The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-20

' q NIt5IL
itary officer who at the present moment
held diplomatic appointment in France"
(Sensation.)
Replying to NJ. Demange, Cuignet insist
ed that if Henry committed forgery 'it
was in the interests of the country"
To this statement counsel retorted:
You did not say that to the court of
cessation"
WITNESS IS CORNERED.
At the request of NJ. Demange the ma
jOr's deposition before the court of cas-
sation, relating to Henrys motives and
Patty de CLAIMS share in the prepare ton
of the forgery We're read. It showed that
Cuignet emphaticaIly declared before the
court of cessation that he was convinced
an investigation would easily show that
Patty de Clam was the principal author
of the Henry forgery.
Witness claims he thought he was doing
his duty ''in saying ali that is in my
mind
DO you adhere" asked counsel, ''to all
you said before the court of cessation p
This question greatly perplexed the wit
ness, who replied by saying, ''he was only
arguing at that time, and that it was not
for him to judge Patty de Clam"
NJ. Demange pointed out that in spite
of the many arguments Mai. Cuignet had
advanced against Patty de Clam, the mill
tary judge, Taverner, threw out the case.
Now" added NJ. Demange, Mai.
Cuignet has advanced as much against
Dreyfus. The court will be able to ap-
preciate the value of his arguments"
Counsel then asked why Cuignet had
employed the expression report to de-
scribe the Schneider letter. and the wit
ness replied that he was justified in do
ing so, owing to the similarity of express
siOns in 1t with the terms usually en-
ployed in reports
M. Demange pointed out that the docu-
ments included in the dossier contained
the word report"
Does the original" he asked, contain
this word?"
NO" replied the witness.
Replying further, Cuignet said the doc
ument also referred to the campaign in
favor Of Dreyfus and to orders sent to
Brussels, the headquarters of the espion-
age system.
M. Demange-The paper handed In by
Gen. MERCER is therefore only an ex-
tract.
The witness next gave. his idea as to
how Dreyfus might have secured plans
of the fortresses. But counsel pointed to
Patty de CLAIMS report at the time Of the
arrest Of Dreyfus, in which he declared
that no document had disappeared or
could have disappeared from the minis
try Of war
When Dreyfus was asked if he wished
to reply to this witness he declared he
had never asked Maj. Cuignet for docu-
ments except by the desire of his chief.
Maj Berth.
''All the details which Maj Cuignet has
given on this subject" said the prisoner,
"sprang out of his own Imagination and
are due to the same state of mind which
prompts unreasoning bitterness even
against an innocent man"
Amid buzz of excitement, the name of
Maj. du Patty de Clam was called out
Whereupon Maj. Carrere said Patty de
Clam had been officially informed that his
presence was necessary to the court
martial, and now supposed he would be
able to come as soon as possible, but the
government commissary had heard moth
ing from him since this notification was
sent.
AT the request of NJ. Demange it was
decided to notify Patty de Clam that the
court-martial was ready to hear his de-
position.
BOISDEFFRE CALLED.
There was further thrill of curiosity
when Gen. de BOisdeffre former chief
of the general staff of the French army.
advanced to the witness box and took
the customary oath to tell the truth
The general remarked that in view of the
exhaustive evidence already given he
would try to be brief He hurriedlv re-
viewed the leakage in the ministry Of
war, the discovery of the bordereau. the
arrest and trial of Dreyfus and the lat
ter's alleged confessions before the cere-
mony of degradation to Capt Lebrun-
Rcnault. Witness said he believed the
confessions were genuine. He next re-
ferred to Col. Picquarts appearance in
the intelligence department, although the
witness had hesitated to appoint him be-
cause he thought Picquart too self-con-
fident and not sufficiently deferential to-
ward his chiefs.
1T has been said" continued Gen. de
Boisdeffre, that a secret package of
papers was shown the judges of the
cOurt-martial Of 1894 l positively assert
that, so far as I am concerned, I never
ordered Col. PIcquart to convey any en-
velope to Col. Maurel ( may add that
Col. Picquart never doubted the guilt
Of Dreyfus and never even expressed
doubts of his guilt when he took over
the duties of chief Of the intelligence de-
partment. The first instructions 1 gave
him were to follow up the Dreyfus af-
fair, and it is well known what was
the issue of these instructions"
The general next described the inter
view between himself and Col. Picquart
when the latter first mentioned Ester
haZy, however. without connecting him
with the Dreyfus affair Witness dis
credited Col. Picquart's statement that
the latter asked him (witness) not to
mention the investigation to Gen. Come
Gen. Gonze' said Boisdeffre. lis a
friend Of three years standing. I have
always had the greatest. confidence in
him, and should certainly not have en-
tered a request to leave him in ignor-
ance of what was occurring
Gen. de Boisdeffre, whose evidence was
attentively followed, especially by the
members OF the court-martial, then reIa-
ted the contents of his inte--INus with
Pfcquart, how he sent SScduart to see
Gen, Come and Gen. Gonze,'s subse-
quent letter to the witness advising a
continuance of the Investigations regard
ing Esterhazy, but adding that the affair
must not be mixed up with the Drevfus
affair. AS Col. Picquart insisted in trv-
ing to hurry matters and was neglectine
his other duties the witness proposed to
the minister of war to send him, not in
disgrace, on a mission to the Tonking
but the minister of war, the general as
serted, found this mission Everything
the general added, went quietly for
year. until NJ. Schurer- Kestner inter
vened This was followed by the de-
nunciatiOn of Esterhazy by Matthew
Dreyfus and the inquiry into Esterhazy's
proceedings.
AT that time" the witness said. st
was convinced of the guilt of Drevfus.
and this conviction is as strong today
as ever" (Sensation)
81 regard it as an abominable crime
continued the general. ito have endeav-