The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-09-01

GENERAL DE BOlSDEFFRE.
eide, Lieutenant Colonel Henry was
pressed with questions, and finally con-
fessed that he was the author of let
ter which was one of three connected
with the conviction of Dreyfus. The
scene of his avowal was most painful
When he saw it was 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
apopleptic stroke.
During the recent Zola trial Henry
accused Colonel Picquart of falsifying
kilograms. A duel followed, in which
Henry was wounded.
The next scene occurred In the cham
ber of deputies, where Colonel Picquart
proclaimed the letter a forgery and, as
FeSpJlt was s "a arEeStead I while HI 4l HenrXs
pointed Colonel Picquart's successor in
the intelligence department.
1t is now evident that Henry forged
the letter with the express object of
paralyzing Colonel Picquart's efforts
to expose Major Count Esterhazy and
to get revision of the Dreyfus case.
The letter was written in bad French,
a fact which first led 1t to be regarded
as spurious.
General LIE Mouton de Boisdeffre
chief of the general staff of the French
army, has rendered his resignation to
the government. General De BoiSdef-
FIRE, in his letter of resignation, ex-
plains that he resigns owing to his mis-
placed confidence in Lieutenant Colo
mel Henry, which led him to present as
genuine what was forged evidence. NJ
CaVaignac, the minister of war, In re-
ply asked General De Bolsdeffre to re-
main to "see Justice rendered in the
matter" General De Boisdeffre thank
ed M Cavaignac for proofs of his es-
TEEN, but persisted In his resignation.
He will be replaced by General Rem
Guard, director of the military college.
Henry's confession threatens to re-
kindle the Dreyfus agitation more
| heatedly than ever, and seems likely to
| shake public confidence in the army.
| Even The Liberte, a strong anti-Drey-
| fus organ says: "It must cause the
| deepest pain to all honorable men that
officers of such standing show such a
lack of moral sense"
II is reported that at yesterdays
cabinet meeting the ministers admitted
that a revision of the Dreyfus trial was
absolutely unavoidable, and a public
announcement that the ministry had
! decided to initiate such a revision is
expected soon.
The Temps asserts that the disclos-
ures made to the ministers have de-
| cided the minister OF war to place Ma
! jor Count Esterhazy on the retired list.
Lieutenant Colonel Henry was a
| peasants son. He was born on Pousey,
in Marne, in 1S4S and enlisted in a foot
regiment, as his brothers substitute,
In 1868. He had a 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 non-commis-
stoned officer. He was lacking in edu-
cation, spoke no foreign language, and
owed his promotion primarily to his
reputation for blunt straightforward
| ness.
1t is alleged that several ministers
including M. Brisson, the premier, NJ
Maruejouls, minister of commerce, anG
M, Trouillot, minister of the colonies
demanded revision and the immedi-
ate supercession of several staff of.
ficers, M. Cavaignac, however, re.
mained firm, opposing this course Oh
the ground that Lieutenant Colone
l1enry's forgery had not altered the
case as affecting Dreyfus' guilt.
1t would be impossible to describe the
sensation that has thrilled Paris, anC
It is not unlikely that at the next meet
ing of the chamber Of deputies tn,
government will be defeated.