Norwich bulletin., 1914-06-08
FAMOUS TRIALS
THE TRIAL OF pREYFus

Alfred Dreyfus trial, desradation and reinstatement in France was one or the most exciting trials within the memory of most readers He was an Alsattan Hebrew who. up to the year 1894, was captain of engineers in the Trench army and held a high position on the general staff. About the mid ale or october of the year named he was secretly tried by court -marti ai and met with conviction and was pub- ncly degraded.
 The ostensfele charge against Drey- fus was that he had sold military in formation to the German Government The chief evidence in support of the grave accusation was a comprornising document stated to have been found in the waste basket of the German em- bassy in Paris. which was alleged, though not proved, to be in the hand writing of the incrminated officer.
 The trial was so manifestly unfair and the doomed officer was so con scious of his infiocence that his fam lily and friends took up his case from the very start and a vast amount of money was contributed for his defense.
 When the document was found in the waste paper basket it was immediately turned over to Gen. Mercier. the French minister of war, and a handwriting expert was found who pronounced 1t to be the work of Capt Dreyfus. Maj. du Paty de Clam. to whom the border eau" as it was called. was assigned for investigation, hastened to confirm this suspicion and Dreyfus was summoned before him for investigation.
 This inquisitorial process was in secret and little is known of it except the version given out by De Clam. According to this story, Dreyfus trem- bled and broke down when confronted with the alleged proofs of his gutlt. After De Clam's report to Gen Mercler the accused was promptly arrested and taken to the Cherche Midi military
 Two months later. on Dec. ts, Drey- fus was put on trial before q court martial in Paris The judges consist cd of seven off3cers. including Col. Maurel as president. Even down to the opening of the court Drsyfus ex- placed in the hands of Maitre De- menge., When the court opened Com mandant Brisset, who conducted the prosecution and was commissary of the government, demanded that the case should be heard with closed doors.
 One of the articles of accusation was that the prisoner acted unusually in working after hours. even without leave. and that 1t was quite conceiv- able he might. without being seen by bureaus with improper motives. Furth- CT 1t was alleged that he persistently denied his guilt and protested against the charge brought against him, but -when hard pressed, he gets out of it without much difficuity, thangs to the supple character of his mind"
 The only piece of evidence was the .'borlereau," which it was declared offers a perfect resemblance to the authentic writing of Capt. Dreyfus" The only important witnesses against him were the experts in handwriting, of whom two condemned him and three were uncertain, and Du Paty de Clam and Col. Henry.
 The evidence of De Clam was a bio- graphical notice of the accused, sug- gesting that everything that had been stolen and betrayed to the Germans, even when he was at the school at Bourges. must be set down to hfs dis- credit. But Henry's evidence was more concise. He himseif. being .