The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-28
DREYFUS AS HE is TO-DAY.
ALL HIS ENERGY DEVOTED TO
CLEARING HIS NAME OF THE
STAIN OF TREASON.

ten for This Purpose-COnstantl
Collecting Bits of Evidence Bear
ing On His Case With n View to
Complete Legal ExoneratiOn and
Rehabilitation, Which He Conf
IDENTIFY Believes VIII Be Brought
About-Of His Enemies He Speaks
Little and without bitterness; of
His Friends With the Utmost
Warmth-What He Says of Bertil-
Large Trunks Full of Letters
From His Sympathizers, Waiting
to BE Answered-His Happiness in
His Family Life in the Little
Swiss VilIiage which He Makes
His Home.
Paris, April 10.-On the roads in the
vicinity of Geneva, Switzerland, there ls
often to be seen a quiet. rather studious
looking, bearded man in a white auto
mobile, generally travelling at a pretty
high rate of speed. AS he passes, the
wayfarers 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 a grave and
kindly courtesy. 1t is obvious that he
is a parsonage in the community, and
more than that, man who possesses
the respect and liking of the whole coun-
tryside. Yet there he is only a private
person. Not even citizen of the coun-
try which he has chosen for his domi-
cile In his own country, France, he is
the center point of the bitterest political
warfare that has divided that warning
nation for a generation, the most notable
victim of conspiracy and persecution that
the last half of the nineteenth century
has known, Alfred Dreyfus, ex-captan
of artillery in the French army, late OF
Devils Island, French Guiana.
1t is now a year and a half since the
court martial at Rennes reconvicted
Dreyfus, process followed almost i'm
mediately by his pardon. For a time
thereafter he lived in the south OF
France, then moved to the little Swiss
village of Cologny. where he lievs life
of quiet happiness with his wife and two
children. Occasionally he visits at the
house of his father-in-law, M. Hadamard,
in Paris, but as a rule he stays but a
few days at a time and appears little
in public. 1t was on the occasion of one
of those visits that the only interview
which M. Dreyfus has given since his
pardon, took place. Perhaps the term Gin
tervieW" is too formal to express the
very informal talk in which the famous
prisoner of DEVILS Island took part, the
more so in that he resolutey declined to
express himself upon the matter of the
"a oh. ~ mar
secution and imprisonment. In the con-
versation however, the man himself was
shown forth as he is calm of tempera-
nIent, equable of mind, kindly of spirit,
sane and balanced of Judgment, and this
after such sufferings as few men in his
tory have survived.
On entering NJ Hadamard's apartments
1 was conducted to the little Office at the
rear Of which is the diamond merchant s
business office. There, seated al little
square table, writing, sat Dreyfus. The
last time 1 had seen him was at Rennes,
in the court room, where he faced his
accusers at the second court-martiaI, and
/ had thought then that his face would
be indelibly impressed upon my memory.
Yet it was not until he raised his eyes
that recognized him. They were indeed
unforgettable in their calm, steadfast,
penetrating glance. But his beard chang
ed the whole appearance of his face.
How you have altered" was my first
word after the greetings.
"And, fortunately" said NJ. Dreyfus,
at spares me much notoriety."
"But all France has been flooded with
your picture
"Such poor likenesses that even with
out my beard / could hardly be recog-
nized by them. Now, no one knows me.
come and go unmolested and unnoticed
in the streets of this city, where should
not care to come were it not luckily so'
AS this is written it may seem to apply
a sort of cowardice, hut the way in which
it was said relieved ID of any such sus-
picion. 1t was not persecution or revil-
ments that NJ. Dreyfus dreaded, but more
public notice, and anyone who knows
Paris can imagine how, even at this late
date the man who convulsed the nation
would be overwhelmed by the attentions
of his partisans, rather than of his an
tagonists. AS the talk progressed 1t SEEM
ed strange to me, after all, that / could
ever have been in doubt of Dreyfus' per-
sonaHty; that anyone who once had good
opportunity of studying him as thous-
ands had during his trials and public deg
radiation could pass him by without know
ing him. For, on a closer look,the was the
appareut same soldierly carriage peculiar
for an effect as II the man was bracing
himself TO self control, that had attracted
NV notice at Rennes; the same figure, at
tennated and bony, over which his coat
hung as over a skeleton, but a skeleton
still erect and upright; the same manner
of absolute simplicity and straightford-
wardness Asked about his health he said
that he was better and gaining in strength
constantly. 1t is so good to be home
again" he said with a deep breath.
az have just completed the FIRST serious
and continued work that have undertake
en- since my release" he continued.
THAT Is my book, which is just about
appearing. 1t is that which now brings
me to Paris. Ever since / have had my
freedom 1 have longed to say to the world
what l had to say and my book does that.
But il was long before / had the strength
to begin it, After the pardon / went TO
the South Of France where my family
owns property and remained there In per-
feet quiet. While there received great
mass of letters and kilograms from all
over the world. So many that soon be-
gan TO despair of ever answering them,
nor have / yet had the time to read them.
There are six trunks full of them, all
carefully preserved, for hope some day
10 go through them all and do what I can
to acknowledge them. That / have not
done so before does not indicate any lack
OF appreciation To express the gratitude
that / feel for those who have given me
their sympathy seems so utterly beyond
human power that despair of ever doing
n adequately What / would wish to say
In answer TO each of those kindly mes
sages would in the aggregate take up
more than the span of life" And NJ. Dry