Evening journal., 1898-02-12
PICOUART TESTIFIES'
Star Witness Of the zola
Trial on the Stand.
He ADMITS The SECRET DOCUMENT.
Confesses In Open Court That He Had
Sent an Agent to Esterhazy's Rooms,
Whore Remnants OF Burned
Letters Were Discovered.

PARIS, Feb. 12.-Interest in the zola
trial centered yesterday in the test-
mony of Colonel Picquart. His evidence
was Of the highest Importance and thus
far Is the great event of the trial. He
gave it with passionless, pitiless com
pleteness, covering the whole ground
from the moment he was authorized to
investigate the rising suspicion against
Count Esterhazy until he found himself
a prisoner at Mont Valerien. The i'm
preston il left was that everything had
been done by General PelueuX and Ma
jor Ravary to shelter Count Esterhazy
from the consequences of glaring
breaches OF discipline and honor, while
Colonel Picquart was disowned, packed
off TO Tunis and eventually arrested.
Colonel Picquart emphdtically denied
General Pelieux's statement that he
had dlvulged an espionage affair TO out
siders. He candidly admitted sending
an agent to Major Esterhazy's apart
ments, but he pointed out that at the
time Major Esterhazy's fat was adver-
tlsed 10 let and his agent only brought
him an unimportant letter which, how
ever served to compare the handwrit-
ings. But the agent reported that a
number of letters had been burned In a
fireplace
Colonel Picquart added that he com
municated his suspicious of the guilt of
Major Esterhazy to his chiefs, who
never said they had additional evidence
OF the guilt OF Dreyfus beyond what he
himself knew. The witness concluded
by stating that the intrigues of the Off
cials of which he had been the victim
had been aimed to prevent him from
demonstrating the guilt Of Major Ester
hazy.
M. I-Rborie then questioned Colonel
| Picquart regarding the secret docu-
/ ment, and the witness said, Il knew OF
the existence OF the secret document
but only saw It when General Pellieuz
showed it to me-" The witness could
not give any further particulars on ac.
count Of professional secrecy"
The colonel was then asked by NJ
Laborie If he saw the original Dor
| dereau, and the witness admitted tha
he had, but said he was chiefly ac
| qualnted with the Photographic repro
ductions circulating at the war min
/ istry. He also admitted having seel
the document in which figured TIT
phrase. This canaille (rascaD D.
which has been so much talked abov
in the French press.
General Pellieux was recalled, ant
again denounced Colonel Picquart 70
searching Major Esterhazy's rooms
whereupon NJ. Laborie quickly retorted
but you yourself had Colonel Pic
quarts rooms searched" This SAIL
was greeted with loud applause, ant
when quiet was restored a heated al
tercation occurred between NJ. Labor
and General Pellieux the latter affirm
ing that Nathan Dreyfus had not sub
mitted fresh proof of the guilt of Majo
Esterhazy.
M. Laborie then asked for the test
nony Of the agent who furnished III
government with the famous bordereal
Major Louth of the intelligence depar
ment explained that the man was sin
ply O transmitting medium" and kne
nothing, Major Ravary was the ne1
witness. M. Laborie reproached hii
with improperly conducting the Ester
hazy inquiry, to which the major n
piled. Military justice is not conduc
ed like yours" The remark cause
murmuring in the court, which wa
, then adjourned.
The mob outside the court gave
conflicting reception to Colonel Pit
quart There was a tremendous tumu
and "a few "Boos!" for NJ Zola, bl
there was no serious incident.
When the court had adjourned,
young barrister named Courant. durir
the excitement in the lobbies. shoute
Down with the commanding officers
Major Rivals a member of the Este
hazy court martial, seized him. and Il
; barrister declared he had said mo-
/. l .I.-IT 4 1 ...fFf
apologize. AS he was speaking a spe
e tator cut him on the head with a wal
a ing stick. and a second spectator pune
= ed him In the face Courant, with
face streaming with blood, was a
e rested.
Y Thinks IL was FIrebue,s Work.