Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-23
DREYFUS WANTS REHEARINC
Writes Minister of War Asking that Case
Be Reopened.
MAKES EARNEST PLEA IN LETTER
Throughout IL is Coached in Highly
Dramatic style and is Likely to
he one of Notable Papers
in the Case.

PARIS, April 22.--Alfred Dreyfus has sub
mitted TO Minister Of War Andre a lengthy
letter, in which he asks for a reopening Of
his case, by means of an investigation by
the minister. as the supreme head OF mill
tary Justice
The letter, which is dated Paris, April 21.
confirms the reports that Dreyfus has been
living quietly here for some time. 1t
promises to cause a tremendous agitation
among the various elements Of the political
groups for and against Dreyfus.
The first part Of the letter is an earnest
plea that the court which condemned him
in Rennes was improperly influenced, first,
by the annotated document ascrlbed to
Emperor William, and, second, by the false
testimony Of one Of the witnesses,
Czernuski.
After arguing on the extent to which
these contributed to his condemnation.
Dreyfus recalls in graphic terms the long
series OF horrors to which he had been
subjected.
The letter throughout is couched in a
highly dramatic style, which is likely TO
make II one OF the notable papers of the
case.
Esterhaxy the Culprit.
1t refers to Esterhazy as zone who stands
before the entire world as the culprit."
One of the leading passages, showing the
rhetorical style. is as follows
1 will not recall Mr.. Minister what ]
have endured since 1894. Picture to yourself
the horrors of soldier whose whole life
was devoted to duty, to work, to loyalty
and who in an instant is stripped of his
good name and despoiled of the honor oil
himself and his children. For five years
this soldier Is subjected to horrible surfer
ings. They seek to crush him physically, &c
annihilate him morally.
He is absolutely innocent OF all crime
and struggles in vain to penetrate the
mystery, proclaiming his innocence and
struggling with all the forces of his mind
Sindicsting his his good name and character
| Days, months, years pass thus in, Hlost
cruel agony, amid the tortures of muir
At last he is brought back to France tht
! guilty one is discovered and the soldier
hears himself proclaimed innocent by those
| thus, Mr.. Minister. that hoped to see mS
martyrdom ended.
votion of friends who had battled for truth
| Il was to find also that deadly hatred had
| been unloosed
] the back. 1 cannot imagine how such con.
/ dtions can prevail through falsehood and
deception. But so It was, and my second
| condemnation was but an aggravated reaf.
| frmation of what occurred In 1894. WheT
the guilty one was known and unmaskeC
|
| author OF the treason the same man who
had cheated justice in 1894. again sought ir
1899 to cheat Justice for the second time b,
| the same criminal maneuvers Conscious
OF these methods, the government Of tht
republic win not permit itseif to Keep In
prison one who Is known to belinnocent.
/ In constant thought or revision, have
reasoned little by little all the divisions o.
testimony leading to my conviction. 1 have
scorned calumnies and falsehoods. I hav,
remained silent with the firm conviction
that Justice would surely have its day o.
| triumph.
The victim of criminal tactics and vio
| lation of the law twice committed Ggains
me, 1 now address myself to the suprem,
| chief of military Justice, and supporting
myself by new facts which have beer
! elicited, and by the existence of the pre-
| tended bordereau annotated by Emperor
| William, beg to ask that you institute al
| inquiry first, upon the uses made of thi
false document at Rennes and the conse
| quences II imposed on those rendering
| judgment; second, upon the false anC
! fraudulent testimony of Czernuski a
! Rennes
After deferential salutation the letter
| IS signed Alfred Dreyfus.