The Washington herald., 1913-04-06
Court Gossip Of Interesting
EpentS on THO Continents

Copyright, 1913 by Court Gossip Syndicate.)
The French statesman who exclaimed
in the Chamber Of Deputies some years
ago that the Dreyfus affair never would
be finished, was right. It was believed
generally that after so many years Of
peace the disastrous 'faux-pas" was
nothing but a memory OF q nightmare
and was buried forever. Yet to-day.
when a serious International situation
demands all the attention that the
French government can give It, an echo
Of the Dreyfus affair was heard. once
more throwing discord into the various
political camps and factions.
The incident also was responsible for
the resignation Of NJ Millerand, the
French Minister of War, and the whole
trouble was caused by the decision of
this official to reinstate in the French
territorial army Lieut.. Col. Du Patty du
Clam. Dreyfus' most determined oppon-
ent.
Flaneur readers will recollect that he
was the Judge advocate. the investigat-
ing officer in the Dreyfus case and had
earned the sobriquet. for himself, of the
soul" OF that cause celebre" of the
French army. At least 1t had been he
who was accused Of having invented all
the testimony and plots to show that
Capt. Dreyfus was guilty. In his now
famous open letter. Emile lola, entitled
"Jaccuse," charged Col. Du Patty du
Clam with being the most guilty person
in the whole affair. whereupon that Of
ficer was placed upon the retired list In
1900. He appealed at the time, but the
Tribunal do Cessation gave him no
satisfaction.
I. Last year he told NJ. Messimy. the. then
Minister of War, OF his wish to re-enter
the army. and. at the time of the
Franco German crisis. argued that as
the past was quite forgotten the Minister
could not forbid a French officer who
had three sons in the army to do his
duty for his country. NJ. Messimy prom.
Used to reinstate Lieut.. Col. du Patty du
Clam in the territorial army. but the
Ministry fell before he was reinstated
IT was this promise of his predecessor
that M. Millerand fulfilled.
When the appointment was published
in the Journal Ohicial,it had the effect
Of a thunderbolt In political circles. M.
Mfllerand vainly explained that his de-
cision had no political character.
HIS action placed M. Poincare In
dimcult position. His enemies were not
slow In exploiting the incident against
him. Whereupon NJ. Miilerand rendered
his resignation.
tagenets, have come down in the world
The evidence given during the progress
OF lawsuit in 1857 proved that a genuine
Bourbon was then hawking vegetables
In the streets of Paris. A few years be-
fore this the son of Leontine Tascher de
Ia Pagerie. a cousin OF the Empress Jo-
sephine, was sent to prison for petty
larceny. In 1892 the Marquis de Folhgne
was an omnibus conductor. the Comte de
la March was a house painter. the Mar
quise de Torcey d Etallonde kept a small
!rr at Carnao. and the Marquis d'Haute-
roche. a descendant. Of the nobleman,
who. at Fontenoy called out to the Eng
lish, "Tirez les premiers," was q gen.
darme.
Superstitious folk may fad their belief
in omens strengthened by an incident
that occurred sixty years ago at the
wedding Of t. ex-Empress Eugene
After the nuptials Napoleon and his
bride entered the coach surmounted by
an imperial crown and deliberately gilded
and adorned with paintings. which had
been built for the wedding OF his great
ancestor. Napoleon ], and Archduchess
Marie Louise OF Austria. Just as they
had started the crown fell from the top
OF the coach to the ground. The eight
horses were at once halted. the crown
was picked up. and in some fashion set
in its place again.
Napoleon thrust his head out of the
window to ascertain what had caused
the delay and when informed of the ac-
cicent by Comte Fiery said that it re-
minded him OF an anecdote which he
would tell him some other time. But