Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-06-08
lola TALKS OF HIS
FLIGHT FROM FRANCE
Dreyfus Champion Back to Face
Enemies After SeIf-lm-
posed Exile.
KNEW TRUTH WOULD TRIUMPH
Was Always Confident THAT Justice
Would BE Done in the End
ozark Hour in His
Life.

New \ DIX, June S.-lhe Paris corre-
spondent of the Journal says:
The last time crossed the threshold
of the lola home was to offer sympa-
thy to Nine. lola for the dastardly at
lacks upon her at the time of the sez-
ure of her furniture. With tears in her
eyes she told me the day would vet
come when her husband would enter
their home triumphant. lola arrived
home Monday. Contrary to reports,
he did not reach Paris Sunday night.
He landed i'm France, and first went to
Medan, near the city.
The great author is little changed,
and has assumed serenity of express
sion and triumph.
For the twelve months | have been
absent from Paris said lola, 81 have
lived like one dead, i'm complete silence,
awaiting justice and truth. Today
both triumph. j have returned to
France.
July is will remain i'm my life
most terrible date. On that date left
home and country, renouncing every
thing loved. lgnoble people who inn
agined / fled from Il prison have since
given proof of deeper villany than in
telligence. \ prison? | never asked
anything else. | am ready to give my
self up cheerfully, if necessary. Those
who accused Inc of flight must have
forgotten the whole history of the rea-
sons which caused me to enter the
combat. Today the long campaign is
ended / was absolutely disnterested.
] Offered myself as holocaust and ac-
cepted i'm advance my own ruin if JUS
tice had not triumphed. We who
worked for revision never acted from
personal ambition. but purely from
wish to serve justice. We are ready to
pay the price of liberty, even life, if
necessary.
"'They wanted to strangle the truth.
Things looked dark at the time of my
trial at Versailles. Picquart was i'm
prison and lsterhazy was protected.
A friend urged me to leave and let JUS
tice take its course. My own presence
was compromising the affair i'm adj
vance. No one knows what bitterness
it was for me to leave France and thus
give an appearance of flight.
Il am not a political man, only "
liberal writer, but sacrifice was nee
essary, and | accomplished the duty,
one which personal friends and friends
of the cause imposed upon me.
81 assure YOU it WAS Il terrible night
when | left France that July evening.
AS | saw he lights of my beloved
country fade before me-the country
love. whose honor | have sung in all
my works.
cone must be far away, alone, and
| prosecuted. to realize what exile
MEANS
"Who thinks of attributing my flight
! to a desire to curry favor with for
| eigners, or that i received Jewish
| gold? People who could indulge in
such thoughts merit some disgust and
much pity.
81 wanted to return after Henry's
suicide 1t seemed then revision was
certain. But every obstacle was thrown
in the path of NJ. Brisson. My return
to face such passions would have ag
gravated matters.
"When the criminal section of the
court finally took up the question /
wanted to return, but new letters
came, saying the hour is not vet at
hand. and again ] was obliged 10 wait
'When the great inquiry opene'
again | wanted to return. having near
ly lost courage. All the accusations
made in my letter TO the president had
been confirmed. and I desired to re-
turn unexpectedly and tumble in
amidst every one during the heat of
the discussion. but I was again
checked by my pleading friends.
"Now all is finished. ] have returned.
but must remain in silence and tran
quillity. that my homecoming he not
the cause of trouble to my friends.
"If performed a good action ! want
no political Donors. My aim is TO con-
tinue the battle for truth with my pen.
/ would like, before taking up another
work, to emphasize the moderation J.
have always felt. When wrote the let
ter to the president many of my best
friends were Mortified at the crime
they said ] committed. The articles
written must now weigh heavy on
their conscicnces. The letter was much
softer than the facts, many of which
have since developed.
IL neither desire nor need a triumph.
I will say, however. the events have
proven the ample truth and justice Of
my accusations.
81 am without anger or animosity.
Indeed, if ] listened TO my heart T.
would be ready to pardon these male
factors and leave to conscience and
public disgust their punishment.
81 believe it is necessary, however,
for the sake of justice that high cul-
prits must be struck down or the
people will never be convinced of the
cnormity of the crime against truth
and justice.
"Picquart is still in prison. Not u
day has passed have not thought of
him. His torture has been prolonged.
If tomorrow Picquart is not set at lib
erty justice will not have accomplished
her work until that glorious son of
France is liberated.
Yes, ] am ready for the procureur
general when he sends for me 10 pay
the judgment against me at Versailles,
one years Imprisonment and 5000 fine.
am ready to face jury, and justice
shall say whether have committed a
crime through my desire 10 throw
light on truth and Justice"
The Zola house is a bower of flowers
kilograms from all over the world by
hundreds and hundreds are pouring in
and some of the greatest names in
contemporaneous history are signed
There is no need of an election at The
institute. He is already an immortal