The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-08-31
CORDIER SPEAKS OUT
The Colonel Testifles Strongly
In Favor Of Dreyfus.
BOTH SIDES ELATED At INTERVALS,
Cordier Tells why the Prisoner
Couldn't Have written the
Bordcrcau-Dc Freycinet
on the stand.

BOrdcrcau-Dc Freycinet
ON the stand.
RENNES, Aug. 3O.-Neither side was |
pleased with the outcome of yesterdays |
proceedings before the court martial that |
is trying Captain Dreyfus. The Drey-
fusards expected that Colonel Cordier, |
who was deputy chief of the intelligence
department under the late Lieutenant
Colonel Henry, would testify that the
bordcreau was received directly by the
late Colonel Sapdherr. Had this ex-
pectation been realized, the testimony
would have been strong point in favor
of the accused, because it would have
been a reply to the anti-Dreyfusards.
who have all along contended that Henry
received the bordereau and forwarded 1t
to Sandherr, n thing he would not have
done had the bordereau been, as the
Dreyfusards assert, written by his ac-
compice Esterhazy; for, in that event.
Henry would have recognized the hand
writing when he received the bordcreau
from the German embassy and would
have suppressed it, instead of forward
ing it to Sandherr.
Colonel Cordier, however, testified
that he was absent from the intelligence
department when the bordercau arrived,
but that he believed it was received by
Henry. Naturally this statement elated
the anti-Dreyfusards. but the Dreyfus-
ards had good reason to congratulate
themselves upon the remainder of Cor
dier's testimony, ds it was wholly III
favor of Dreyfus. On the other hand,
the procession of generals and officers of
the general staff who demanded an op-
portunity to confront Colonel Cordier
was good piece of tactics from the point
of view of the anti-Dreyfusards, be-
cause all the points they contested were
not of the first Importance. yet their very
appearance on the stage and their con
tradictons of some of Cordier's state
ments left a disagrccable impression.
Colonel Cordicr gave an interesting ac-
count of the workings of the intelligence
bureau of the French war office. The
staff, he said, lived for eight years III
peace and mutual confidence till Colonel
Henry came. 1t was believed that Henry
was General Miribel's spy. From that
time there was eavesdropping and sus-
picion Colonel Henry's forgery the wit
ness declared, had for its sole object the
ruin of Colonel Picquart, whom Henry
was trying to supplant.
Cordier fixed the date of the bordereau
at Sept. 24 to 20, 1894 1t was not in
the office the witness said, when he left
Tor q nOndhy Oh Sepl' --' Noio"V, ''""H
herr told him. on his return on Oct. 8,
that they had fixed upon Dreyfus as the
traitor. The witness believed until after
Dreyfus was condemned that he was
guilty. His reason for this belief was
not so much his personal knowledge of
the evidence but the unanimity of the
judges and those who prepared the case.
1t became evident, however, that Drey-
fus could not have furnished some of the
items of the bordcreau, and 1t was as
covered that there were other leaks IN
the war Office, which continued after
Dreyfus was transported.
The appearance OF General MERCER 10
question Colonel Cordier came as sur.
prise to many in the audience, VINO mao
supposed that after last Saturdays scene
when Mercier was confronted with Cap
tain Freystaetter he would remain quiet
But MERCER is game to the death. bis
action is interpreted as intended to sho"
that he is not going to throw up int
sponge. The part he played IN 1851 iay'
him open 10 arrest ana tlis Is eon',"n ~
topic of discussion IN the caies anu I"
other meeting places in Rennes. 1her'
appears however, to be an excellent fea
son why the government VIII not TAX
any such serious step until the triai II
over. Colonel Jouaust, president Oh 'h'
court martial, could adjourn the triai III
definitely II Mercier, who Is an Emporium
witness, were arrested. If the triai wer'
adjourned for more than 4o hours'
have to be gone over again lroh 'he oe
ginning
The atten lance was 'he iarSes. s,ne
the opening OF the triai' HNeisDous wa
on the qui vive 10 near ,ht tee'in'oHy n E,o'
NJ Charles Louis de Saulses ue Frey
cinet' senator, lori'er ned;rs t,s" and forme
minister of foreign aitalrs anu ioriie
minister of war. inns aarol. po,i',u"l pi,,;aI
the white mouse OF frehch pon.iI'
sat upon the fence as. wen as he Iou', Uun,
His expression iear INA, tho 'ne aisciniiH
fus agitation would ihJure 'he ui'',pn,' nnn,
of the army greatly annoyed the Ore.