The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-28

principal arguments against the probability
Of the guilt of Dreyfus, including the i'm
possibility OF Dreyfus procuring the plans
Of fortresses and projects for the move
ments of troops, undetected. whereas Ma
jor Esterhazy had free access thereto.
This letter also cites interviews which Col.
Picquart had with Generals Blot and
Come, and says: with the proof in my
hands, / have established the innocence of
Dreyfus.''
To this General Come replied, according
to the letter to the minister of justice:
What is it to you If Dreyfus is on Devils
island@'
Colonel Picquart-But ne is innocent.
General Gonze-You knew Mercier Former
minister of WARP and Saussier dofmer mill
tary governor of Paris) are mixed up in
this affair. Do you wish to compromise
them?
The letter then continued that on leaving
General Come, Colonel Picquart declared
he was convinced of the innocence of Drey-
fus. and he proposed to fight the matter
out and reveal what he knew. These state
ments upon the part of the reporter caused
a sensation in court.
After further reference to Colonel Pic
quarts charges that the ministry of war
documents and had manufactured evidence
in the Dreyfus case and a presentation of
the contradictory statements Of Colonel
Picquart and the minister of war relative
to the secret document alleged to have been
communicated to the court, the hearing of
the case was adjourned until tomorrow.
The courthouse was. emptied hurriedly.
There were no demonstrations and no cries
of any sort at the close.
The Courier du Soir says that the revela
tions in the report of M. Bard before the
Court OF Cessation as to the part played
by some members OF the general staff have
produced a strong effect in military circles.
and are 'likely to result in a reaction tend
ing to put an end to the antagonism be-
tween the civil and military authorities.
ESTERHAZY THE REAL CULPRlT.
The sensation of NJ. Bard's report was the
shorthand notes of the examination of the
late Lieutenant Colonel Henry by M. Code
troy 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 diff
Guilty, Henry stoutly denying and then pre-
varicating to the effect that he only added
one phrase to 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 culprit, but
that his condemnation would mean the ruin
of the intelligence department.
M. Bard animadverted severely on the
Withholding of the secret dossier from Drey-
fus himself as the presenting of the docu-
ments to Dreyfus could not have compro-
missed the national interests, he said, and
the course adopted was in fragrant viola
ton of the rights of French prisoners since
1885, Although the meetings so far are so
favorable to Dreyfus, it must not be as
sumed that there will be any real clearing
up of the mystery. 1t looks rather as
though an attempt is being made to stifie
the real truth by liberating Dreyfus with
out a. new trial. 1t is asked by the Drey-
fusites If the secret dossier exists, as al
legged, what good purpose can be served by
the Court Of Cessation giving decision
without seeing it, since that is the only
real proof, If eny, Of the guilt of Dreyfus.
To-morrow's sitting of the Court of Cassa-
tion is awaited with the most intense
anxiety.