The Portland daily press., 1898-10-28
.aEzss22 e. aazzff2ssRRs PRICE THREE CENTS.

also severely criticized Major Rayary's
report on the charges against Major Ester-
hazy and he further said that the hand
writing experts Balhomme and Varnaird
were Iunatics, whose testimony was un-
reliable.
| After referring to the facts that the ex-
/ perts who examined the Bordereau diff
tered widely in opinion, ID Bard concluti-
| ed with expressing belief that if the Hor-
dereau was the principal factor in the
condemnation Of Dreyfus on the testi-
| mony of experts. his condemnation ought
/ to be revoked.
] During the session of the court, an
anti-revlsionist mob, nun bering about
100 people, and headed by NM DamoEt,
Millevoys and Lasies, shouting "Vive
larmee," and "A mort les Juifs," (death
| to the Jews), attempted to enter the court
of cessation, but the passage of the mob
was Jared by the police and large REIN
forcements were sent to guard The APP
proaches to the court.
Great stress was laid by NJ. Bardoncot
ON Picquart's letter Of July a. 1898. to
the minister of Justice, in which he gave
seven principal arguments against the
probability of the guilt of Dreyfus, i'll
Guiding the impossibility of Dreyfus pro-
curing the plans of fortresses and projects
for the movements of troops undetected,
whereas Major EsterhaZy had free access
thereto.
This letter also cites interviews which
Col. Picquart had with Gems. Blot and
Come. and says:
"With the proof in my hands have
established the innocence Of Dreyfus."
To this Gen. Come replied, according
to the letter to the minister OF Justice:
''What is it to you If ir,yfus issson DEVILS
island?"
Col. Pioquart It But, he Is innocent"
Gen. Gonze-"You know Mercter form
er minister Of wary and Saussier (tormer
military governor of Paris) are mixed up
in this affair. Do your wish to compro-
mise them?''
The letter then continued that on leav-
ing Gen. Come, Col. Pioquart declared
he was convinced of the innocence of
Dreyfus and he proposed to fight the
| matter out and reveal what he knew.
These statements upon the part of the
reportec caused sensation in court.
After further reference to Col. Pio-
quarts charges that the ministry of war
and general staff had tampered with
documents and had manufactured evil
dence in tie Dreyfus case and presen-
tation OF the contradictory statements OF
Col. Picquart and the minister of war
relative to the secret documents alleged to
have been communicated to the court
martial, the hearing of the case was ad-
jodrned until tomorrn
Tbs court house was emptied quietly.
There was no demonstrations and no
cries of any sort.
The sensational part of M. Bard s re-
port was the short hand notes of the ex-
animation of the late Lieut.. Col. Henry,
by Ill. Godefroy Cavaignac, then minister
of war, after Henry's forgery had been
discovered. These notes showed that the
confession of forgery was only obtained
with the utmost. difficulty, Henry stoutly
denying and then prevaricating to the
effect that he only added one phrase 10
the genuine letter and then, when driven
to the last corner protesting that he acted
for the country's good
The drift of NJ. Bard s conclusions WAS
that Comte Esterhazy was the real Gull
prit, but that his condemnation would
have meant the ruin of the intelligence
department.
M. Bard diverted severely on the with
holding of the secret Dossier from Drey-
fus himself, as the presenting of the docu-
ments to Dreyfus could not have COM
and the course adopted was in hagrant
violation of the rights of French citizens
since 1880.
Although the proceedings thus far are
so favorable to Dreyfus, it must not te
assumed that there will Le any real clear
ing up of the mystery. 1t looks, rather,
as though an attempt is being made to
stifle the real truth by liberating Drey-
fus without a new trial. IU Is asked by
the Dreyfusites, If the secret Dossier
exists as alleged, what good purpose can
be served by the court of cessation Civ
ing decision without seeing it, since
that is the real proof, if any, of the guilt
OF Dreyfus.
Tomorrow's sitting of the court of cas-
sation is waited with the most intense
anxiety.
The Courier Du Soir says that the
revelations in the reports of NJ. Bard, te.
fore the court of cessation, as to the part
played by some members of the generaI
staff have produced q strong effect in
military circles and are "likely TO result
in reaction tending to put an end to
the antagonism between the civil and
military authorities.