The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-29

i abroad In support Of the Dreyfas agita-
/ tion, (which while disfnterested In
France, might not be is 50 abroad; az ,ot :.
! member the details Of the conversation
/ nor could he say If any amount was men
/ toned.
that attacks on the chiefs of the army
i might be prejudicial to discipline, add
might not these attacks lead to- the
disappearance of discipline. and what
| then would be the result If we found our
selves in difficulties with foreign couh-
In short, M. de Freycinct delivered a
| patriotic speech, rather than deposltloh
/ concluding with the words
| ALI the world will accept your VeIoic.. !, !.
which will open an era of reconclnatioil,
| The members of the court martial treat
ed NJ de Freyeinet with the greatest o.
The President of the Court Colonel
/ Jouaust, declined to put to the wines ,nS
some questions from Maitre Labor, ie;ra, A.
| ing counsel for the defense, on ~
| ground that they had no direct bearing on
One Of the questions referred to NJ q de
| Freycinet's personal opinion on NJ.
/ Scheurer- Kosfner, the former Vice-Presis
| dent of the Senate. who has interests
himself strongly in behalf OF DreyIus. A., A.
| though the Colonel refused to put sMe 81
question the witness replied that "a.
| Scheurer-N1estne was his friend ana that
| he had high opinion Of his character,
| NJ. de- E'rRycfDet was tnen cu}tlu ~
the witness seats, where he sat Tor a lew lew
minutes beside General Billot, chatting
with that officer. He left the court.
The testimony Of two MINOR WITNESSES
concluded the days proceeuangs.
Following are the proceedings IN delall.
The appearance Of Colonel Cordier, for
merly Deputy Chief Of uhe - slntelligen1,ee ace
| first witness at the Dreyfus court marital
TODAY. aroused great interest. as, since his
previous appearance. the Colonel III has
from his oath Of professional secrecy.
Speaking in firm audible tones, tne Sot- Sp-
onel testified that September 23 1874, ne
left Paris on a fortnigiht's leave of abb
{ sence and that nothing was then known
in the Statistical Department OF the war
Office OF the discovery of treason
Continuing Colonel Cordier said tnat
the day after ne returned to Paris, Col
onel Sandherr, who appeared greatly dls-
tressed handed the witness a copy OF the
bordereau on foolscap paper. Sandhefr
and Cordier animatedly discussed the bor-
dereau, Sandherr considering it ample
evidence of treason. The document was
photographed and an Investigation was
opened, resulting in suspicious against
Dreyfus being aroused. Prior to this
there was no presumption of Dreyfus
guilt 1t was October 5 that the sus-
picions of the prisoners guilt became
Witness said he believed the bordereau
arrived at the War Office after September
"a He could not say who received IT.
Very few officers We're then aware Inal
treason had been committed. Witness
thought it necessary to enter into these
particulars in reply to the statements OF
his assistant, Major Lauth, before me
Court of Cessation
AT this point, Major Lauth in the CEN
ire OF the Court, exclaimed
Il beg leave to speak, my Colonel
fSensation.)
proceeding with his testimony, Colonel
Cordier said he believed the bordereau
was handed to Colonel Sandherr by Colo
mel Henry.
Cordier then explained what was the
Ordinary chanel by which information
reached the aWr Office.
The ordinary chanel" the witness
said, was very clever spy, attached 20
the Intelligence Department, who had the
habit of visiting great houses but VINO
preferred the company of servants to the
company of their masters.
Cordier then described the method OF
piecing documents and showed how the
bordereau was pasted together by Henry.
who was usually entrusted with this
work
sessed fascination for the men who were
engaged upon such work. like the pas
sion of fortune-telling by cards.
Men who have once pieced paper,
said the witness amidst laughter 'swill
always continue to do So.
Referring to the spy who has been
dubbed as the "ordinary chanel Colonel
Corder said the former did not directly
receive the documents from the Embassy
from which they were distracted A
woman, he explained, served as an inter.
having been closed it was found neces-
sary to negotiate directly with the in
termediary, otherwise the woman, with
whom rendezvous were usually made in
churches, but as the Ordinary channels"
services were still available elsewhere
his pay continued.
Possibly, continued the witness, the spy
endeavored to renew his relation with the
Embassy.
Such was the situation at the moment
of the reception of the bordereau.
Dealing with the leakage discovered by
the military authorities, Colonel Cordier
said he ascertained itw as occurring at
Bourges.
artificer named Thomas was sentenced
for treason in 189 The foreign cores
pondents Of Thomas did not notice his
arrest. and consequently, letter ad-
dressed to Thomas was intercepted and
a reply was sent This letter asked for
plans on a shell. The Headquarters Staff
obtained the plans ana Tan1 Th linen them TO 70
Piled thanking Thomas, and enclosing
bank notes. which were credited to the
funds of the Headquarters Stan
Whatever has been said the contrary,
witness maintained that the leakage. at
Bourges could not be ascrihed to Drevfus.
This also was the opinton of oClonel Sand
herr who frequently had recourse TO the
witnesses intimate knowledge Of this
question in the futile efforts to discover
evidence against Drevfiis.
Cordier whose evidence greatly inter-
ested his hearers. described the various
lsakages.. He especially referred to a
verv Serious case designated as 'leakage
of ST. Thomas Aquinas," in which clerk
of the Church of St. Thomas Aquinas.
Paris was mixed up In espionage, and
a serious leakage in the Ministry OF
The witness recalled how information
of fine leakage of 1894 was received
primarily. The name mentioned was that
and decorated, who used to convey docu-
ments to the Embassy which the wit
ness described as a house with large
garden.
Colonel Gordier emphasized the fact
that the above personal description did
not hear the slightest resemblance to
Dreyfus but resembled much more close
mentioned and who could no longer be
prosecuted or convicted.
The witness then referred TO the spy
Guenee's denunciations to the effect that
officers Of the HEADQUARTERS Staff were
guilty Of treachsry But the Colonel ex-
plained it was very difficult to accept
Guenee's statement as gospel.
Witness regretted Guenee's death, as,
he said, the Court would have been edi-
fed by his testimony in regard to- the
manner in which many things were fabri-
Gated
Referring next to what he styled the
huge undertaking Of Richard Cuers La
joux and Company" the Colonel declared
the object was nothing less than recruit
French Government. He said the organi-
zation would have been of the greatest
utility in the event of war and said re-
grets were frequent during the aaat war