The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-09


| compare the demeanor of Dreyfus dur
1 ing the past five years with the de-
/ meanor of Esterhazy today; one, on
/ Devils Island, constantly turning ms
/ eyes towards France and appealing to
/ Gen. De Boisdeffre against his conVlc-
/ tion, demanding only justice; the other
| full of recriminationS and bitter abuse'
| writing insulting letters to the gen
| erals.
After reverting briefly to the charges
! in connection with the Robin shell, M
Demange protested against Gen. Mer-
/ cier's refusal to discuss the motives as
being merely a psychological question:
while in reality it was question OF
common sense. There was an entire
lack of motive in the case of Dreyfus
while there was every motive upon the
part of Esterhazy. Dreyfus was rlch
and happy; he had two children VINO
We're his pride and joy and wife or
whose devoted courage all were aware
everything man could desire. WY
should he have risked all that
Believe me- added M. Demange,
''my conviction comes from an honest
heart. I am convinced that the judges,
with the doubt which will remain in
their minds will find it impossible to
declare the prisoner guilty, for they
will rather turn their eyes to men MD
ing on the other side of the channel.
/ ask you once more whether the noble,
dignified bearing of the prisoner since
1894 is not that of an honest, loyal SOL
dier?''
After this. NJ. Demange with his
streaming down his face and hands
trembling, concluded his brilliant flight
s.Ah. gentlemen" said he, ct must
close in order to restore you to your
we'll earned repose, for I have now been
addressing you for two days But
there is one thing which detainS me.
When I have finished the last word of
the defense will have been said and
you will go to your private room to
consider your verdict. once there,
what are you going to ask yourselves?
If Dreyfus is innocent? That is not
the point But is he guilty? You will
ask yourselves are we going to say he
sent these documents when we do not
even know what they contain and
when you say to yourselves, after hav-
ing heard that the defense is power
less to throw complete light on the
matter, but speaking from sincere,
honest conviction, we do not know
what he sent Another may have given
these documents, but he-no, no. There
were things he could not have given
when you say to yourselves fur
you say to yourselves there is over
there on the other side of the channel
a man whom we have to say. it is he
"W11 there be, gentlemen, no doubt
in your minds? That doubt will be
sufficient for me; that doubt will mean
his acquittal
1T must not permit honest logical
consciences to say this man is guilty.
guilty. Very WELL gentlemen, / ask
only one thing and that is that at this
moment you cast one more backward
glance. Remember that the prisoner
was on Devils island.
Remember how, for five years this
man, in spite of the most horrible suf-
feringS, Notwithstanding the most cruel
torture, was never for a single moment
alone, a guard with him night and day;
never allowed to exchange a syllable
with fellow creature. I am not
speaking of the torture of his being
placed in irons. am speaking of the
terrible mental torture to which he was
subjected. Well, gentlemen, the spirit
which these sufferings, these tortures
could not curb, that spirit which re-
mained proud and high, I ask you, is it
the spirit of a traitor? I ask you if it
not that of a loyal true soldier i ask
if the man who only lived for his chill
dren that they may bear an hOnOred
name, that man here who has the culp
of honor in his family, l ask you if he
can be a william and a traitor to his
motherland. No, I have no need to
proclaim his innocence. I say your
verdict will not be a verdict of guilty,
for you have been enlightened. The
judges of 1894 had not been so enlight-
ened. They had not before them Es-
terhazy'S writing. But you had it.
That is the conducting wire. AS God
has permitted you, gentlemen, to have
it, my task is now accomplished. 1t is
for you to do yours Il pray God,' ex-
claimed counsel lifting his arms toward
heaven. L pray God that you will re-
which she has SO much need
Then turning to the audience in
which every eye was fixed upon him,
NJ. Demange added in conclusion: LAS
to you, whoever you may be, French
men, be you with me or against me,
finding inspiration in the sublime idea
of M. MOrnard before the court of
cessation, / say to ALL we are French
men. Let US then be united in the
common sentiment of love of country,
love of justice and love of the army"
AS he reached this climax, cOunsePs
voice swelled like the tones of an or
gan. The close of his impassiOned per
Grafton was followed by an outburst
of applause, which was Immediately
suppressed
M. Labori then said he did not de-
sire to speak.
Major Carriere. however, claimed the
right to reply.
When the court resumed it's session
after a brief adjournment, the govern
ment cOmmissary began his reply. He
promised to be brief and said he desired
to submit to the court martial sim
pie observation: weigh the import
ance of the two categOrieS of witnesses,
those for and those against the pris-
oner. Weigh the Importance and judg-
ment in all the independence of your
character and all the strength of SOL
diers. Proof is everywhere. The hour
of supreme decision has sounded
France anXiously awaits your judg-
ment- I also await it, confidently and
fully maintaining their conclusions al
ready announced I demand the appli-
cation of article 76 of the penal code
and article 267 of the military code"
The demand of the government COM
missary caused a sensation in court
NJ. Demange rose to reply. His voice
was hOarse from fatigue. He said:
The government commissioner in
reminding you of text of the law, has
also reminded US of what we already
know, namely that you are only an
swerable to your conscience and God
for your verdict. This is my last Word
in this case. 1 feel that as men of
honor and loyalty and as military
judges you will never admit as proofs
the hypothesis and presumptions ad-
vanced here, consequently my last word