New-York tribune., 1906-07-13

documents never shown to the defence until
produced at the trial. and afterward proved to
be forged by a certain Colonel Henry the court
martial at Rennes rendered a verdict of guilty
and sentenced Dreyfus to be degraded and
placed in solitary confinement on Devils Island
sun baked rock off the coas. of French
Guiana, which had previously oeen considered
TOO unhealthy for a convict settlement The
sentence Of the court was carried out with
something that resembled enthusiasm
On January 3. 1895 Dreyfus was marched be-
lore nVe thousand OF his former comrades. his
UNIFORM stripped Of all the marks or ms rank
and his sword broken. He did not cease even
at this time declaring his innocence
His fve years imprisonment on Devils Island
followed-the horrors of which have been so often
told they need further mention. But in the
mean time his friends in France and especially
his wife were by constant effort gaining a hear
ing and few converts 1t is noticeable that all
though no one has ever claimed the man is per-
sonally attractive yet the justice Of his cause
gradually won over a nation at first wholly hos
tile TO the point where his reinstatement can be
accepted in silence at least
The first point made in his favor the pub
lice statement by Dreyfus's brother Matthew
that the real author of the bordereau was Count
Ferdinand Esterhazy. major of infantry The
attacks of Emile lola and other intellectual
leaders upon the government clique had so
aroused doubt that the charge could not be ig
nored. A new court martial was ordered which
acquitted Esterhazy, although his guilt was
made fairly evident. A systematic attempt
to discipline all the friends of Dreyfus was
started Colonel Picquart court martialled
and removed for merely sympathizing. But fol-
for forging the documents at the court martial,
his conviction in the face Of popular demand,
and his confession and eventual suicide These
events moved the Court Of Cessation to order the
recall of Dreyfus
On his return to France new court martial
was held, which decided against him in 1899. but
recommended that he be pardoned.
This amazing verdict, after the prosecution had
been found to be mass or lies and forgeries OF
the most astounding kind, simply determined
Captain Dreyfus, though pardoned by President
Loubet, to night harder than ever Tor complete
vindication. He steadfastly refused to bring any
action for damages, and persistently asserted
that all he wished was complete vindication- He
had been accused Of having betrayed France by
selling military secrets to agents OF foreign
government, and this blot upon his name he in
sisted should be removed.
The case Of Dreyfus did to bring into
disrepute and under suspicion the fairness and
impartiality of military tribunals than perhaps
any other trial of modern times. Although Of
ficers Of the army openly accused the chief army
Of the bulwarks Of the prosecution COM
mitted suicide when the trail Of guilt too
near his door, the court martial reiterated the
finding Of the first tribunal and refused to
culpate the bounded and prosecuted Dreyfus.
Had it not been for the bravery Of Emile Zola,
the novelist, who wrote his famous "J'accuse''
q accuse) letter. in which he charged the officers
of the army with having Matched plot TO swear
away the honor of Dreyfus, it is a question
whether justice ever would have beer done to
the degraded captain. The letter Of ZOla stirred
not only France but the entire world. It was
written with all the vfgor and directness that the
trained writer could muster. and went to the
core Of the whole base plot, laying bare the
Vaccinations of the official intriguers who had
spun the web Of forgery and deception around
the unfortunate and simple minded Dreyfus.
Finally comes the decision OF yesterday at
tanned only after three Cabinets have fallen
nations have been brought to the verge of war
and disgrace, and in several cases death has
tempted to support the honor Of the French army
by forgery and lies.