The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-01
As Chief of STAFF of the French Army
He Was Active in Having
ZOIa Convicted.
THE FIRE-EATING ESTERH4ZY
FORCED TO RETIRE FROM THE
ARMY BECAUSE OF DISCLOSURES.
Dreyfus Agitation Breaks Out Again.
and He Will Probably Be Released
from Devils Island.

| ~
| PARIS, Aug. 81. Lieutenant Colonel
Henry has committed suicide. Lieutenant
Colonel Henry cut his throat with a razor
he had concealed in his Valse During the
recent lola trial Henry accused Colonel
Picquart of falsifyng kilograms. A duel
followed, in which Henry was wounded The
next scene occurred in the Chamber of
| Deputies, where Colonel Picquart pro-
claimed the letter forgery, and as a result
was arrested. while Henry's villainy was
rewarded by his being appointed Colonel
| Picquart's successor in the Intelligence De-
| partment.
| 1t is now evident that Henry forged the
| letter with the express object of paralyzing
| Colonel Picquarts efforts to expose Major
Esterhazy and to get revision of the Drey-
fus case. The letter was written in bad
| French a fact which first led it to be re-
garded as spurious. 1t is said that if the
Cabinet decides on revision of the Dreyfus
case M. Cavaignac. minister for war, will
resign.
The scene Of Lieutenant Colonel Henrys
avowal was most painful. When he saw
it was almost useless to deny further.
l AAAO bOASuC SACW 100 LICK LOT MS 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 WI lie On the way to the fortress at
Mont Valerien. She thought he really had
| tit. lie addressed her as my poor wife"
\ adding, Il am under arrest" The officer
accompanying him was under orders not
to lose sight of him for q moment and,
| therefore he could not see his wife alone.
| All three proceeded to his bedroom to get
the necessary clothing Henry then clasped
| his wife in his arms and exclaimed: INV
conscience is pure and free from every
sting" This exclamation is much com
mented upon, as going to show that he NAV
possibly have forged the letter under or
| ders from his superiors
Lieutenant Colonel Henry was peasants
son. lie was born in Pouzy, in Marne, in
lS4S, and enlisted in foot regiment as his
! brothers substitute in 1863. He had q good
military record for bravery and inexorable
discipline. He was prisoner of war in
1870 and was wounded in the Algerian cam
paign. He retained much of the. rough-and-
ready manners of a noncommissioned Of
ncer. He was licking in education. spoke
no foreign languages, and owed his promo
tion primarily to his reputation for blunt
straightforwardness
Gen. lie Mouton de Boisdeffre chief of
the general staff of the French army. has
rendered his resignation to the government
! General De Boisdeffre in his letter of resig
nation, explains that he resigns owing to
| his misplaced confidence in Lieutenant
Colonel Henry, which led him to present as
genuine what was forged evidence M.
| Cavaignac the minister of war, in reply.
| asked General De Boisdeffre to remain TO
see justice rendered in the natter Gen.
De Boisdeffre thanked NJ. Cavaignac for
proofs of his esteem, but persisted in his
resignation. He will be replaced, therefore,
: by General Renouard, director of the Mill
| itary College.
| The Cabinet has held two stormy sittings
under the presidency of NJ. Faure 1t final
ly rose between and o'clock having ap-
| parently failed to arrive at Il decision on
the question Of revising the Dreyfus SEN
! tence, for the customary official note was
not issued. 1t is possible, however, look
| ing to the excited state of public feeline.
that the government deems it advisable to
proceed cautiously and to conceal its de-
cisions for the present. NJ. Delcasse, min
lister for foreign affairs, is said to have been
| violently attacked by his colleagues for hav-
/ ing been ignorant of the intention of the
Emperor Nicholas to issue his disarmament
| proclamation, but in face of the revival of
| the Dreyfus affair the disa rmament pro-
| posal has taken quite a secondary place
| 1t is alleged that several ministers incud-
ing NJ. Brisson, the premier NJ. Maruejouls
minister of commerce, and NJ. Trouillot
minister of the colonies, demanded a re-
vision and the immediate supersession OF
several staff officers. NJ. Cavaignac, how
ever, remained firm, opposing this course
on the ground that Lieutenant Colonel
Henry's forgery had not altered the case
as affecting Dreyfus's guilt. The only re-
suit thus far, therefore, is that Esterhazy
is cashiered and will retire on a small pen
sion. Even after leaving the council the
ministers continued to argue heatedly Nj.
Faure has deferred his intended return to
Havre.
1t would be impossible to describe the SEN
sation that has thrilled Paris, and it is not
unlikely that at the next meeting of the
Chamber of Deputies the government will
be defeated.
When Lieutenant Colonel Henry was sum
noned to the residence of the minister of
war he found assembled there Col Patty
Du Clam, Count Esterhazy, General Bois-
deffre, General Roget and NJ. Cavaignac
The minister of war had the suspected let
ter on his desk He took ii up and said 10
Henry: You did not mention the name OF
the agent who furnished this letter. My at
tention has been called to the fact that on
the docket there is no name" Colonel
Henry beat his forehead. and then said he
had no memory for names, and had for
gotten the name in this case. but he would
know the man if he saw him
1T is pity you have forgotten" said NJ
Cavaignac. dryly; I'VE think the letter a