The San Francisco call., 1906-07-14
FIERCE DUEL OVER
OREYFUS CASE.
Under Secretary of State
Sarraut Wounded in
Combat With a Rival
GIVEN PROMOTION

Ni-'-' e---e'-e touay or the law restoring
Alfred Dreyfus to the army was fol-
lowed by a bloody duel tonight in
wAtcA Under Secretary OF state ssrraut
was dangerously wounded By the sword
OF A. --ugleisi-CortI The duel assumed
the aspect Of verItable comha+ he.
tween the Government and the onnos;-
ton' rs IL Sarrauts seconds were Ain
-stefS Clemcnceau and Thomson v-hfla
A- Pugleisi-Conu's were II. Af,llevo,-e
and General Jscquet, who were drawn
from Inc element which bitterly re-
Of D-eyfas. - On
TIE meeting was the sequel to a fight
on the moor OF the Chamber. Pugleisf-
Colu was heaping ceaunciat.on unon
me government when Sarraut struck
nm stunning blow on the face
scene OF the widest description fol-
-oWeo' compelling the suspension of the
sesSlon- Late reports show that Al
Sarraut Is suffering from a severe
wound In the breast, penetrating the
lung. '-'e
Despite this sanguinary conflict laws
were hnally enacted today by the
c Sl.@inDeI o. deputies reinstating Drey-
Ius, who obtains the rank of major
and PicQuart, who is made a brigadier
general Both houses Were overwhelu-
ingly favorable TO Dreyfus and Pic
quart
Through the day feeling was stirred
deeply between the Dreyfus and anti
DreyTus element. This was heightened
by nerce attacks by the Dreyfusists
upon General Mercier and other prom
lnent officers who were responsible for
Dreyfus' condemnation
Early in the day Minister OF War
Etienne presented the Government bills
restoring Dreyfus and Picquart to the
army The army committee quickly
and unanimously reported the bill, and
the debate in the Chamber Of Deputies
was decisive, Dreyfus securing AS
votes against - and Picquart 467 votes
against p.
The feeling had become very strong
The storm broke when NJ Presence
Socialist urged q supplementary prop
osition for the punishment Of the off,
GERS who had accused Dreyfus and Pic
quart, and whom he designated as a
gang OF malefactors and forgers who
deserved branding with red-hot irons
II was ar this moment tnat the Sarraut-
PUgieisi-Contt encounter took place
PuEleisi-Conti. aroused by NJ. Press
er2e's delunciatiOn. shouted al the min
isterial benches You are scoundrels
for permitting these insults to officers"
From the ministerial bench there
srranS the 1.-THE. wiry form of Under
Secretary Sarraut lie made straight
fer Pugleisi-COnti, seized him by the
throat and planted his fist scuarely in
his lace. Pugleisi-Conti was complete
D., dazed by the blow and was caught by
his friends. while Ministers Clemenceau
and Thomson grasped Sarraut and
dragged him back TO his seat Pande-
moniUm broke loose Deputies gath
cred IA groups in the center Of the
h0Gsc. fighting, their blows raining in
dlsCriminately. President Brisson in
efIectualiy endeavored to quen the tu-
multi. but finding his efforts in vain,
left the chair and suspended the sitting
Cor 4 quarter Of an nour. The public
galleries were cleared.
During the interim the excitement
continued. but at the resumption Of
the session the men were somewhat
calm Pugleisi-Conti and Sarraut were
both present, surrounded by friends
Several speakers on the Government
and opposition sides exchanged
threats Eventually, after Premier
Sarrien had promised that the Gov
ernment would take the necessary
measures 10 deal with the officers who
had been witnesses against Dreyfus,
and requested that the House termi-
nate the conflict that had been dividing
France, q motion was passed express
ing confidence in the Government
The chamber before adjournment
voted TO transfer the body of Emile
Zola TO the Pantheon.
The Senate also had an excited ses-
sion in connection with the Dreyfus
rehabilitation bill, which was passed
by 1sS votes against 80. The result
was greeted with enthusiastic applause
The Picquart bill was passed by the
Senate by 1s5 TO 26.
General Mercier. in the midst Of con-
slant disorder, attempted 70 vindieate
the Rennes court-martial He declared
that proofs were then shown which
were in the Supreme Court Senator
Delped replied that General Mercier
deserved TO be sent to Devils Island
in place OF Dreyfus.
The bill for the transfer Of Zola's
body 10 the Pantheon also was en-
acted by the Senate Both houses then
adjourned until autumn.
President Fallieres tonight signed
the enactments for the rehabilitation
OF Dreyfus and Picquart-
After the sitting Of the Chamber OF
Deputies and while the members were
stil ia the lobbies n Pugleisi-Conti
sent his seconds 10 Under Secretary
Sarraut 1t was decided to fight i'm
mediately with swords and principals
and seconds proceeded in automobiles
TO the Vile de'Auray, where the COM
bat occurred on the property of Dep
uty Edon Edmond CASTOR.
The fight was short but desperate,
lasting only thirty seconds. Sarraut
made a quick onslaught and blood soon
flowed. At first II was thought Pugle-
isi-Conti was wounded. but Sarraut
cried, i am hit" and then tainted.
Exhausted from loss Of blood, he was
conveyed TO II Gaston's residence The
doctor who examined him found deep
wound in the breast penetrating the
lung. Surgeons consider the wound
serious, but not necessarily endanger-
ing his life
The text Of the law restoring Drey-
fus 70 the army is as follows:
Captain Of Artillery Dreyfus, ac-
cording 10 the law Of 1880, amended
in 1890. is hereby promoted 10 be
major taking that rank on the day
of the PRONUNCIATION Of the present
law"
The report severely arraigns the Of
acers who We're responsible for his
conCemnation n Denyis Cochin,
Conservative. protested against the
violent language used in the report,
whereupon there were tumultuous
demands that General Mercier be pros
eeBted.
The municipal council Of Paris today
adopted q resolution to name a prin-
cipai street after Emile Zola IN recog-
milton Of the late novelist's part In the