The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-02-17
ESTERHAzf FOUND
DY|N c IN
LONDON
TRAITOR FOR WHOM DREYFUs
SUFFERED FIVE YEARS OF Elk
lie AND SHAME, HIDES UNDER
FALSE NAME

LONDON, Feb. 17.-Maj. Ferdinand
Esterhazy, the traitor for whom Drey'
fus suffered five years OF shame and
prison, Is not dead. as has been re
ported. He is dying. however, dying
in an attic at No. Ito Saint James
terrace, Warwick-ave. London,
where he hides under the name Of the
Comte de Yoilemont.
And while Esterhazy is dying in OBJ
security and under an assumed name
in London. the French government Is
preparing TO transfer Zola's body 10
the Pantheon, where the remains OF
other great benefactors OF France
Victor Hugo, Carnot. Marceau-lie in
stately vaults. This ceremony will
take place early IN April.
While Zola's historic letter, "JAc-
cuse," reused the worlds interest In
the Dreyfus case. the ultimate liberia
ton OF the Jewish captain was In eff
feet due 10 one man--that reckless
and unprincipled adventurer, Ester
hazy.
Esterhazy Confesses.
The only evidence against Dreyfus
certainly the evidence upon which
he was convicted--was the borcereau,
slip OF paper upon which had been
jotted down the details OF the docu-
ments, plans and secrets sold by the
traitor 10 Germany. Always nyeyfus
denied he had written this comprom-
ising paper. But there was the hand
writing, and 1t was extremely like that
OF Dreyfus.
Upon this he was condemned and
sent to Devils island.
Now, one night In August, 1898,
Esterhazy was In an English bar in
Paris. known as 1.-The Horse Shoe. .
near the Care du Nord. That day he
had been dismissed from the army,
and the lean old hawk Of an adven-
turer was In a rage. He approached
Rowland Strong, an English journalist.
whom he knew, and said blunuy;
I'm tell all"
In order not TO be overheard by the
spies who swarmed over Paris In
those days, they walked up and down
the middle of the Boulevard Domain,
and Esterhazy confessed that he--and
not Dreyfus--had written the famous
bordereau. The sensational confession
gave Dreyfus his new trial at Rennes
and resulted in his final acQuittal by
the court OF cessation and his read
mission into the French army
Esterhazy fed to England. His
wife secured divorce. For years he
lived the life of an outcast, Stunned
married. The woman who was will
Ing TO assume his name was Marie
Louise Cabanes, daughter OF Maitre
Cabanes, who had been Esterhazy' s
lawyer in the Dreyfus days. Her
father dead, she had fallen into great
distress.
Marries Vaudeville Performer.
A music-hall star engaged her to
accompany him TO New York, where
she was to pose against screen
while he threw knives at her. The
immigration authorities refused to ad.
NIT her. She was sent back to Europe
and found herself penniless In Liver
pool. There she bethought her OF
Esterhazy. He sent her money. and
she joined him In London. A few
weeks later the adventurer and the
knife-girl were married.
Esterhazy was not an ideal hus.
band and Marie Louise escaped and
came to Paris. Perhaps he thought
kindly OF her now and then. At all
events. the other day she received a
card from him. She showed II to a
Paris correspondent. II read: Last
good wishes from Esterhazy. who Is
going TO another world" And from
her Il was learned the Esterhazy Sc
cret.