The record-union., 1899-09-03

Gonse-There was nothing to prove
to me that the bordereau was written
by Esterhazy.
M. Labori-Will General Gonse repeat
what Colonel Picquart told him con-
corning the conclusions of M. Bertillon?
General Gonse-I was not acquainted
| with NJ. BertillOn'S conclusions, but
| Picquart seems to exaggerate them.
At M Labori's request, Colonel Pic
quart was recalled and said: I'm a
| brief letter which l wrote General
Gonse in regard to M. Bertillon's con-
clusions, l only referred to part of his
observations and the best proof that
did not wish to exaggerate was the fact
| that I asked that General Gonse order
supplementary inquiry
| Colonel Jouaust-In what form did M.
Bertillon communicate the result of his
examination?
/ Colonel Picquart-Verbally, on two
occasions. AS regards General Gonse' S
letters, l handed them to a lawyer
when 1 understood that 1 was the OBJ
! ject Of abominable intrigues, and when
L received from my former subordinate,
Henry, While in Tunis, a threatening
letter which had been forwarded with
the assent of Generals Gonse and De
| Boisdeffre. If this letter was publish
ed [ cannot be held responsible for it.
| General Gonse maintained that the
Henry letter was written without his
assent, and in reply to an insolent let
ter from Picquart The latter Gonse
said, saw Vaccinations everywhere.
He alleged that he was sent to Tunis
to be killed. The court could draw its
own conclusions.
Colonel Picquart remarked that he
brought the secret doSSier to General
| GonSe simultaneously with the border
eau, and that the General consequently
was in a position to. judge of the prob
abilities of the innocenN of Dreyfus.
M. Labori asked if General Gonse
knew of the plot Matched against Pic
quart, and if he knew that letters ad-
dressed to Picquart at Tunis were
opened at the War Office. and the GEN
eral admitted that a letter was open
ed in the Intelligence Department in
! November. He added that suspicious
letters were also handed to him by
Lieutenant Colonel Henry, so that he,
the witness, might report to the Min
User of War on them.
Labori i To whom was the letter ad-
dressed?
General Gonse-I do not know. No
doubt to the chief of some department.
| Picquart-It was addressed to me
personally.
M. Labori-Does General Gonse know
that the words in the letter in ques-
| ton were used for the purpose of fab
ricating a telegram intended to destroy
the value of the petit bleu?
! General Gonse admitted that the ex-
pressions seemed to him suspicious. If
the letters were seized it was because
they We're addressed to Picquart as head
of the department, and it was thought
they might relate to official matters.
He added that Picquart's letters were
| only opened when they looked suspic
ious.
Colonel Picquart retorted that it was
curious his opened letters afterward
reached him without a sign of having
been tampered with
Counsel then questioned General
Gonse relative to the opening of the
| SperanZa letter, and the General re-
piled that this letter was not addressed
to Picquart, but bore a curious ad-
dress.
| M. Labori-Why did General Pellieux
ascribe the letter to Picquart, whom
| he had never seen?
General Gonse-I do not know.
| NJ Labori pointed out that the first
| letter, which was genuine, was for
. warded to Colonel Picquart after hav-