Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-08
Tense. His opening remarks seemed to


revision of this case-that is to say, who
ever believed in the innocence of Dreyfus-
was working against the army and against
the country. l here declare that he does
Maitre Labor. Neither NJ. Labori nor my
self would be here If these statements
were true. Let me tell you simply this:
The day on which, amid the shock OF
furious political passions, ] saw let loose
over our country this tempest of madness
when l saw everything imported | had
learned to revere and love since childhood,
i, Frenchman. the son of soldier. en-
dured every torture. When / turn my eyes
toward Devils Island where was buried
alive one who. from the bottom of my
heart. j believed to be a martyr. 1 began
to wonder if divine justice had not aban-
doned him. Since then l have recovered.
l have hardened to the voice of my. con-
science and have pursued an undertaking
course. free from anger or passion, not
needing hatred prejudice. L have done
my duty. You will do yours. which is to
mete out Justice
Continuing, NJ Demange said he wished
to clearly define the prisoners position,
saying:
when the case of the revision began
Dreyfus was a convict. and serious pre-
sumptions of his innocence We're neces-
sary before the case could be taken up by
the court of cessation. Today 1t is for the
public prosecutor to prove his guilt Let
no one blame us therefore, if we have not
proved the innocence of our client. Inc
task was not incumbent upon us. 1t is
for the government commissioner 10 SHOW
he is guilty of the abomlnable crime I'M
puted to him.
Where ESterhazy Comes In.
NJ Demange then protested against the
suggestion that it had been attempted to
put Esterhazy on trial. explaining that all
the defense desired was that the innocence
of Dreyfus should appear, dazzling ana
complete, and that the court-martal should
proclaim it. Counsel was satisfied that the
judges of 1894 We're honest. like the pres
ent judges but If the former had seen Es-
terhazy'S handwriting they would have
pronounced different verdict.
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, because !! am
Innocent :"
NJ Demange dilated on the prisoners in
creasing protestations of innocence and the
touching letters to his family, exclaiming:
"In them you see his soul, which speaks
Alone in his tomb he communes with him
self. He cherishes the hope of seeing his
innocence acknowledged.
Among the letters of Dreyfus read by NJ
Demange was one, after asserting MS M
nocence and declaring he always served
the tricolor with devotion and honor. the
prisoner complained that he was treated
on Devils Island like an ordinary convict.
1t concludes with the words:
II wish to live.
THAT is a soldiers SOUL exclaimed NJ.
Demange, land it is that man you call a
traitor. That is the man who in your pres
ence Restraints his sobs and his emotions.
''Ah, gentlemen. l would rather defend
guilty men who are 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
broken down in health and spirit.
Appeal to- Boisdeffre.
One letter written in 1897, appeals to
Gen. 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 walk
ing 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 brother
to find the culprits, while carefully pro-
tccting the interests of the country.
rs not that the cry of an INNOCENT mani
asked NJ. Demange. adding: Yet, though
Gen. de Boisdeffre received the letter. he
did not forward it TO Matthew Dreyfus.
Five ministers of war, said NJ Demange,
pronounced Dreyfus guilty, while admit
ting it impossible To produce proofs.
Gen. de Boisdeffre, Gen. Gonse and Gen.
Roget also affirmed their belief in his guilt.
But. happily, they stated reasons. and, in
ton
After pointing out that the generals only
studied the case a the very moment when
public alteration had reduced the whole
question a conflict between Dreyfus
and the army, thus making it Impossible
that the generals should not be prejudiced,
and probabilities and Prescriptions seemed
to them to be proofs. NJ. Demange said:
II must acknowledge, however. the hon
esty and honorable conduct of the generals,
who could not have acted otherwise than
they have done"
Counsel then paid an eloquent tribute TO
the honesty of purpose manifested by
the generals.
The Alleged Confessions.
Dealing next with the confessions, coun-
sci read the report of Capt. Lebrun-Re-
nault of the Republican Guard. who had
the prisoner in custody previous to his
degradation, and maintained that the ex-
act words of Dreyfus. which were now
known. only reflected ideas Du Patty de
Clam had previously expressed to the pris-
oner adding that, although Du Patty de
Clam maintained the contrary, it was GER
tain Imagination had played much great
er part than reason 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 Drey-
fus had disappeared. Du Patty de Clam
counsel POINTED out. had evidently forgot
gotten other facts.
NJ. Demange said he was surprised at the
attitude of General GonSe toward the al
legged confessions and marveled at the fact
that Captain Lebrun- Renalt, who was
sent to the Elysee palace expressly to re-
peat the confessions, did not mention them
1t was likewise ineXplicable that General
Saussier and General MERCER took no
steps to verify the so-calied confessions,
which were lost sight of until NJ. Cavaig-
nae sprung them upon the chamber of
deputies as proof of the guilt of Dreyfus.
The court of cessation had justly decided
that they We're not confessions.
Proceeding 10 discuss the secret dossier,
NJ. Demange examined the documents one
after the other. He said that all inter
pretationS of the document commencing
Doubts proof We're hypothetical but APP
piled much more easily to EsterhaZy than
Dreyfus. 1t was with the other docu-
mentS.
There nothing to indicate Dreyfus
was concerned any more than any one else
The leakage aScribed To Dreyfus could only
refer To the plans of the fortresses and
this leakage continued until 1891 The
document containing the words 'Cette
Canailie de D. only indicated a poor
devil and could not be ascribed to man
whom another letter described a friend
In the second bureau. No credence could
be attached to some of the documents
while others did not apply at all to the
prisoner.