Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-20
prCouART's TESTIMONY.

In September, 1895. while IN m inter-
view between the two Colonel Picquart
was pressing upon General Gonse his
suspicions OF Esterhazy's guilt ana
conviction of Dreyfuss innocence,
the General admonished him that
81 he said nothing no one would
be any the wiser. In view of the rank
Of Gcnse, that admonition amounted 10
an order to keep silence" But the re-
ply of his Subordinate was: Il cannot
carry this secret to my grave" After
plot 10 bring about his murder by the
blood-thirsty Touaregs of the interior OF
Africa had miscarried. and he had been
tried and condemned on trumped-up
charge. Picquart declared: Tonight l
shall perhaps sleep in the prison of
Cherche- Midi. But l want the people to
know If there be found in my cell the
rope OF Lemercier-Picard or the razor
OF Henry. that | have been assassinated.
] am not the sort Of man TO commit sui
eide" Again. the night before going
upon the witness-stand at Rennes. he
said 10 companions. who were disposed
10 be gloomy touching the outlook for
Dreyfus: "Have confidence: truth is
stronger than all other things"
And on he wiiness-stand Picquart
bore himself as might have been expect
ed of the author Of such utterances. He
bore himself as becomes man who
shrunk not from the prospect OF the ire
mendous sacrifices he has made. lie
stood out the clear cut impersonation Of
truth. honesty justice, self-poise. CHI
yalry, and courage projected from
sickenine background of lying, deceit, in
Justice hysterical malice, meanness ana
cowardice. He illustrated the noblest ira
dltlon as 20 French character. He proved
not only good witness for Dreyfus, nut
a good advocate for him as well. demon
strating as he did that the rule of French
court procedure-if It can be called a
rule-which permits witness to speak
In case is one that can be made to
work both ways. His testimony was In
cis.ve. lucid, analytical, convincing. and
interwoven with 1t was an address, or
argument. that left no question as 20 the
saimus of the unsupported assertions,
ana the vindictive Giatribes against the
prisoner of MERCER. Billot, Zurlinden,
Roget and others. Picquart was at once
the champion Of Dreyfus and the exposer
Of the despicable gang OF conspirators
against him.
Despite the fact that the prosecution
has been steadily discredited from the
beginning OF the trial, opinions as to the
verdict of the court vary from day to
day. Before Picquart gave his testi-
mony there seemed among the CORE
spOndents at Rennes TO be a drift towards
the conclusion that the prisoner would
again be adjudged guilty. Ard that
such judgment would be another atrocity.
was admitted IN the suggestion that the
probable final solution Of the case would
be recondemnation ana immediate par
don--a solution the world rs justified in
holding Dreyfus would spurn When
Picquart left the stand the friends of the
prisoner and OF right and justice took
heart and the belief was generally ex-
pressed that the end would be acquittal.
YESTERDAY. howcyee. the pendulum again
swung back 90 pessimirm, the cause of
the swing being reflection on the cold
ness OF the court towards Picquart. and
the alleged refusal of its members TO
read the evidence that was before the
Court OF cassatiOn. But there are stin
those who feel satisfied that Picquart
spoke az a prophet. when he said that
truth Is greater than all other things.
and that "he has saved Dreyfus." III SO
he Is destined 10 reap double reward
Tor his heroism and double compensn.
tion for his martrydom for truth and
conscience sake. The saving OF Dreynus
meanS not only the vindication OF a
Fellow soldier In the face OF difficulties
such Ms few champions OF a righteous
case have ever confronted. but the saving
" france from the contempt and
exscfation % he civilized world. MOI
pny Dreyfus. bat the French nation n