The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-25
.NEWgK
 FOR DREYFUS Revision Agreed on by Commissioner.  CAPTAIN NOT SURPRISED Civil Tribunal Will Hear the Case.
CAPTAIN NOT SURPRISED
Many of the Witnesses Who Former ly Testified Against Him Have
 Changed Their Views as to His Guilt.

Paris, Dec. M.-Captain Dreyfus, ac- cused of treason to his country, degraded, dismissed from the French army and most bitterly punished will have another trial, this time by civil tribunal.
 As the result of the examination of all the evidence submitted to the two courts martial which have passed on the Ques- ton of Dreyfuss guilt as well as upon the petition of Dreyfus for a new trial and the additional facts brought to light ay General Andre, Minister of War. the Commission of Revision, representing the Court of Cessation, reached a decision to- day in favor of the revision of the case by the criminal branch of the Court of Cessation. The court will assemble next month and Dreyfus will then have full opportunity to make complete exposl- ton of the wrongs he has suffered. The former captain as a result of this new trial expects to obtain a full and com- plete vindication followed by restoration to his rank in the army.
 Interest Dying Out.
 Though it had been announced that the revision commission would reach q de- cision this evening. there were few per- sons outside the ministry of justice where the sittings of the commission were held, indicating that the interests of Paris iennes in the case is not as keen as 1t has been in the past. Dreyfus received the news of the decision of the court through personal friends. who extended to his their earnest congratulations on his victory. There was absolute unanimity among the members of the commission. One member asserted that upon the facts presented as the result of the investigation made by Captain Targe. an ofiicer on the staff of War Minister Andre, another revision of the case was made possible,
 The details in the report of the com mission have not been made public, but 1t is stated generally that the produc- ton of evidence which had not been submitted to the court martial at Rennes and the change of testimony on the part of some of the witnesses before the court martial which entirely reversed brought about the decision of the com mission to refer the case for retriaI to a civil tribunal.
 .~ A Tactful Move.
 The submission of the question of re- vision to a commission is considered in France as tactful move on the part of the government to obtain judicial sup port for its favorable attitude toward Dreyfus.
 Immediately upon the receipt of the re- port of the commission, the government will transfer all the documents in the case to the procoer general of the court Of cessation. These documents include the modified testimony of M. Gribelin, the principal archivist of the headquarters staff, who at the court martial at Rem nes testified that he believed Dreyfus was guilty of treason. but who has now altered his evidence so as to throw the blame upon Colonel Henry.
 At the home of former Captain Drey- fus the decision was fully expected and preparations are now being made to con- vince the court of his innocence.
 The criminal branch of the court of cessation is composed of 16 members. presided over by M. Loew, who has par ticipated in many of the most prominent trials of recent years.
 Question of Jurisdiction.
 Many persons are in doubt as to wheth- CT this court can definitely decide the question of Dreyfus's restoration to the army. some holding that under the law the rehabilitation of the officer must be determined by the council of war. A prominent official, however, informed the Associated Press correspondent tonight that he expected the decision of the court would be accepted as final
 Dreyfus did not desire that his new trial should be conducted by civil trib- unal as he was anxious to again go be- fore a courtmartial. NJ Mornard, the Parisian lawyer who represented Drey- fus before the court of cessation re- fused to be interviewed but a friend speaking for him said that Dreyfus had asked to be judged by his peers and thnt he had not changed his views. His coun- sel will again demand a military judg- ment of the case.