 1884 acted as po-
litical director of the ..Repubiique Fran
case," Gambetta's organ. M. Scheurer-
Kestner became one Of the secretaries Of
the Senate, and ultimately one of its vice
presidents. but was defeated for reelection
to the latter position ia January, 1898, in
consequence Of the active part he had taken
in the Dreyfus agitation.
OF that agitation M. Scheurer- Kestner
was one Of the originators, for he became
convinced Of Dreyfus' innocence, and made
public proclamation CT that fact in 1897. He
began his campaign in favor Of Dreyfus by
questioning the ministers in the Senate in
December of that year. but at the close
of the debate his colleagues voted unani-
| mously TO proceed TO the order of the day,
thus sustaining the attitude of the cabinet
toward the prisoner of DEVILS Island NJ.
Scheurer-Kestner kept up the agitation
with persistency to the end, and TO no man
is Dreyfus more indebted for vindication
before the world than to him.
1t was owing to NJ. Scheurer- Kestner 5
presentation of Dreyfus side that Zola was
won over The celebrated novelist thus
described him at the time he took the first
step in behalf of Dreyfus:
"A life as clear as crystal. as straight
| forward, as loyal as can be, not a stain,
not the slightest moment. Of weakness. One
| unchanging opinion faithfully followed.
Without restless ambition, with the end OF
an exalted political position due alone to
| the respectful sympathy of equals Withal
not a dreamer or theorist. A manufact-
urer who has lived in his laboratory, de-
voting himself to special study, without
counting the daily cares of a great business
| house under his care; and, let me add
| large fortune. wealth. honors, happiness
| the crowning of noble life, entirely given
| up to work and faith; nothing to desire ex-
eept TO make proper ending"