Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-07-12
French Supreme Court Announces
necision AnnulIing His Condem-
nation Without Retrial.
ENTITLED TO HIS ARMY RANK.
tribunal Declares That All AcCu-
satIOns Against Him Fall
To the Ground.
n.clsinn To be Put In Rennes Court
Martial Record, Published IN Of
aclal journal and Fifty Papers.

paris July 12.-The supreme court
today announced its decision annulling
the condemnation Of Dreyfus without
a retrlal. The effect OF the decision
"a complete yindication Of Dreyfus,
erutllng him to restoration to his rank
IN the army as though he had never
been accused.
The decision Of the court was read by
Presiding Judge NJ, Ballot-Beaupre,
president OF the court Of cessation, i'm
mediately on the reassembling OF the
court at noon today The palace Of
Justice was thronged by an eager crowd
seeking admission to the court ROOM.
Among those present were Matthew
preyfus, brother Of Alfred Dreyfusi
Maltre Mornard, counsel for Capt.
Dreyfus Joseph Relnach, the historian
Of the Dreyfus affair, Col. Plcquart
Nine. Zola, and many others who have
figured IN various stages OF the cele-
brated case. Capt. Dreyfus was not
present. continuing his habitual secre-
cy by remaining secluded IN the gar
ret where he has hitherto been cut on
from the outer world.
A SCENE OF DIGNITY.
The scene as the decision was pro-
nOunced was one Of impressive digni-
IS. The court, consisting OF ~ judges,
gowned IN flowing red robes. sOlemnly
mounted the bench Deep silence pre-
vailed as the presiding Judge read the
lengthy decision, minutely reviewing
The series Of sensational events OF the
last Y years and completely disculpat-
Ing Dreyfis OF all wrongdoing freeing
him Of the accusation Of being the au-
thor OF the famous discriminating docu-
ments on which the entire charge was
founded, and ordering the annulment
n the Judgment OF the Rennes court
martial with the publication OF the mn
al announcement OF his innocence IN oo
newspapers 10 be chosen by Capt. Drey-
fus .,
The reading Of the decision lasted
an hour and il was only at the close
that the spectators realized the sweep
ing nature OF the vindicau0n.
As the final determination was an,
pounced there was a buzz OF eNcileu
comment and some EXPLANATIONS or
approval which the court Objects
stcrnly repressed.
Matthew Dreyfus hastily despatched
a messenger TO bear the good news
20 Capt. Dreyfus and Nine. Dreyfus'
Outside the court the crowds re-
ceived the decision without making
any demonstration,
FEATURES OF DECISION
The main features Of the decision
are as follows;
The court holds that three new facts
have been established
First, that the document from Gen.
Nercier's secret papers presented az
the Repnes court-mariial, In ~hlch
the initial ID" was substituted for
"P' was a Justification establishing
the strong presumption Of Dreytus H.
uocence.
second. that another document from
the secret papers in which Dreytus
was alleged 10 have been shown 10
have delivered 20 Germany the plans
for the railway mobilization never
reached the war department authoH-
lies and therefore Dreyfus could not
have secured possession Of II.
Third that the Rennes court-mar-
ti,l failed 10 hear essential testimony
calculated TO establish the fact that
Drsyfus was innocent
INNOCENCE ESTABLISHED.
These facts" the decision of the
court SAYS. without seeking Tor any
further grounds. are OF a nature To es-
iatHsh the innocence Of the accused
ana ID Is only necessary 10 examine
whether the verdict ~ the Renness
c9yri-martial shall be annulled without
arsirial or he followed by another triai
by c5urt-martial.'
After a lengthy review Of the docu-
mert In the case known as the bor-
deraau the decision says II was writ
Ten by Mai. Count Esterhazy and that
he aerusations connecting Dreyfus
with the bordereau rests only on hypo-
thesis and conjecture.
ACCUSATION UNJUsTlFlED.
The accusation against Dreyfus'
continues the decision, whether based
an the hand writing or text o. the b0r-
dersu. was completely untustihed and
without motive. Moreover. Dreyfus.
having large fortune. one seeks IN
vain for any reason for his committing
su-h a great crime.
The court therefore holds that, as
al the accusations against the accused
Fan 10 the ground. there Is no necessity
for new trial and consequently the
Judgment In condemnation II annulled
IS unwarranted by the evidence"
In conclusion, the court noted Drcy-
fus waving OF pecuniary indemnity
and ordered its decision 10 De trah-
fcrihod on the records Of the Rennes
court martial and TO be Inserted IN
The Official Journal and also IN nNe
newspapers 10 be designated by the
procurator general and AZ the cost OF
the government IN 70 papers OF Paris
and the provinces 10 be designated 10y
Dreyfus.
HISTORY OF THE CASE.
Capt. Alfred Dreyfus OF the artillery.
O member Of a wealthy Hebrew fam
iiy of Alsace. where he was born In
1919. was on oct H. 1894. arrested on
the charge Of communicating French
military secrets 90 a foreign powef.
Two months later Dreyfus was tried by
Courtmartial and found guilty, and
Jan. {. he was publicly degraded ana
deporied 10 Devils Island. near Cay
cnne, French Guines. there apparently
70 spend the remainder ~ his NE The
friends and relatives Of Dreyfus nota-
bly, his wife. always believed IN his in.
npcence. and devoted all their eEar-
ties 10 the work Of proving that he hal
been uniustly condemned.
Col. Picquart. when he became chief
~ the Intelligence department Of the
French army IN 1926 examined the doc
nments IN the proceedings against
breyfus and questioned the correctness
II the proceedings and. continuing his
Investigations. formed the opinion that
NE evidence pointed 10 MAJ. Count Is.