Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-15
TOLD BY M. BUMAU-VARlLlA
A Fitting Epilogue to the Recent
Acquittal
AND FIXING EsTERHAzY's GUILT
A Chance Detection of the Counterfeit
Bordereau or Main Document
on Which Prosecution Relied.

PARIS, July I4.-As a fitting
epilogue to the acquittal OF Alfred
Dreyfus, NJ. Philip Bunau-Varilla
today gave the Associated Press a
remarkable story of how he first
discovered positive proof of Drey-
fus' innocence and the guilt of Mai.
Count Esterhazy, a story heretofore
known only to 4 few inmates, in
Guiding Dreyfus, who said during
a recent dinner here that while the
establishment of his innocence was
attributed to many causes, M.
Bunau-Varilla's chance detection of
the counterfeit bordereau, or the
main document on which the prose
cution relied, was the real cause of
the triumph of justice
The interview occurred at the residence of
NJ Bunau-Varilla on the Avenue d'lena,
where his study is hung with souvenirs of
his services with the late Count Ferdinand
de Lesseps. and as minister of Panama at
Washington, and more recently of mis-
struggle in behalf of a sea-level canal.
Yes said NJ. Bunau-Varilla, "a docu
ment among those old records was the basis
OF the whole Dreyfus agitation and was in
strumental in his final acquittal. Dreyfus
and l entered the polytechnic school to-
gether in 1878. / recall his very cnarac-
terstic Jewish look. which was rather un-
prepossessiDg. But he a good fellow
and companionabie student. Our ways
parted on our graduation, he going into the
army and l becoming a government e1gi-
Eeer. We seldom came together after that
but once. CHANGING to meet him on the Ave
hue Montague, we chatted about a project
which was directing for the dew v4lapment
of the French Congo Later Dreyfus wrote
10 me asking for information about the pro-
ject for the purpose of writing leographi-
cal study upon the French possessions in
Africa. Through oversight the letter
remained unanswered.
The Arrest and Conviction.
1T was some years later that Drcyfus
was arrested and convicted before 4 secret
court-martial. / first thought he was
victim of the prevailing auti-Semit.c senti-
ment, but the conviction appeared 20 estab-
lish his guilt. Happening to dine after
ward with my brother Maurice proprietor
OF the Matin. he spoke of having photo
graphic reproduction of the bordereau con-
sututing the only proof upon which DreyTus
was convicted. All the official photographs
OF the bordereau had been scrupuIously
traced and returned 20 the court. but some
one had inSenuously photographed one OF
the photographs and this delivered 10
my brother with the idea that its publica-
ton would prevent further assertions that
DreyfUs Was inroCent. However. Maurice
decided not 10 publish 1t. as he did not wish
to again call public attention 10 Drevfus
who was then considered to be vile trail
tor
When nv brother spoke of the bor-
dereau the idea flashed across my mind that
might compare the document with some
thing written by Dreyfus during our school
days at the polytechnic school | finally
found the old. unanswered letter. in which
preFfus asked for information relative TO
the COnGo.'>
An Old Dreyfus Letter
NJ. Bunau Varilla then showed the CORE
spondeut OF the Associated Press a letter
written on note paper in a delicate hand.
writing. in which Dreyfus asked his old
school friend to give him informa tion about
the Congo for geographical study. BY
the side of this letter Nj Bunau Varilla
placed the photograph of the bordereau
which he stiII possesses
4 began careful comparison of the
bordereau and Dreyfus' Congo letter" he
continued The first glance gave me the
impression that they We're In the same
handwriting, But suddenly L observed
methiug which caused profound as
tonishment. In Dreyfus' letter to me the
words having double IS We're written with
long s. first and short s. second.
verse. The short IS was first and the long
IS second. l myself write double s.
with long s first. tried TO reverse the
letters, but IL was inpossi BILE II was like
left-handed man trying TO work with his
left his left hand. My brother made an
Independent comparison OF the bordereau
and the letter and reached the same con-
ciuson namely, that the handwriting OF
the letter about the Congo was not that or
the bordereau. AS. together we reslzed
this discovery We felt though an earth
quake had shaken us.
Photograph of Bordereau
Maurice Immediately announced his de-
Termination to publish the photograph OF
the hordereau. so that every one possessing
letters written by Dreyfus would be able to
make comparisons. and the following day
the people generally, and the Dreyfus fam
lily in particular. saw for the first time
what has since been known as the bor-
dereau. From the appearance OF that pho
tograph of the bordeceau dates almost
everything known the Dreyfus affair.
Everything OF Importance which followed
was in consequence Of that discovery and
the publication of the photograp pm OF the
bordereau Bat The tl,ree capital conse-
uueuces were:
"Firs.-Tke Dreyfus family were enabled
10 see the mysterious and only proof on
which Dreyfrs was convicted. and they
were thus enabled TO make comparisons
establishing the innocence OF Dreyfus
''Second--Tbe appearance OF the photo
graph OF the bcrdereau led NJ. Castro, a
stock broker. 10 recognize IL as being in
the handwriting OF one of his clients Count
Esierhazy, thus precipitating Esterhazys
trial and the publication of Zoia's famous
= Accuse letter.
''Third-The appearance of the photo
graph OF the hordereau permitted Col Pic-
quart (head OF the intelligence Department.,
TO break his silence and become the most
powerful witness in establishing the inno-
"A!l the facts which so violently asitated