Josephine Butler to Hatty [her sister]

Photocopy of letter. Written from Geneva.

She gave a detailed account of the first day of the Federation Conference (19 Sep). The speakers at the afternoon meeting were: Mr Wuarin. a jurist and a Professor at the Geneva University; Mr Pierson of Holland, President of the Federation; Mr Weber the representative of German State worshipping ideas; Mlle Saint-Croix of Paris. Then at 4.30. they were all marched to the Quay and boarded a 'vaisseau de luxe' for a short round on the Lake ending up at the foot of the lawn of the Fatio's houses situated at a picturesque point in view of Mont Blanc where a garden party was held for the delegates. She had one or two interesting conversations, but confessed that she did not like garden parties. One cheering piece of news 'just as we were getting on board the ship we got the telegram of Dreyfus being set at liberty'.

'a committee for business 9-11.30 am in the morning, at 2 pm the opening meeting

This was the International Conference of the Federation held that year at Geneva opening on 19 Sep 1899

'The telegram of Dreyfus being set at liberty'

It was not till 1899 that Dreyfus was brought back to France (after 41/2 years imprisonment on Devil's Island) for retrial by court martial. Even then he was again found guilty 'with extenuating circumstances' at Rennes, 9 Sep. However 10 days later he was pardoned by President Loubet.

He was not finally restored to his rank in the army till the further investigation ordered by the Courde Cassation in 1906 which ended in the Court's decision that his conviction had been based on a forgery and that Dreyfus was innocent

Biog: Mr Wuarin, Mr Pierson of Holland, Herr Weber, Mlle de Saint Croix, M Fatio, Mme Neville Fatio, Dr Santo Liquido, Yves Guyot