Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-09-22
WILL NOT COMMIT SUICIDE
DECLARES THAT IF HE IS FOUND
DEAD 1T WILL BE MURDER.
Military Authorities Succeed in POST
poning His Trial, Which Might
Have Brought Out UnweI-
come Facts-Maj. Ester
haxy Talks.

fARlS, sept. N.-The trial or Colonel
Picquart and NJ. Loblois, a lawyer, on the
charge of revealing documents concerning
the national defense, was to have begun
to-day before the correctional tribunal
The public prosecutor however, asked for
an adjournment, on the ground that the
prosecution of Colonel Pic1uart on the
charge of forgery and using forged docu-
ments had been ordered by the minister
OF war, NJ. Labor, who was counsel for
M. lola during the latter's famous trial,
Indignantly opposed the adjournment
which. he said, was an attempt to hand
over Colonel Picquart into the clutches of
the military authorities.
Colonel Picquart then rose and made a
statement which caused a sensation. He
said:
This Is perhaps, the last time / shall
speak in public. l shall sleep, perhaps, in
the military prison of Cherche Midi. There
fore. 1 wish to declare that If 1 find there
the strangling cord of LIE Mercier Picard,
| or the razor Of Colonel Henry, it will be
| murder, for I have no idea of committing
| suicide"
The audience was intensely moved and
shouted "Vive Picquart!"
| The judges, however, after a short delib-
Grafton, decided to indefinitely adjourn the
| case, and Colonel Picquart was led away
| between policemen.
LIE Mercier Picard, the man referred to
by Colonel Picquart, was a detective, un-
derstood to have been employed in the
| Dreyfus affair, who was found hanged in
his lodgings about year ago. under cir
cumstances which cast some doubt upon
the theory put forward that he had COM
| mitted suicide.
| The air tonight is full of rumors of SEN
/ SAti0nal
| things 1t was announced that Colonel Pic
quart was already in the Cherche Midi
| prison 1t appears, however that the au-
| thorities OF the La Sante prison refused
necessary formalities, but there is no doubt
that he will be in the Cherche Midi prison
| tomorrow.
| The Dreyfusites are somewhat despond-
| ent the military authorities who We're re-
| sponsiole for the shelving of the PicQuart
triai aad having avn T. apparently regained the upper
be kept in prison and his trial Indefinitely
postponed in order to keep his mouth shut.
in court as that which followed his declar-
alton to-day regarding his possible death in
prison. The judges. officers and audience
ton. The latest developments are that
General Pellieux will be transferred from
his Paris appointment to the command of
some provincial brigade, his name having
| become too notorious.
The italian government declines to re-
L
here until the Dreyfus case shall have
to signor Panizzardi through the news
| papers.
The committee appointed by the minister
| of justice, NJ. Sarien, to examine the ooc-
uments in the Dreyfus case and pronounce
formally granting the prisoner on Devils
island a new trial, met this morning at
Of to
| 1t Is understood that the committee will
come to a decision by Monday next, when
M saren will commit comm, Its, Its findings to
over by President Faure.
LONDON. Sept. 22-The Daily News says
| the Comte EsterhaZy has been sojourning
| in London in the guise of an Italian count.
| He speaks Italian fiuently.
| The Daily News reporter caught him at
Sharing Gross as ne v. was 81; about t to start for
hazy said he had passed the detectives de-
| tailed to watch him while in Paris in his
present disguise and that nobody had recog-
nized him.
But" he added. 'I mistrusted even this.
told General Pellieux after the suicide Of
Colonel Henry it would be impossible to
| stop things and that the movement would
be formidable.
'The generals lost their heads. I wrote
to NJ. Cavatgnac a long letter, acquainting
him with the salient points of the affair.
He refused to see me. My ruin had been
determined upon. I was thrown overheard
and had nothing left but to go away and
Comte Esterhazy proceeded to declare
that he had vainly tried to convince Cen
eral Pellieux that the Henry document was
a forgery, but that General Pellieux had
declined to listen to him.
'There were" said Count Esterhazy, "but
three persons who knew the truth of the
matter-sandhers. Henry and myself; The
first two are dead. and I alone hold the
secret"
Comte Esterhazy complained bitterly of
the treatment of himself and Madame Pays,
who is in prison In Paris. He declares that
Judge d'Instruction Bontulois had Madame
Pays brought from the Saint Lazare prison
and offered her her liberty If she would re-
veal all she knew.
After reference to other phases Of the
affair." Comte Esterhazy said:
Il intend to publish a book that will
throw light upon the unhealthy Dreyfus
story. Cavaignac made mistake in per-
scouting me, because he struck at the
same time his relation. Colonel Du Patty de
Clam. I may mention that I had already
declined a pension offered by General Bill
lot"
Comte Esterhazy affected a gay non-
| chalance, but just as he was taking the
train he said in sharp, nervous tone,
| without pausing for breath:
| 'I don't know whether I shall make use
of the documents In my possession. II
will depend upon the march of events"