![]() A year after the conviction, in order to keep interest in the case alive, Mathieu prints phony fliers declaring that Dreyfus has escaped and fled to England. On Mercier's orders, Dreyfus is held in isolation, chained to his bed every night and is not allowed to read Lucie's daily letters. Before leaving for prison, Dreyfus is publicly humiliated by the Army in front of a cheering throng. Unwilling to disgrace the army, Picquart drops the issue and leaves the evidence with his lawyer, Louis LeBlanc. Mercier then orders Picquart transferred to Tunisia. When the writing matches, Picquart reports the discovery to Mercier, who nevertheless refuses to reopen the Dreyfus case. Picquart then receives an intercepted note from Esterhazy to the German Embassy, and recognizing the writing, compares it to the original letter used against Dreyfus. When Mercier requests Dreyfus make a confession of guilt, however, he refuses and is sentenced to life imprisonment on the notorious Devil's Island in French Guiana. Dreyfus is found guilty, prompting him to attempt suicide in his prison cell. When Demange insists that Henry reveal his source's identity, Henry refuses and the judge supports the refusal as necessary for the defense of national intelligence. Henry then stuns the court by testifying under oath that a trustworthy source informed him of a spy within the General Staff and identified the traitor as Dreyfus. Du Paty and several of the officers give evidence linking Dreyfus to the note and suggesting sinister motives for his aloof behavior. At Mercier's insistence, the military trial is held in a closed court. As the court-martial looms, Picquart warns the War Minister that the General Staff will look foolish if Dreyfus is not found guilty, but Sandherr insists that the "proper" verdict will be reached. Civilian attorney Edgar Demange offers his services to defend Dreyfus. After secretly meeting with von Schwarzkoppen to assure him that he is not a suspect, Esterhazy visits a local newspaper editor to reveal Dreyfus' arrest, insisting that he is motivated out of a sense of patriotic duty. Shortly thereafter, Esterhazy returns from a trip out of town and learns of Dreyfus' arrest and pending court-martial. Sandherr then warns Lucie and Mathieu not to speak with the press, cautioning them that the public would respond violently to news of treason. After Dreyfus' house is searched, his wife Lucie and brother Mathieu demand to see Dreyfus, but Sandherr insists that he must remain in solitary confinement. Bewildered, then angered, Dreyfus declares that he is innocent of any wrongdoing, but is taken into custody. Upon examining Dreyfus' handwriting, Du Paty arrests Dreyfus. Later, Dreyfus is summoned to meet Du Paty and, without explanation, ordered to write several lines. Georges Picquart, who is startled to learn that the men suspect Dreyfus. ![]() The following day Du Paty and Henry meet with Sandherr and Dreyfus' commander, Maj. Alfred Dreyfus, a hard-working, solemn officer and the only Jew on the General Staff. In examining the list of the staff officers, the men pause over the name of Capt. Jean Sandherr, shows Henry part of an intercepted note from the German to the Italian attaché mentioning a contact known by the initial "D." Sandherr also reveals that the intercept also produced a letter to the German embassy from the presumed French spy. Hubert Henry of counter-intelligence, to expedite his transfer request. Shortly after an internal investigation begins, Esterhazy pressures his friend, Maj. Auguste Mercier meets with several high-ranking staff officers to announce that several vital defense plans have been stolen from headquarters. Suspicious, von Schwarzkoppen initially rejects the offer and carelessly throws Esterhazy's list of military documents in his office trashcan where it is later retrieved by an undercover French agent. Ferdinand Esterhazy requests a private meeting with the German embassy attaché, Maximilian von Schwarzkoppen, offering to sell him French military secrets.
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