The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-09-12
Argue the Case.

not incumbent upon us. 1t is for the
government commissioner to show he
is guilty of the abOminable crime i'm
puted to him."
NJ. Demange then protested against
the suggestion that it had been at
tempted to put Esterhazey on trial,
explaining that all the defenses desire
was that the innocence of DreyfuS
should appear, dazzling and complete,
and that the cOurt-martial should pro-
claim it. Counsel was satisfied that
the judges of 1894 were honest, like the
present judges; but, if the former had
seen Esterhazey's handwriting they
would have pronounced a different YER
dict
Counsel then entered into details.
Dealing with the information collected
regarding the prisoner in 1894. He said:
THE only real information is that
found in the cries from his soul. Even
before his conviction, what was his
first cry? I Will not take my life, be-
cause I am innocent
NJ. Demange dilated on the prisoners
increasing protestatiOns of innocence
and the touching letters to his family,
exclaiming: I'm them you see his soul
which speaks. Alone in his tomb he
! communes with himself. He cherishes
the hope of his innocence a ;kuOWl
edged
Among the letters of Dreyfus read
by M. Demange was one in which, after
asserting his innocence and declaring
| he always served the tricolor with de-
votion and honor, the prisoner COM
planned that he was treated on Devils
island like an ordinary convict. 1t con-
cludes with the words: II wish to
live"
That is soldiers SOUL" exclaimed
NJ. Demange, "and it is that man you
call traitor. That is the man who in
your presence restrains his sobs and his
emotions. All, Gentlemen, I would
rather defend guilty men who were
clever dissemblers than an innocent
man who is too sincere
Other letters of the prisoner were
read, all breathing the same desire to
live to see his honor restored, though
the writer was broken down in health
and spirits. One letter written in 1897
, appeals to General de Boisdeffre to
lend his generous aid in securing for
the writer restoration to the liberty Of
, which he had been robbed
Writing to his brother, the prisoner
said: while one or more scOundrels
are walking free, it would be a happy
; release for me to die, but it would be
a disgrace to Lucille and my children"
In his letter the writer urged his broth
er to find the culprits while carefully
protecting the interests of the country.
rs not that the cry of an innocent
mani" asked NJ. Demange, adding:
"Yet, though General de Boisdeffre re-
ceived the letter, he did not forward
it to Matthieu Dreyfus.'
Five ministers Of war;" said M.
Demange, pronounced Dreyfus gull
ty, while admitting it was impossible
to produce proofs. General de Bois-
deffre, General Gonse and General Ro-
get also affirmed their belief in his
guilt. But, happily, they stated rea-
sons and, instead of proofs, only ac-
, cummulated presumption
| Counsel paid an eloquent tribute to
| the honesty of purpose" manifested
+, by the generals.
! DE CLAIMS EVIDENCE VENTI-
LATED.
| Dealing next with the confessions,
counsel read the report of Captain Le-
| brun-Renault, of the republican guard,
| who had the prisoner in custody previ-
Gus to his degradation, and maintained
| that the exact words of Dreyfus which
| were now known, only reflected ideas
du Patty de Clam had previously ex-
| pressed to the prisoner, adding that
| although du Patty de Clam maintained
! the cOntrary,it was certainly immagina-
| ton had played a much greater part
| than season in the acts OF du Patty de
,Clam. 1t was also significant that the
report drawn up by du Patty de Clam
on the day following his interview with
Dreyfus had disappeared. Du Patty de
Clam, counsel pointed out, had evident
ly forgotten his remarks to Dreyfus, as
he had forgotten other facts.
NJ. Demange said he was surprised at
the attitude of General GOnse towards
the alleged confessions and marveled at
the fact that Captain Lebrun-Renault,
who was sent to the Elysee palace ex-
pressly 10 report the confessions, did
not mention them. 1t was, likewise, in
.explicable that General Saussier and
General Mercier took no steps to verify
the o-called confessions, which were
lost fght of until NJ. Cavaignac sprang
the 4 on the chamber of deputies as
pr of the guilt of Dreyfus. The court
off Nssation had justly decided that
they were not confessions.
THE SECRET DOSSIER%
Proceeding to discuss the secret dos
| Sier NJ. Demange examined the docu-
ments one after the other He saiG
that all interpretations of the docu-
ment commencing doubts proef'' were
hyrothecal, but applied much more
easily to EsterhaZey than Dreyfus. II
was so with the other documents. There
was nothing to indicate Dreyfus was
concerned any more than any one else
THE PANIZZARDI LETTERS.
In regard to the letters of Novembe.
End and 18th sent by Major Panizzard
to his chief, it had been alleged that
they proved DreyfuS had relations with
Colonel SchwartZkoppen; whereas, ir
reality. Major PaniZZardi merely denied
that Dreyfus had any relations with
Italy. 1t was impossible to doubt the
authenticity of these facts. 1t was in
credible that Colonel SchwartZkopper
and Major 'Panizzardi deceived theil