The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-11
ESTERHAZY AND HIS ENEMIES.
COURT MARTIAL BEGINS ITS TRIAL
OF THE COUNT.

Refused Permission to Take Part
in the PrOceedinEs-Esterh Ac-
cuses Col. Picquart of BurSIariz-
ing His Room and Stealing Let
ters.
Paris, Jan. 10-The trial by court-mar-
tial of Maj. Count Ferdinand Walsin
Esterhazy, the retired officer of the
French army, was opened at 8 o'clock
this morning under the presidency of Gen.
Deluxe.
Among those who filed the hall were
Nine. Dreyfus, wife of Alfred. Dreyfus,
the former captain of French artillery,
now undergoing Imprisonment for life
after having been convicted of selling i'm
portant French military plans to agents
of a foreign power, with which affair
Count Esterhazy is said to have been con-
nected.
Count Esterhazy appeared in uniform,
and escorted by Republican Guards.
The clerk of the court said the court
martial was held in order to end the con-
tradictory rumors which had been spread
by the excited public Thereupon Maitre
Laborie, counsel for Nine Dreyfus, asked
permission to take part in the arguments.
Counsel for Matthew Dreyfus, brother
of the prisoner OF DEVILS Island. also
asked permission to appear in the pro-
ceedings
The court rejected both applications, and
the taking of testimony commenced.
Counsel for the government said pub
lie trial might be inimical to the interests
of the national defense and demanded
secret hearing.
The court decided by a majority of 8 to
2 that the trial should be public until the
moment when publicity might appear to
prejudice the national defense.
The court having thus yielded to public
opinion, the report of the investigation Off
Ger. Maj. Ravary, was read. 1t complete
ly whitewashed Count Esterhazy and is
| generally regarded as being a serious in
dctment of Col. Picguart, whose arrest
when the trial is finished, is anticipated.
The report of Maj Ravary does not ad-
duce much evidence, except excerpts from
the famous BOrdereau note, which is al
| legged to have beeen written by Count Es-
! terhazy. 1t contains the counts pro-
tests against the 'calumniating imputa-
tons" of persons who caused him to be
| shadowed The report proceeds with the
statement that Col Picquart, in 1898, was
surprised while examining secret docu-
ments belonging to the generals staff.
| The court then adjourned until 2 O'Clock.
When the trial was continued Mai. Es-
| terhazy testified that he became aware
| Of the plot against him through anony-
nous letters which led TO his meeting an
unknown yelled woman. He had reported
the results of that meeting to Gen. Billot
the minister for war, and to President
! Faure.
The judge put a series of easy questions
to Maj. Esterhazy, to which the latter
had already made answers. The major
ended by following Maj. Ravarys cue,
and accused Col. Picquart of burglarizng
his room and stealing letters.
Matthieu Dreyfus, the brother of Capt.
Dreyfus, was then examined. He was
asked to state the basis OF his accusation
against Maj. Esterhazy, and replied that
it was only necessary to compare the
writing in the note and Maj. Esterhazy's
handwriting in order to be convinced that
they were identical.
Reviewing the suspicious acts of the
major, NJ. Dreyfus quoted a letter in
which Maj. Esterhazy said:
Il am in such plight that 1 can only
recover myself by crime
This" said NJ. Dreyfus, dramatically,
"was written by an officer who has the
honor to wear the uniform of a French
officer"
Counsel for Maj, Esterhazy thereupon
asked NJ Dreyfus who was paying "the
enormous cost of circulating pamphlets
respecting Maj. Esterhazy?" to which M.
| Dreyfus replied:
THAT is my business; not yours"
This remark caused excitement among
those present for there were shouts of
''misera ble"
NJ. Sehurer- Kestner, one of the vice pres
idents Of the Senate, was examined. He
said that when he was condemned he be-
leved Capt. Dreyfus guilty, and had not
i tv
Dreyfus came and mDlored with him.
Then the senator made personal inquiry,
because at must be admitted that both
military and civil tribunals may make
mistakes.
The senator further remarked: "I have
learned that a distinguished officer, head
of the intelligence department. had been
called for and letters had been shown me
proving conclusively that Gen. Donge was
of the same opinion as Col Picquart."
A house owner of Auteil then testified
that the mistress Of Maj. Esterhazy ask
ed him to cancel a lease signed by Ester
hazy as the latter had declared he was
dishonest, said he intended to commit sui
eide and feared the police would seal up
| his chambers.
At this point Maj Esterhazy denied
having uttered the words attributed TO
him and Nine Paris, his mistress, made
a similar denial.
The question OF the letter affecting Mai.
Esterhazy then arose. This epistle, which
was addressed to a friend named Well,
found it's way into the possession of
friends of Capt. Dreyfus. We'll denied
he gave it to the friends of the convict.
Maj Esterhazy. in a vehement outburst,
said: "Of all the infamies of which am
the victim, Weil's treachery gives me the
most pain. / rendered him services, the
nature of which / cannot state here. He
Is a coward and a traitor"
The majors remarks brought forth
cheers from the audience.
Col. Picquart was the next witness, but
the court, after a hasty deliberation, de-
cided to take his testimony behind closed
doors. The court was then cleared.
This decision to conceal the evidence of
the most important witness of the trial
caused much dissatisfaction.
FOUND DEAD IN HIS BARN.