Clarence and Richmond Examiner (Grafton, NSW), Saturday 15 July 1899
COULD PROVE DREYFUS' INNOCENCE.
Everyone now believes in the innocence of Dreyfus, but there are just three men who could probably swear to it. One is Dreyfus himself, and the others are Major Panizzardi and Colonel Von Schwarzhoppen. These two officers were the Italian and German Attaches respectively at Paris at the time of the arrest, and it was on the charge of having supplied them with information that Dreyfus was finally convicted. Of course, the rule at the Embassies that traffic in purchased plans of a likely enemy's defences is silence, but the great case in question induced the Italian and German Governments to instruct their officers, if they didn't buy anything from Dreyfus, to give public assurance to that effect. It is significant that both Major Panizzardi and Colonel Schwarzhoppen, who need not have spoken at all, came forward and attested to the captain's innocence, while it is more than startling that when confronted with the name of Esterhazy they declined to be drawn into expressing an opinion. Doubtless, if their Governments could release them of the obligation of keeping secret the name of the real traitor, they would make an unreserved statement; but seeing that a nation is bound to repeat the confidences of the persons who arm it with information, such a happy settlement of the last vestige of doubt is hardly probable.
