The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-01
COL. HENRY ENDS HIS LIFE.
us Suicide A CHAPTER IN THE
CELEBRATED DREYFUS CASE.

Admits the Forgery of the Letter
which Convicted Dreyfus-M. Cav
oipnac still Believes Dreyfus
Guilty, However, But He Will Push
an investigation and Punish the
entity REGARDLESS of Rank-Drey-
FMS Papers Insist Upon the Re
o,ening of the Dreyfus TriaI-Min-
,sters ReaIine That a Revision of
the Case Is Unavoidable.
paris. Aug. si-Lieut. Col. Henry. who
had been arrested on the discovery that
he was the author of an important letter
mat figured in the Dreyfus case, has COM
mitted suicide.
II appears that so soon as NJ. Cavaignac
assumed the office of minister of war he
charged the official bureau to make
thorough research OF the Dreyfus case.
# was this inquiry which resulted in the
discovery Of documents lately read in the
Chamber of Deputies by M. Cavaignac,
showing that proof of the guilt of Drey-
fus was forged.
When Col Henry was summoned to the
ministry for war and questioned by M.
Cavaignac, in the presence of Gen. Bois-
deffre and others, he at first affirmed the
authenticity of the discriminating docu-
ment. But when discrepancies were point
ed out, he at first admitted adding SEN
tences and finally confessed to fabricat-
Ing the whole letter.
1t Is affirmed, however, that while this
discovery has not changed M. Cavaignac's
belief in the culpability of Dreyfus, the
minister Is determined to punish all the
guilty parties, no matter what their rank
or position may be.
Col. Henry confessed to having commit
ted forgery, owing to the absolute neces-
sty for finding proofs against Dreyfus.
It is understood that the document in
question is the letter which has hitherto
been alleged to have been written by the
German military attache to the Italian
military attache in October, 1896.
1t is also said that when the interpella-
don In the Dreyfus case was coming up
IN tie Chamber of Deputies, this letter
$as secretly communicated to the court
martial and was the chief evidence upon
which Dreyfus was convicted.
The anti-Dreyfus papers are dumbfound-
ed at the turn of events. on the other
hand, the papers which have been support
ing the proposition to reopen the case are
jubilant. They now demand the immediate
release of Col. PIcquart who is impris-
oned on charges connected indirectly with
the Dreyfus affair, and they also insist
upon review of the Dreyfus trial.
1t Is reported that at to-day's cabinet
meeting the ministers realized that a re-
vision of the DreyfuS trial was absolutely
unavoidable and a public announcement
that the ministry has decided to initiate
such a revision is expected soon.
Lieut.. Col. Henry cut his throat with
razor he had concealed in his valise
During the recent Zola trial Henry ac-
eused Col. Picquart of falsifying tele-
grams A duel followed in which Henry
was wounded
The next scene occurred in the Cham
Der of Deputies, where Col. Picquart pro-
claimed the letter a forgery, and as a re-
suit was arrested, while Henry's villainy
was rewarded by his being appointed Col.
Plcquarts successor in the intelligence
department
1t is now evident that Henry forged the
letter with the express object of paralyz-
~.
Esterhazy and to get a revision of the
Dreyfus case. The letter was written in
bad French, a fact which first led 1t to
be regarded as spurious.
1t is said that If the cabinet decides
upon revision of the Dreyfus case, NJ.
CaVaignac, minister of war, will resign.
The scene of Col. Henrys avowal was
most painful. When he saw 1t was al
most useless to deny further, his tongue
grew too thick for his mouth and he was
unable to speak
1t was feared that he would have an
apoplectic stroke. After his arrest he was
permitted to visit his wife, while on the
way to the fortress at Montvalerien.
Inc officer accompanying him was un-
Ger orders not to lose sight of him for a
moment and, therefore, he could not sec
ms wife alone. All three proceeded 10
ms bedroom to get the necessary cloth
ing Henry then elasped his wife In his
arms and exclaimed, MY conscience is
pure and free from every sting"
ms exclamation is much commented
upon as going to show that he may pos
sioiy have forged the letter under orders
lTom his superiors
Lieut.. Col. Henry was a peasants son.
ne was born In Pouzy, in Martnet, in
1913, and enlisted in foot regiment as hiss
"otners substitute In 1868. He had a
good military record for bravery and in
e4orable discipline. He was a prisoner of
war IN 1870, and was wounded in the Al
eerlan campaign. He retained much of
ue rough -and-ready manners of a non
commissioned officer. He was lacking in
e1ucatlon, spoke no foreign languages, and
V"ea his promotion primarily to his repu-
"'ion for blunt straightforwardness