Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-18

4
Esterhazy's had Character.
"That could not be permitted in the case
of a French officer" said Picquart. "More-
| over. Esterhazy gambled, led a life of de-
| hatchery and lived with Mademoiselle
| PAYS
Turning to the leakage at headquarters
! the witness described the negotiations OF
Major Lauth with the spy. Richard Cuers,
at Basic, showing how the spy promised
information about the leakage and how he
! PcquarD was induced to allow Lieut.. Col.
Henry to accompany Major Lauth to Basic.
Piquart also described the vague replies
Of Henry when questioned on the subject
of Esterhazy before his departure and the
futility of the visit to Basic because of
Cuers refusal to impart the promised in
formation when he saw Henry.
This incident caused the witness to Won
der whether. instead of trying to make
Cuers speak, Henry and Lauth had not
done everything possible to impose silence
upon him. Before the Basic incident Col.
Picquart had decided to speak to Gen. de
Boisdeffre about Esterhazy.
I'm answer to my request" said the wit
ness, Gen. de Boisdeffre wrote me- asking
ME to meet him at the train on his arrival
from Vichy. While driving from the rail-
him all l had done in regard to Esterhazy
Il affirm that Gen. de Boisdeffre knew
that this question was to remain secret
between us and that was not to mention
it except to the minister of war.
Il knew Esterhazy was anxious to enter
the war office and L did not regard his de-
sire favCrably. l communicated my i'm
pressions to my chiefs. who approved all
my steps. and the application of EsterhaZy
was rejected.
sample of Esterhazy's Writing.
His insistence, however. only increased
my uneasinesS regarding him and I resolv-
ed to obtain a specimen of his handwriting.
l was Immediately struck with the SINH
larity of his handwriting and that Of the
bordereau and forthwith I had the letters
of Esterhazy which were in my possession
photographed. and showed the photographs
to Maj. Du Patty de Clam and NJ. Bertillon
Ohe handwriting expert, between August
- and September >
The colonel emphasized this point be-
cause NJ. Rertilon affirms he saw the pho
tographs in May. 1896 and made a note of
them, whereas the letters were not written
on that date. The conflicting testimony of
Picquart and Bertilon on this point had
been used to discredt the formers evil
dence. Col. Picquart, continuing, said
Patty de Clam on seeing the writing. forth
with declared it was that of Matthew
Dreyfus. the brother of Capt. Dreyfus.
The Witness continuing said:
You know he maintained, that the
horlereau is the joint work of Alfred and
Matthew Dreyfus
'.M Bertillon said: That is the writing
of the bOrtiereau.'
"'M. BeTtillOn tried to discover where |
Rad obtained the handwriting, but the only
information 1 impaired was that it was cur
rent and recent handwriting.
M. Bertillcn then suggested that it was
a tracing and ended by saying that if it was
current handwriting it could only have
emanated from some whom the Jews had
been exercising for year in initiating the
writing of the hordereau.
''At VI. Bertillon's request I left the pho
tographs with him. When he returned them
he said he adhered TO his opinion and earn
estly asked to see the original, when 1 saw
beyond a doubt that the handwriting of
the bordereau was Esterhazy's, and. seeing
that the documents mentioned therein might
have teen supplied by Esterhazy that the
words, I am going to the maneuvers.
could perfectly well apply to Esterhazy,
disposal to copy document SO voluminous
as the firing manual. I resolved to consult
the secret dossier to see what part Of the
treaohery might be ascribed 10 Dreyfus, and
to assure myself whether the dosser con-
tanned anything Indicating Esterhazy.
DossEer Contained Triyialities.
Il frankly admit was stupefied on read
ing the secret dossier. 1 expected to find
of vi = fpnnG
short. nothing but a document which might
apply just as much to Esterhazy to
Dreyfus. an unimportant document mention
ing d'Avienon and a document which It
seemed absurd 10 apply to Dreyfus. name
" the 'Cette Canaille de D. document.
Lastly. ! recognized a report appended.
in the handwriting of Guenee. which APP
peared to he at least worthless as the
second document
1T was then evening I had stayed late.
alone at the office. in order to examine the
documents thoroughly. I thought it over
during the night. and the next day I ex-
planned the whole situation to General de
Boisdeffre. | took to his office the secret
dossier the fac-simile of the bOrdereau,
the Petit Bleu and the principal papers con-
nected with my investigation Of Esterhazy.
Il wonder. now. if | had one or two in
tervews. But ! still see General de Bots
deffre, as he examined the secret dossier
with me- stop before he reached the end
and tell me TO go into the country, give an
account of the affair to General Gonse and
ask his advice.
Before starting to see General Gonse I
copied note. four pages in length, which
1 made September /, containing my
| resume of the Esterhazy affair.
when l informed General Gonse of all
which had occurred, he remarked:
/ :" SO a mistake has been made
after my interview with General Gonse
I did not work any longer on my own mi
tiative. l said nothing more until the re-
turn of General Gonse, September IL. At
that time k.sterhazy was at the great ma
neuvers.
Next. the witness dwelt on the rumOrs in
September, 1896, of ---e project of replacing
| Dreyfus by Of straw and the dis
covery of the foI sed Weyl letter supposed
| to be connected with the same project At
| about the same time the campaign for and
| against Dreyfus was started by the news
papers.
| AT this stage of his deposition Colonel
Picquart, who had been speaking for two
] and half hours, was visibly distressed
| He had occasional attacks of coughing but
managed to continue. Colonel Jouaust not
L