Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-09-14
WOULD ACgUIT HIM.
Captain Alfred Dreyfus' Chances in
ottumwa.
OPINIONS OF MEMBERS OF LOCAL BAR

Voice ahe Sentiment Of tho American
People-Censure Trial SO Un-
Just IL Would Not
Go Here.
From Tuesdays Daily.
Captain Alfred Dreyfus stands ae-
Quilted as far as the members OF the
Ottumwa bar is concerned. There new
er was foreign case, perhaps, which
has attracted so much attention and
has called forth as many expressions of
opinion from Americans as the farce
which has Just been concluded III
France. The people not only of this
nation but of every country in the
world, having been watching the re-
suits OF the proceedings with the ut
most interest, and many of them With
the same anxiety as though 1t was an
American subject that was being tried.
There was that principle of liberty at
stake that makes our country dear 10
our native born, and even though the
recent injustice against Dreyfus was
committed in foreign county, 1t can.
not help but cause spirit Of wrath
to rankle within the breast OF every
true American. The Courier has seclir-
ed few opinions on the result of the
trial from attorneys of the city, The
reporter called on a number who were
either out of the Office or could nos
be seen at the time, but these whom he
found at leisure. it is believed, have
x,e
who could not be seen, as well as the
people OF Ottumwa in general. They
are as follows:
w. d. Tisdals.
IT have read, carefully, the newspa-
per accounts, from day to day, of the
testimony brought out at the trial.
Looking at all the testimony under
all the rules of evidence which obtain
ed in American and English courts,
there Is nothing at all which justities
the verdict. Under French law henri
say. testimony is admissible, but there
under. there was nothing OF any con-
sequence to show Dreyfus guilty. OF
course there was claimed to be q con-
fession made by him, but on close
analysis and in the Light Of his expla-
nation. 1t was entitled to little If any
weight. The result brought about by
race prejudice and the pressure brought
upon the judges, by the influence Of
their superior officers, is absolutely no
case at all against Dreyfus. Esterhazy,
the guilty party escapes, Will Dreyfus,
the innocent party, is convicted. This
is q damning trayesty on French JUS
tice."
4. w, Rnoch.
81 think it stands without parallel,
for the want of any legal Justification,
whatever, but nothing better than that
could be expected when taking into
consid eration the vices and utter lack
of morals existing among that people.
/ believe in a Providence, and in this
case Isexpect to see an exhibition of it
when the hand of justice will tall
heavily upon France. / am an expan-
sionist, and for the good Of the human
race Germany ought to expand sufiit-
lent to cover the greater part Ct
France
h. w. Scott.
II don't think he had a trial at all,
it was a farce. The result could hot
have been other than it was, for TIC
man was convicted before he was put
OH trial. I don't think Dreyfus will
ever be punished by imprisonment.
While he. has suffered from it, yet it is
good thing, for the action of the peo-
pie shows that civilization has advanced
80 that trials OF this kind will no lon
ger be tolerated. 1t will cost France
hundreds of thousands of dollars in
her exposition scheme. The trial
doesn't show him guilty, and taking the
legal presumption that the law pre-
sumes him innocent until proven guilty,
he should have been dismissed"
W. w. Rankin.
II think it the elimination OF the
greatest piece of infamy that Christian
dom has ever been called to witness.
believe the man is innocent, and has
only been convicted on that statement
which is that they, the witnesses, be-
Heye him guilty. 1t is a stain. upon
the honor of France, such as years of
labor on the part of France will be
NECESSARY to eradicate. The Judgment
of everyone who has followed the evil
dence introduced is that the man is in
npcent and has been convicted because
the rabble of France and those who
carry epulets upon their shoulders say
SAS0 a. AAiSNsf anu St1iab w. dDONss Tic
conviction in their own minds that he,
Dreyfus, is innocent but must be CON
victed to prevent the downfall of mill
tarism in France"
J. y. Smith,
THE evidence in the case was Of
such weak character, that it would
not be received in any American court
In any kind of case. It seems s1.-
prising. that any man should be con-
victed upon the kind of evidence that
was introduced against Dreyfus. I'm
doubtedly the court was Influenced hy
the strongest prejudices look upon
his conviction as an outrage Oh JUS
tice."F
w. W. Epps.
IT think it is an outrage and dis
grace to the republic of France, I
think II was a conviction through bias
and prejudice, brought about by con
spiracy to cover up forgery, There
was no competent testimony upon
which to base 3 conviction"
i,5S az G>oryn EHatudeI