The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-10
zoLA's PART IN DREYFUs CASE
"A Summary of the Extraordinary
 Prosecutions of the Novelist.


 Springfield Republican. b-esss zSfe-st' S''-
 Emile Zola's impressive figure, when he stood practically alone in the midst of France for justice to Captain Drey- fus. ought to be held in perpetual honor. He had shown his intense interest in the matter as early as 1896, when he pub lished in Figaro an article on the Anti Semitic agitation in France, which he called "a monstrosity. something beyond common sense any idea of truth and justice. a foolish and blind thing that would put us centuries back, thing that would end In the worst of abominations religious persecution. covering all coun- tries with blood" The Jews, he declared, were what Christianity bigotry and op- pression had made them. and if in busi- ness enterprise they have 'excelled- oth- CTS, the only way to change that was to show French superiority in actual achievement. As it was, Anti-Semitsm was simply a confession of inferiority. Later. in November, 1897, he returned to the charge. dir .ctly praising the att tempt of Scheuren Ke5tner. Vice-Presi- Gent of the Senate, to show that there had been a failure of justice, and de- clt ring that the proof was coming to prove the innocence of Dreyfus of the tIoE sonable parleys with Gsrmaly charg- ed to him. Attacks ocasioned by this ar ticle brought out another article in FL garo in which he asserted that he had substantial proofs in behalf of ,Dreyfus. and said: He shall not remain in ex- ile. I have made his liberation my busi- ness" There followed the acquittal of Major Ezterhazy, who was undoubtedly one of the two or three men who were guilty of the offence of which Dreyfus was accused. wretched fellow, this same Esterhazy, a disgrace to the titled family of which he was a member, and with the most scardalous reputation wherever known. The aoquittal of this notorious scamp was the occasion of Zola's 'J'accuse" open letter, addressed to President Faure and published in The Paris Aurore. as Editor Urbain Confer has just told us. The Anti-Dreyfus press and party called names vociferously, and the Government was interpellated that day in tEe Chamber of Deputies, and had to promise to prosecute M Zoa. But 1t was the turning point. While Zola was recognized and attacked on every hand as the head and front of the movement for justice to Dreyfus, it was but two days after the appearance of his letter when 1t became public that a memorial in behalf of a revision of the case had been signed by many prominent authors. doctors and lawyers. and the movement for justice grew, even in the face of the most idiotic popular demonstrations.
 The trial of the novelist and the man. ager of LAurore was set for February 7, 1898 and at the stert 1t was plain that no inquiry was to be made into the truth of the accusations of Zola, save only with regard to his assertions that the Court martial on Esterhazy had acquitted him "by order This was in itself practically a confession of all that the novelist had charged. the point to which evidence was restricted being the only one of which he naturally could get no absolute proof a s if rested with the members of the court martial and the highest offinaFst of the army. The trial occupied fifteen days, and the prosecution succeeded in crush ing I'D all references to the Dreyfus case, save one, when Zola was able substan- tially to prove the existence of secret document in the Dreyfus courtmartial which was shown to the judges, but not +o the accused or his counsel. Zola had heen the object of violent demonstrations from the Parisian mobs, whose riotous behavior had rendered it necessary to double the force of guards and to clear +he streets by cavalry while there were blows in the court house. Probably there has never been known trial in which Jt was more evident that the officers of the court were wholly employed in prose- cutting the defendant; and the press and nC Cnulace were entirely prejudiced against him. The personal attacks made upon Zcla by the generals and other witnesses were of a character that would be shame ful in a barroom, and at times Zola could pot resist the impulse to reply. as when he arose and said to General Pellieux: ..There are several ways of serving France. You, General. made your cam naiRns; but I will bequeath to posterity inc name of Emile Zola, and posterity will be my judge" On February g, 1898, the jury in the case returned a verdict of guilty. after half an hours "derbera-