The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-25

| fus underwent the dictation test in dM
| Patty de CLAIMS Office.
| NJ. Cochefert declared he knew abso-
lutely nothing of the Dreyfus case when
the minister of war, General Mercier,
summoned him to confer with him on
| the subject of the bordereau and the
I suspicious in regard to Dreyfus. Sub
| sequently, after NJ. Bertillon's report,
| the arrest of Dreyfus was decided
upon.
The witness proceeded to describe the
| arrest and the famous scene of the die
| tation test, saying that from the first
| remark dropped by Patty de Clam, the
| prisoner displayed evident uneasiness.
At the time of the examination Of
Dreyfus the witness gained the i'm
preston that he might be guilty and
| SO reported when the minister of wal
| asked his opinion.
During this formal examination,
| Cochefert added, Dreyfus protested his
innocence very violently and declared
he did not know what they wanted or
| Of what he was accused.
Replying to the court, Cochefert said
| that since his first appearance on the
| scene he had nothing o do with the
/ Dreyfus affair.
After the remarks of M. Demange
| Colonel Jouaust invited Dreyfus to
| speak. The prisoner replied: mo; I
will reply when Patty de Clam is here"
j M. GRIBELIN TESTIFIES.
M. Gribelin, the principal archivist
|, CT the headquarters staff, was the next
| witness. He testified with great volu-
| bility. The witness said he was cog
INFANT OF Dreyfus' relations with loose
ONE He c%apitulated the discovery
Of the leakage at the military head
quarters, the arrival of the bordereau,
| etc.
Colonel Jousuat: when was the
~bordereau received at the intelligence
department."
NJ. Gribelin: "The bordereau arriv-
ed l and 2 o'clock in the morning in
September 1894. After examining it We
did not hesitate to attribute it to an
officer Of he headquarters staff"
M. Gribelin positively asserted that
Esterhazey came to the intelli-
| gence department.
Questioned as to the alleged indiscre-
ton Of Colonel Picquart in showing
Maitre Leblois the secret dossler, wit
ness admitted that when he saw NJ. Lee
blOis in Picquart's office, in the autumn
Of 1896, while the secret dossier and the
dossier of the carrier pigeon service
were lying ON Picquart's table, they
had not been removed from their en-
velOpes.
When questioned concerning the
"liberateur" document, Grebelin admit
| ted he still wondered how it came into
Esterhazey's hands and could not un-
| derstand why Esterhazey was not ar
rested when he brought the document
to the ministry of war.
Replying to M. Demange, M. Gribe-
lin admitted having mixed up Patty de
CLAIMS and Henry's intrigues in favor
of Esterhazey. The admission created
a sensation.
Ma;tre Demange questioned the wit
| ness at length as to the relations be-
tween the witness, Esterhazey and Patty
de Clam, but M. Gribelin put him off
with the suggestion that Maitre De-
mango had better question Patty de
J Clam when that gentleman arrived.
This caused a general laugh.
| Colonel Picquart, questioning the
| witness, declared incidentally that Es-
terhazey on securing the liberateur
document had utilized it to levy
shameless blackmail on the govern
ment."
MAJOR LAUTH ON THE STAND.
Major Lauth followed. He described
Henry's relations with the foreign spies.
Describing the presentation Of the
bordereau at the office, he said:
Zone morning, it may have been Sep
tember Oath, or another date, though
it cannot matter much, I arrived at the
office and was about to enter the room
, in which I usually work, when Colonel
Henry, who was. walking in the cor
ridor, called to me and took me into
his room. Captain Mathon arrived
simultaneously. We had scarcely en-
tered when Colonel Henry showed the
| packet received and, exhibiting some
pieces he had plastered together, said:
1t is frightful. Just see what I have
found in this packet
I'VE walked to a window and all
three began to read the contents of a
paper, which was none other than the
bordereau. We discussed who could
be the author.
Il must add that M. Gribelin entered
the room and was informed regarding
the document. AT the same time the
~bordereau was only shown to Colonel
Sandherr, half or three quarters Of an
| hour later when he arrived"
Next, discussing the petit bleu, Major
Lauth said it reached Colonel Picquart
enclose. in a packet, early in March.
Major Lauth's extremely long depo-
sition was listened to in profound ST.
lence. He protested at Picquart's allie
| cations against him in the course OF
| the Tavernier inquiry, when Picquart
| represented Lauth as the instigator,
| and, perhaps, also the writer Of the
Henry forgery.
81 declare said Lauth, that if, by
inspiring or writing it I had a share in
any way whatever in the preparation
Of the Henry forgery, / should have
avowed it the day Henry committed
-. I am not even now afraid Of the
razor o the rope Of lie Mercier-Picart,
nor even Of a broken glass Omlette."
After controverting further state
ments of Picquart, Major Lauth, in
1 combustion Io0laroI %haf IJoprv ssrha