Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1906-07-19
pREYFUs is INDICATED.
French Supreme Court AnnuIs Cap
fain's Condemnation

the condemnation Of Dreyfus without
retrial. The effect of the decision is
complete vindication of Dreyfus, emit
Ting him to restoration to his rank in
the army as though he had never been
accused.
AS the decision was pronounced the
scene was one of impressive dignity.
The court, consisting of forty nine
judges, gowned in flowing red robes,
solemnly mounted the benAh Deep ST.
lence prevailed as the presiding judge
read the lengthy decision, infinitely re-
viewing the series of sensational events
of the last twelve years and completely
generating Dreyfus of all wrong doing,
freeing him of the accusation of being
the author of the famous discriminating
documents, on which the entire charge
was founded, and ordering the annul-
ment of the Judgment of the Rennes
court-martial with the publication of
the final announcement of his innocence
in fifty newspapers to be chosen by Cap
tain Dreyfus.
The reading of the decision lasted an
hour and it was only at the close that
the spectators realized the sweeping
nature of the vindication. AS the final
determination was announced there was
a buzz of excited comment and some
EXPLANATIONS of approval, which the
court officers sternly repressed.
History of Famous Case.
Capt Alfred Dreyfus was arrested on
the charge of treason in Paris on Oct.
Is, 1894. His arrest was the beginning
of one of the most marvellous stories of
conspiracy, fraud and forgery known to
the military annals of modern nation.
For more than a year it was known to
the French government that a traitor in.
the French war department was selling
military secrets to foreign governments.
Suspicion was directed toward Dreyfus.
This suspicion was seemingly confirmed
by the discovery by a French spy in the
waste paper basket of Lieut. Col Won
Schwartzkoppen, the German military at
tache in Paris, of the fragments of a
paper which when pressed together form
ed a memorandum in reference to the hy-
draulic brake of the new French guns.
This memorandum came to be known as
the famous bordereau which figured SO ex-
tensively in the trial.
Dreyfus was arrested by Major Du
Patty de Clam. Of FIVE experts who COM
pared the bordereau with the handwriting
of Dreyfus two did not attribute ut to
him, while three did, though they found
the writing unnatural and possibly dis
guised.
Dreyfus was convicted and publicly de-
graded on Jan. ), 1895. He was taken
before his regiment, drawn up in parade
order. The buttons were torn from his
uniform and his sword broken. Then
he was marched to the accompaniment of
rogues' music along the front of the regi-
ment.
On Feb. 9, 1895, Dreyfus was trans
ported to Devils island. off the coast of
Cayenne.
Almost at once the French people, con-
WINGED that great wrong had been done
to an officer of the army, began an agita
ton for a revision of his trial. Popular
belief that Dreyfus was innocent was
strengthened by the discovery in 1895 of
a card telegram-the famous petit bleu"
in Lieut.. Col Won Schwartzkoppen's
handwriting, and addressed to Command
er Esterhazy, calling upon him for more
detailed information on a certain subject.
1t was this famous petit bleu which
ultimately brought about Dreyfus' vindi-
cation. Its writing was found TO be in
the same han das the bordereau and all
indications pointed to Esterhazy and not
Dreyfus as being the traitor.
fTharp was forDoida bIa ia ching
conspiracy in the French army to prevent
the vindication of Dreyfus. Col. Pic
quart, who discovered the petit bIeu,"
was removed from his Office of chief Of
the intelligence department, and Lieut.
Col. Henry appointed. Gen. de Boisdef-
FIRE, chief of the general staff, announced
in parliament that Dreyfus had been con-
victed on secret and irrefragable evidence.
Gen. Mercer confirmed this. Esterhazy
was acquitted by a packed military court.
Finally Emile lola, the famous novelist,
made himself the champion of Dreyfus
He wrote the celebrated Il accuse" letter
which aroused public opinion lola was
convicted of SANDER and forced to fee
to England, but his famous letter gave
Dreyfus & new trial.
In the meantime CO.. Henry had COM
mitted suicide in his cell after his arrest
for forgery in connection with the case
1t has always been believed that Henry
was forced to kill himself by his superior
officers.
Dreyfus returned to France on July l.
1899. His second court-martial began at
Rennes on Aug. Z. The same forged. per-
jured evidence was used against him and
he was again convicted a few days later
Since then he has been fighting for vindi-
cation