The Indianapolis journal., 1904-03-04
DREYFUS APPEAL BEFORE
THE COURT OF CESSATION
Report of NJ. Boyer, on Which
Revision of the Case Was
Recommended.
NEW FACTS PRESENTED

PARIS, March 3.-The Court of Cessation
began at noon to-day consideration of the
appeal of Alfred Dreyfus for revision OF
his trial Counselor Chambareaud pre-
sided
Though the general interest in the case
was not as great as in previous years. the
courtroom was crowded with officers, non
commissioned officers and private soldiers.
lawyers and others and a number of wom-
en-, among whom were relatives of Dreyfus.
BY their side was former Colonel Picquart.
Dreyfus was not present. his interests be-
ing in the hands of Lawyer Moynard. Fear
ing disturbances during the proceedings, the
government stationed guards among the
spectators and in the corridors leading to
the court, but their presence was not neces-
sary. The crowd was interested, but there
were demonstrations.
The report of M. Boyer, reporter for the
court. which was read, presented the two
new facts upon which the minister of JUS
tice. M. Vale, recommended a revision of
the case. These were set forth follows:
"First-The secret documents include
letter bearing the initial ID Now, by an
affidavit of Oct. 6. 1903, signed by NJ. Gribe-
lin, keeper of the archives, it appears that
p For this latter was substituted the d,
and thus the altered document was present
ed at the court at Rennes
Second-According TO the minister of
justice another letter signed 'Alexandrine,
which Agent b addressed to Agent b,
contained some words in the handwriting of
| the late Lieutenant Colonel Henry, who
| committed suicide in prison after having
confessed to committing forgery in the
| case. This letter relates TO the organiza-
| tion of French railroads. NJ. Gribelin
| swore during the inquiry OF the minister of
| war that this letter was false 1t was true
| however, that the date of this document
| was March 2S. 1885, when Dreyfus was i'm
! prisoned on Devils island"
/ NJ. Boyer made an exhaustive review of
! the case, declaring he could not find any
! proof TO establish the existence of the docu-
ment which was claimed to have been an
notated by the German Emperor. which
4 was transmitted to one Of Dreyfus's judges
| at Rennes. There was no doubt, he added
| of the transmission of the "Alexandrine'
letter at the false date. The words in
| Lieutenant Colonel Henry'S handwriting
| had an unfavorable effect upon the court
| martial M. Boyer concluded by saying
| that the letters used against the accused
were falsifed prior to the proceedings of
| 1892 but he added that this had not vet been
| judicially determined upon.
Attorney Genera! BaudOuin said that
| when he began his consideration of the
| Dreyfus case he was satisfied that a judicial
error had been committed, but as the in
vestigation proceeded his amazement in
/ attorney
eral continued. ''all the charges vanished.
| leaving only accusations without Importance
| or consistency. When / examined the Sc
| cret collection OF documents in the case and
| saw their miserable character, valuable
| only for the mystery cleverly thrown about
| them, concluded IT was necessary that JUS
| tice should have the last word, and ii is my
conviction that there is not one OF US. if in
| the army, and not officer now in the
| army, who would not have succumbed had
he been under an accusation thus man
1 aged"
The existence Of a traitor in the French
| War Office was revealed by an alleged for
| eign diplomat who acted without compen-
| satiOn. 1t is now claimed that Lieutenant
| Colonel Penryn, in 1897, caused a book of
| expenditures to be recopied to remove all
| trace of payments TO this diplomat, who.
| it has developed, was an employe of the
| intelligence department. 1t was claimed by
| those present in court that if the new facts
/ were acknowledged by the tribunal the in
/ nocence of Dreyfus would be esta blshed