Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-07-12
1he Suprsns Cont of Paris AnnuIIed ]. tho Condemnation To-Day With-
 out a Retial
WAS AN IMPRESSIVE SCENE
As the ForB-Nine Judges In Red Robes Assended the Bench to
 Hear Decision Read.

Paris. July 12.-The supreme court to-day announced its decision, annull. ing the condemnation of Dreyfus with out a retrial
 The effect of the decision Is com plete vindication of Dreyfus, entitling him to restoration to his rank in. the army as though he had never been ac- cused
 The decision of the court was read by the presiding judge, NJ. Ballot, Beaupre. president of the court of cassation. immediately on the reas- sembling of the court to-day. The pal ace of justice was thronged by an eager crowd. Among these present were Mathew Dreyfus. brother of Al fred Dreyfus, Maitre Mornard, coun- sel for Captain Dreyfus, Colonel Pic quart, Madame Zolo and many others who have figured in the celebrated case. Captain Dreyfus was not present continuing his habitual secrecy by re- maining secluded in the garret where he has hitherto been cut off from the outer world.
 he scene as the decision was pro- n,unced was one of impressive dig nity. The court. consisting of forty nine judges. gowned in flowing red robes. mounted the bench. Silence pre- vailed as the presiding judge read the long decision, minutely reviewing the series of sensational events of the last twelve years and completely discupat- ing Dreyfus of all wrong doing, free ing him of the accusation of being the author of the famous discriminating documents. on which the entire charge was founded and ordering the annull- ment of the judgment or the Rennes court martial with the publication of the final announcement Of his inno- cence in fifty newspapers to he chosen by Captain Dreyfus.
 The reading of tho decision lasted an hour and it was only at the close that the spectators realized the sweep ing nature of the vindirntion. AS the { final determination was announced there was buzz of excited comment and some exclamafions of approval. which the court officers sternly re- pressed.
 Mathey Dreyfus hastily despatched a messenger to bear the good news to Captain Dreyfus and Mine Dreyfus.
 Outside the courtroom the crowds received the decision without making any demonstration.
 Captain Alfred Dreyfus. of the artil- lery. member of wealthy Hebrew family of AIsace. where he was born fin 1SI0. was on October "A, 1894. ar rested on the charge of communlcat- ing French military secrets to for elgn power. Two months later Drey- fus was tried by court martial and found guilty and January !. he was publicly degaricd and deported to Devils Island. rear Cayenne. French Guiana. there apparently to spend the remainder of his life. The friends and relatives Of Dreyfus. notably his wife, always believed In his innocence md devoted all their energies to the work of proving that he had been nn- Justly condemned.
 Colonel Picquart. when he became chief of the intelligence department of the French army fin 1895. examined the documents in the proceedings against Dreyfrs and formed the opin- ion that the evidence pointed to Major Court EsterhaZy as being the guilty man. Picquart determined to see that Justice was done to nrcynis. fac -slmile of the most discriminating document alleged to have been written by Drey- fus found its way into the columns of a Paris newspaper and caused sen satlon. It was compared with the handwriting of Esterbazy and alleged to he the work of the latter. Soon af- terwarls Colonel Picqrart was super seded ns chief of the intelligence de pariment hy Colonel Henry and then began n search to preserve the honor of tho French army.
 nreyfus. on November 15. 1S9I, charged Esterhazy with writing tho incriminatlng document but the latter was acquitte.l by court martial in the following January.
 The late Emile Zolo warmly es- poused the cause of Dreyfus and made serious charges against the French general stan and government. Zol9 was condemned to pay heavy fine and suffer imprisonment but the sen- tercr was sGuashesl.
 When NJ. C3vaiynae became head Of the French war office iIe read in the chamber of deputies several docu- ments which. he said. proved the guilt of Dreyfus. Colonel Picquart after wards charged that these documents were forreries. for which be was ST. rested and degraded. The friends ns Drpyfus brought about the arrest of Colonel Henry. chief of the infelli- cenee department. who confessed that he had forged one of the incriminat- ing documents and committed suicide in prison
 By this time ali France was ar rsyed for or against Drevfus. On June 3. 1899. a fresh court nlartiel of Dreyfus was ordered. and the prisoner vas brought back from Devils Island to be re-tried-
 The second court martial of Drey- fus opened at Rennes. France. Au- sust [, 1899. under the presidency of Colonel Joususf- Dreyfus wes rep resenfed by Natures Laborf and De- msnee. Colonel PicQuert and Cap tain Freysfetter were the principal vitnenses fer Dreyfus. Opposed to the prfsoner vas almost the whole Fyeneh army and the machinery of fhe eDverrnenf- The csss of the 1ru1o<uf6oa uos shown to be vefy vu1k- 1o fo<1- 1e - rustfng alnooe o1G1111y oo co 1ocunnnt- ekafIng