Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-09
DRErFUs As HE rs ToDAY.
All His Thoughts Are Devoted to Clearing
His Name.


His Name.
Paris letter in New York Sun.
On the roads in the vicinity of
Geneva, Switzerland. there is often to
be seen quiet, rather stu6ious looking
bearded man in white Ruton. obile,
generally travelling at pretty high
rate of speed. As he passes the way /
farers bow or touch their hats to him
even the peasants at work in the fields
turn and salute him, to all OF which
greetings he responds with grave and
kindly courtesy.
In his own country, France, he Is
the subject of the bitterest political
warfare that has divided that warning
nation for a generation, the most
notable victim of conspiracy and perse-
cution that the last half Of the nine
tenth century knew. Alfred Dreyfus,
ex-captain Of artillery in the French
Army, lately of DEVILS Island, French
Guiana.
1t is now year and half since the
court-martial at Rennes reconvicted
Dreyfus, process followed alniost
Immediately by his pardon. For
time thereafter he lived in the south
of France, then removed to the little
Swiss village Of Cologny, where he
lives life of quiet happiness with his
wife and two children. Occasionally
he visits the house of bis father,in-law,
M. Hadamard, IN Paris, but as a rule
he stays only few days at time and
appears little in public.
1t was on the occasion of one of these
visits that the only interview with M.
Dreyfus has given since his rardoa
took place.
Asked about his health, he said he
was better and gaining in strength ON
stantly. 1T Is SO good to bo homo
again." he said with deep breath.
II have Just completed the first
serious and continued work that haze
undertaken sIGoe my release. he went
on. THAT Is my hook, which is Just
about appearing. 1t is that which now
brings me to Paris.
All my ambition" he continued,
lis summed up In one phrase; to clear
my name OF the stain that rests on it.
1t was for this that | wrote my book.
1t is for this that l an constantly
working along many lines. Dear as
sympathy and the moral support OF my
friends, known and unknown, has BEEN
to ME, it is not to these that l must
look now. Unless | can adduce new
facts bearing on my case, remain,
in the eyes OF the law, a pardoned
criminal.
''Facts are what I must have; not
kindly sentiments. Mathematics has
been always my favorite study. This
IS matter of mathematics; problem
to which l must furnish the solution.
Links in the chain are still missing.
New facts are coming forth one by one,
and with them we are filling the gaIs.
In the meantime l do not wish to
appeal for sympathy to the sentimental
side of my country. What want is
the full list of facts in the case, which
alone eau and inevitably will prove
beyond the shadow of doubt TO the
most preiudiced mind my absolute
innocence. -
People who knew NJ. Dreyfus we'll
before his trial tell me he has greatly
changed: that his long imprisonment
has ripened and sweetened his char
aoter; that he possesses kindliness,
tolerance, broad minded charity
which was not part of his earlier char
acter. Certain 1T is that as an officer
he was never popular with his superiors,
equals or subordinates. Certain it is,
also, that where he now lives he is
loved by everyone, high and low.
Mentally | cannot sec that there is
any evil effect of the strain of those
long years of loneliness and torment.
His mind is neither weakened nor
dulled; but it does show certain
quality of absorption aud concentra-
zion, evinced in his repeating any
statement which he considers important
several times over
To say that Nine. Dreyfus is won
deriul woman is inadequate to the
point of banality. A former schoolmate
of hers tells me that she was simple,
quiet girl of whom nobody would have
expected any unusual strength of
character or depth of feeling, To tho
surprise and unbounded admiration of
ali this girl, who had never known a
serious trouble, Developed, at the first
shock of her husbands arrest, into a
woman of tremendous force of character.