Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-12
French Supreme Court
Declares Army Off,
Ger Innocent.
WILL HAVE NO RETRIAL
viii be Restored to Position.--
Ends Case Fought for
IL Years.

Paris, July 12.-The supreme court
today announced its decision apnulling
the condemnation of Dreyfus without
retrial. The effect of the decision is
the complete vindication of Dreyfus.
emitting him to restoration to his rank
in the army as though he had never
been accused.
Throng Hand.
The decision was read by Presiding
Judge NJ Ballot Beaupre, president of
the court of cessation Immediately ON
the reassembling of the court at noon.
The palace of justice was thronged
with an eager crowd seeking admission
to the court room. Among those pres
ent were Maitre Mornard, counsel for
Dreyfus. Colonel PicQuart. Madame
Zola. Mathew Dreyfus. brother of the
captain and others who figured in the
celebrated case
Remains in Garret.
Captain Dreyfus was not present,
remaining in the garret where he has
been hitherto cut off from the outer
world. The scene of the reading of the
decision was a pronounced one of i'm
pressive dignity. The court. consisting
of rs judges in gowns and flowing
robes soIemnly mounted the bench.
Read In silence.
Deep silence prevailed as the presid
ing judge read the decision minutely
reviewing the series of sensational
events of the last II years and COM
pletely dsculpating Dreyfus OF all
wrong doing. freeing him of the accusa-
ton of being the author of the famous
discriminating documents. Mathew
Dreyfus hastily dispatched messen-
ger to bear the news to Captain Drey ,
fus and Nine Dreyfus
Features of Decision.
The main features of the decision
are as follows. The court holds three
new facts have been established:
F'irst-That the document from Gen
eTal Mercier's secret papers presented
at the Rennes court martial, in which
the initial ID" was substituted for ''P''
was a Justification establishing a
strong presumption of Dreyfus' inno-
cence.
Second-That another document
from the secret papers in which Drey-
fus was alleged TO have been shown TO
have delivered TO the Germans plans
for railway mobilization had never
reached the war department authori- |
ties and therefore DTeyfus could not
have secured possession of it.
Third-That the Rennes court mar
tal failed to hear essential testimony |
calculated to establish the fact that |
Dreyfus was innocent.
Sufficient to Clear.
These facts the decision of the |
court says. without seeking for any |
further grounds. are of a nature to es-
tablish the innocence of the accused |
and it is only necessary to examine |
whether the verdict of the Rennes |
court martial shall be annuulled with |
out retriaI or be followed by another
trial by court martial
Based on Conjecture.
After a lengthy review of the docu-
meDt in the case known as the Border
eau. the decision says it was written by
Major Count Esterhazy and that the
accusation connecting Dreyfus with
the Bordereau rests only on hypothesis
and conjecture.
The accusation against Dreyfus.
continues the decision, whether based
on hand writing or the text of the Bor-
dereau was completely unjustified and
without motive Moreover, Dreyfus.
having large fortune. one seeks in
vain for any reason for his committing
such a great crime"
THE court therefore holds that, as
all accusations against the accused fall
TO the ground. there il no necessity for
a new trial and consequently Judgment
in condemnation is annulled as unwar-
Tanted by the evidence
Insures Publicity.
In conclusion, the court ordered its
decision to be transferred on the rec
ords of the Rennes court martial and to
be inserted in the official journal, and
also in five newspapers to be designat-
ed by the procurator general and at
the cost of the government in so pa
pers of Paris and the provinces. to be
designated by Dreyfus.'
Becomes Lieutenant Colonel.
The circumstances of Dreyfus re-
turning to the army have not been de-
termined upon, but it is expected he
will take the grade of lieutenant col