The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06

| from his post. The details OF the torture
have been published, ON the authority OF
the physician who has made an examine
tion OF DREYFUs since his return to France.
and the truth OF the publication has not
been denied by NJ LEBoN, ex-Minster OF
tho Colonies. who authorized the inhuman
| performance but who tries to justify him
self upon the plea that there was rumor
| current at the time that an American
vessel had been chartered to rescue the
prisoner. We need not say that not par
| ticle of evidence has ever been produced In
support OF the rumor and that the phan-
| tom ship never materializcd
1t appears that on the arrival OF DREYFUs
| from France in Guiana in the early part OF
| 1Ss5 the condemned man was not imme-
diately landed. On the contrary, he was
left at the bottom of the vessels hold at a
temperature OF 1899 Fair. for four days.
! Even in the early part Of the present year,
while the change Of jurisdiction from the
criminal section Of the Court OF Cessation
| to the whole tribunal was discussed, he was
put for month on bread and water.
The torturing occurred between these
dates and took two forms, having a common
motive, namely, to get rid Of the prisoner.
Tho first attempt to kill DREYPUs was made
in 1890, Immediately after Col. P1cQuART
had informed Gen. BILLoT, then Minister OF
War, that DREYFUs was innocent and had
! urged the General Staff to take the initia-
tive in the rehabilitation Of man uniustly
condemned. The cabin in which the pris-
oner was confined was forthwith surround
ed with n tall palisadc. This was a serious
hraaph M tho Inv ha hox ipf hoo
that OF transportation to fortress. By
thus shutting out the horizon, the cap
tive was deprived Of view OF the sea but
this was the smallest part OF the mischief
designed and accomplished. 1t must not
be imagined that tho enclosure formed by
the palisade was a spacious court In which
the captive could promenade in the open
air, and whence his view would embrace by
day the blue sky and by night a multitude
of consultations. As matter Of fact, the
sky also was cut off for him, because be-
tween the palisade and the wall of his
cabin there was space OF no more than
fifteen inches. In this space. IL he tried to
exercise, he could only walk sidewse, like
crab, and, by twisting his head backward.
descry ribbon-like section OF the frma-
ment. Air as well as light was inter-
cepted by the palisade.
After this state OF things had lasted for a
year, the prisoner had attacks OF sufioca-
ton, and the doctor insisted that some
thing should be done. The palisade was
not placed further of, however. The cabin
was merely lifted trifle, so that little OF
the torrid air OF Guiana could enter. One
can now understand why Nine. DREYFUs
in defiance of the law, was prohibited from
joining her husband. She would have sent
a statement OF the facts back to France,
and questions would have been asked in
Parliament.
Something worse than suTocation was to
come. Terrorized by the menaces ofthe Librp
Parole and other anti-Revisionist sheets.
which accused the Melne Government of
conniving at attempts to deliver the pris-
oner. LEBoN, Minister OF the Colonies tele-
graphed an order to put DREYFUs in irons.
On the receipt Of the telegram the little forge
of the lie du Dable was lighted, and the men
in charge OF the prisoner undertook to man
nfacture, as well az they could, the instru-
ments of torture. The very first day on
which the letters were apple !, the cap
tive's ankles, swollen by the pressure Of the
surrounded by q circle Of Inflammation
The sufferer, not complaining, but exhibit
ing to the executioners his swollen legs,
asked to he told at least the reason for this
new torment He received no reply For
two whole months every morning the
irons, stained with blood, were taken of,
to leave exposed the terrible wounds.
When tho sun had set the irons were once
again screwed to the bleeding flesh. The
purpose. Of course, was to discover whether
DREYFUs, who had not been killed by suf-
location. could not be made to perish by
blood poisoning.
Such was the hellish treatment which. in
defiance OF law, WAS melted out to an inno-
cent man at the end of the nineteenth CEN
fury and under the French Republic. Yet
there are persons to be found, not in France
only but also in the United States OF
America, who assert that it is not the enc
mics, but the friends Of DREYFUs who have
"mismanaged their case"