Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1906-07-17

trial, writing the celebrated "JAc-
cuse letter. in which for the first
time the generals of the French army
wer publicly accused of forging the
documents used to convict Dreyfus.
The conspirators were strong enough
to Arrest lola, to convict him for SIAN
der and send him an exile to England.
Then NJ. Cavaignac, minister of
war, In an effort to placate the pub
lie, announced in parliament that
there was in the war office letter
which proved Dreyfus guilty.
Two days later this letter was
proved to be forgery. Colonel Hen
~ confessed that he was the forger.
He was arrested and put in prison.
He was visited by several generals
in the conspiracy, and when they left
him he killed himself. 1t has always
been believed that the generals took
the revolver to his cell and practically
forced him to end his life. Minister
of War Cavaignac was compelled to
resign in disgrace.
Bitter Struggle in Parliament.
Then the battle reached parliament
the chamber of deputies rang with
denunciation of the conspiracy which
had placed an innocent officer on
Devils Island, dshonored prisoner.
All political elemnts in France joined
in the controversy. Semites, Boulan-
gerists, Orleanists, Bonapartists, ma
tionalists, all arrayed themselves
against Dreyfus, each for different
motive. The monarchists used the
Dreyfus affair as preteXt for move
to overturn the republic, and while
Orleanists and Bonapartists We're
fighti:-g each other they joined in
fighting Dreyfus.
The public clamor ultimately be-
came too strong for the conspirators
and the government to withstand. A
special law was introduced in par
lament for the revision of the Drey
fns trial. 1t was fathered by the
ministry and passed the chamber OF
deputies after months of bitter de.
bate on February 10, 1S9, by a vote
of 1872 to PIG votes.
Coup d'Etat Fails.
Then President Faure died and
Loubet was elected president. He
had been a champion of revision in
the senate and Immediately the cry
was raised that Loubet was a Drey-
fusard. Mobs formed in the streets
on the day Loubet was elected and
the evening of February "a, 1898, Paul
DerOulede, leader of the League of
Patriots, at the head of few hun.
dred patriots entered the barracks
and tried to induce the army to rise
and overthrow the republic. Gen
Roget arrested Deroulede and the at.
tempted coup d'etat failed tor want
of leader
The Court of cessation met on
March q to consider the Dreyfus ap
peal and on June 3, 1899, decreed that
Dreyfus should be brought back to
France for new trial by court mar
tial on the specific issue, did Dreyfus
furnish foreign power with the
notes and documents enumerated in
the bOrdereau
! The announcement of the court S
| HpciciOn m oiun 80
caused tumut in Paris. Mobs OF
Royalists, patriots" anti-Semites, and
BOnOpartists filled the streets Pres
ident LOubet was at the Auteuil races
and was publicly attacked in the
grand stand by Baron Christian and
beaten with walking stick. The en-
tire ministry resigned and France was
face TO face with the gravest crisis
in the history of the third republic
Dreyfus Again Convicted.
Dreyfus in his stockade on Devils
island knew nothing of the battle
which had ragged for years in France
over the effort to clear his name
One morning in June he was summon
ed to the house of the commandant
He was addressed as Captain His
uniform and his sword were given tC
him. He was restored to his place
in the army temporarily and treatet
with all the courtesy due an officer OF
his rank technically under arrest
Then. and not till then, did he realize
that he was to be given another
chance.
Dreyfus landed in France on Jul,
!, /. 1899, and was placed in prison a
Rennes to await his second trial |
began on August Z. The same malig
nant "dossier" was used against him
!. Again he was convicted on forged eyi
4 dence. He was sentenced on Sept.
!. TO ten years detention in a fortress
Y on French soil. The years he ha,
!. passed on Devils island were deduct
;. ed from the sentence. President Lou
: bet committed the remaining years
, Dreyfus, dismissed from the army
. was free man. He retired to his es
tates in the country, but for the las
{ six years he has quietly but persist
y emily worked for the vindication which
he has now gained.