Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-07-14

Degraded.
Paris, July 1.-THE supreme court
today announced it's decision annulling
the condemnation Of Dreyfus without
re-trial
The effect of the decision is COM
plete vindication of Dreyfus, emitting
him to restoration to his rank In the
army as though he had never been &C
cused.
The decision was read by Presiding
Judge M, Ballot-Beaupre, president of
the court of CESSATION Immediately on
the reassembling of court at noon. The
palace of justice was thronged with an
eager crowd seeking admission to the
court room.
Among those present were Maitre
Mornand, counsel for Dreyfus, Col. Pic
quart. Madame Zola, Mathew Dreyfus,
brother of the captain, and others who
figured in the celebrated case. Cap
tain Dreyfus was not present, remain
ing in the garrett, where he has hith-
erto been cut off from the outer world
An Impressive Scene.
The scene ct the reading of the de-
cision was pronounced one of impress
sive dignity. The court, consisting of
forty-nine judges, gowned in flowing
red robes, solemnly mounted the
bench. Deep silence prevailed as the
presiding judge read the decision, mi
nutely reviewing the series of sensa-
tional events of the last twelve years
and completely discGlpating Dreyfus of
all wrong doing and freeing him OF the
accusation of being the author Of the
famous discriminating documents.
Mathew Dreyfus hastily dispatched
a messenger to bear the news to Cap
tain Dreyfus and Nine, Dreyfus.
The Decision.
The main features Of the decision
follow:
The court holds that three new facts
have been established. First, that the
government from General Mercier's
secret papers presented at the Rennes
court martial, in which the initial ID
was substituted for "P" was a falsifl-
cation establishing strong presump'
ton of Dreyfus' innocence.
Second-That another document
from the secret papers in which Drey-
fus is alleged to have shown and to
have delivered to the Germans plans
for railway mobilization, never reached
the war department authorities, there
fore Dreyfus could not have secured
possession of 1t.
| Third-That the Rennes courtmar.
tial failed to hear the essential testi-
mony calculated to establish the fact
that Dreyfus was innocent. After a
lengthy review of the document in the
case known as the bordereau, the de-
cision says 1t was written by Esterhazy
and that the accusations connecting
Dreyfus with the bordereau rest only
on the hypothesis Of conjecture.
Arrested In 1894.
Captain Alfred Dreyfus, of the artil
lery member of wealthy Hebrew
family Of Alsace, was on October IA
1894, arrested on the charge OF com
municating French military secrets te
a foreign power, Two months latel
Dreyfus was tried by courtmartia
and found guilty. and January 5 was
publicly degraded and deported to Dew
IFS island, near Cayenne, French
Guinea, there apparently to spend thu
remainder of his life,
/ Friends and relatives Of Dreyfus, no
tably his wife, who always believed II
his innocence, devoted their energie:
to proving that he was unjustly con
demned.
Plcquart Makes Investigation.
Colonel Picquart, when he became
chief of the intelligence department O
the French army in 1898, examined tn
documents in the proceedings agains
Dreyfus and questioned the correct
ness of the proceedings. Continuin,
his Investigations he formed the opin
ion that the evidence pointed to Ma
jor Count Esterhasy as being the gull
ty man. Piequart determined to SCI
Justice done and there ensued ffgh
to preserve the honor of the French
army, Dreyfus, on November Il
most discriminating document, but tn
latter was acquitted by eourtmartia
Dreyfus Talks.
In an interview after the announce
nent of the decision Dreyfus said:
"This has been long and terribl
oredal. I began to feel it would neve
end. 1t is clear the decision restore
me to my old place in the army, but
am not aware of the intentions of tn
government concerning my advance
ment in rank I have nothing to sa
) against my aecusers. Being again a
officer l am obliged to obey the arm
regulations of silence. I am inexpres
sibly thankful to all who assisted i
the maintenance of truth
, Relief in Six Hours,
T;ofrassino K;dpov opd p}addor r,.-