The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-12-18

| the theme of the worlds conversation.
His friends have never rested in their
efforts to clear his name, and now they
are apparently to be rewarded.
Captain Alfred Dreyfus Of the -Four
tenth artillery. then attached to the
general staff, was arrested in Paris on
Oct. IS, 1894. The arrest was made on
the order Of General Mercier. minister
Of war. and Dreyfus was taken to the
Cherche Midi military prison, where
for fifteen days he was kept in igno
rance Of the charge against him. Mean
while the arrest had been made known
through the anti-Semitic papers, and
through them the public was convinced
that Dreyfus was a traitor to France
before he knew Of what he was ac-
cused. The fact that Dreyfus was a
Jew added bitterness to the popular
feeling. General MERCER announced
that there was overwhelming evidence
that for three years the accused had
been in communication with the agents
Of foreign power.
Spies Of the French secret intelligence
department had been at work in the
German embassy in Paris and in Sep
teulber, 1894. discovered the now fa.
nous bordereau on which the convic
ton Of Dreyfus was apparently based.
Count Munster was then the German
ambassador, and Lieutenant Colonel
Won Schwarzkoppen was the military
attaehe. The bordereau was found in
fragments ii Schwarzkoppen's waste.
basket General MERCER turned it over
to Major du Patty de Clam, who pieced
1t together and affirmed that the hand
writing resenlbled that Of Dreyfus,
On Du Patty de CLAIMS report Gener-
al Mercier ordered the arrest Of Drey-
fus. Between that time and his trial
all sorts Of charges were made against
the prisoner, his private character be-
ing attacked and the anti-Jewish press
making q bitter campaign against him.
At the secret trial his counsel, MaitreI
Demange, successfully refuted these
ealumnies. and on the evidence of the
borderean alone, experts disagreeing as
TO its similarity TO Dreyfus handwrit-
ing, it is said that the court martial
was inclined TO acquit the prisoner.
Then, it is charged, General MERCER
took the FIRST step in the conspiracy to
bolster up the staff Office case.
Previous to the discovery of the bor-
dereau the French spies had intercept
ed, and photographed some personal let
tiers from Lieutenant Colonel Schwarz-
koppen to his friend, Lieutenant Colo
mel Panizzardi Of the Italian embassy.
All contained references to a gentle
man designated as d. Among them
was thezone which has become known
in the Dreyfus case as the "canaiIle'
letter After referring to certain wo.
mans entertainment Of the military at
inches 1t says OF her husband, 'Cette
canallle de D. de Went trop exi-
canaille de D. devient trop ext
ing too exacting3
General MERCER had the letter before
the court martial, and it is alleged that
in reading it as a last resort TO secure
the conviction Of Dreyfus he deliber-
ately changed the I'D" To Dreyfus,
though it plainly Gid not refer to the
prisoner. Moreover, this was secret
evidence, not previously communicated
to the accused, and therefore in viola
ton Of the code. However. the court
found Dreyfus guilty. Dreyfus appeal
ed tnthe supreme military council, hut
was not heard, He was publicly de-
graded in the courtyard Of the Eeole
Militaire on Jan. 5, 1895, and on Feb. 9
was transported to Devils island.
Henry's Suicide.
Nine. sDFeyfus made heroic efforts to
obtain relief for her husband, but il
seemed that there was no hope. Inter
pellatl6ns4 i'm the chamber Of deputies
brought out the response that the Drey
fus case was closed.
la the new chamber Of deputies Of