The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-08-23
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST %. 1899.
FRENCH JUDICaTURE.

II Is hard 10 imagine anything as alb
surd as the proceedings in the Dreyfus
trial. Il is to be remembered that Drey-
fus is supposed TO be on trial for trea-
son in furnishing secrets of the French
War Office where he was on duty TO
foreign governments. We say that this Is
supposed. though. so far as we have
seen, there has been no Indictment OF
the accused informing him specifically
Of what is alleged against him that he
may prepare 10 disprove the charge. We
may fairly assume, however. from every
thing taken together. that the court I'M
derstands that It is trying Dreyfus for
treason in furnishing military secrets to
the Germans. This being So let us con-
slider for a moment a brief extract from .
the testimony given by Captain Junck
last Wednesday. II is as follows: Cap
tain Junck testified that he and Dreyfus
were fellow probatoners in the War
ONCE. which fact gave him an oppor-
tunity to watch Dreyfus conduct. and he
then continued thus:
He saw the prisoner a great deal and
detailed conversations in which ne al
iesed Dreyius spoke Of great sums he
mad lost IN gambling and in intercourse |
with loose women
one day the witness proceeded |
when we were visiting the Concourse |
Hippique. we met three immoral women |
who bowed to us. Dreyfus returned their |
greeting when / said 10 him: We'll. for a
married man, you have nice acquaint-
ances'
He replied that they were old friends
OF ms bachelorhood. and. pointing 10 one
81 them. said her name was Voltesse. and
mat she had house on the Champ Ely
see Where she gave nice parties. where
pretty women were TO be met and where
there was much gambling"
Now. will anyone suggest how this evil
oence could have any tendency 10 nrove
either that Dreyfus did communicate CO
crets Of the War Office TO GERMANY ~
that he did not? Grant that f. has . 90,
dency 10 prove that Dreyfus was m -,
moral man. but 1t does not follow ,ba,
an immoral man is also traitor nor
would II follow that a man was aestit,,to
OF patriotism or that ne actuauv did cal,
War ONCE secrets to the German GOV,
eminent Dreyfus is being prosecuted
TOT the specific act OF selling secrets and
though he were as bad as ola Nick him
self he Is not 10 be convicted Of seli,o
War Office secrets 10 the Germans ,,,,os. '
he actually did sell them. We had no sor,
OF conception Of French methods Of nro
cedure IN court until this case was ev
plotted before the world. but now that wo "
get a glimpse OF that procedure an 3,
ieiligent men must unite in saving +ba,
II Is the most absurd scheme OF action .
any human beings ever subjected tbo,, y
selves TO- How any result IS ever reached
nnder such a process is hard to under 4
stand. d
II Junek could tell of Dreyfus anours =.
hen Dreyfus must be given leave 10 IN. a,
rcduce evidence 70 show that ne did NOT G.,
10 what Junck charges him with. and the 8,
rial Will then switch off from an q, >,
'es'igation Of whether Dreyfus sold Sc. fu
rois 10 the Germans into an inquiry as 70 IN
whether ne coquotted with females AZ the N
'onoourse Hlpplquc and as collateral IS. d,
ues spring up while the main investlga. ,r
lon was on hand. so other collateral IS. or
ues may well spring up while this col. II
'ieral inquiry Is being conducted. and So Ia
be court may very readily be drawn alto M
''her away from the main Inquiry into is
p investigation Of matters that no man IN
earth cares cent about. French judi it
al procedure passes all understanding. no
But II is hard to understand how even de
rench procedure can convict Dreyfus. ,
e have carefully read the evidence as 1t 10
IS been sent to this country. and. with wo
= exception Of the forged bordereau. we nc,
mot see one item OF evidence against 90,
m All else is gossip. tittle-tatte sus.
ion and surmlse ,