The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-20

nemorandum In which asked Tor sup
(! nlementary grant, and 100000 francs weI'
siven me When the 100000 francs was
raceived General Billot made another u.s.
trihution. $500 ur,,h +he
balance remaining I was responsible lo'
thn whole service. In any case, no extra
ordinary expenditure was made In eonhss
tion with the Esterhazy inquiry. Tnsre
could not be an inquiry costing less.
4 T"In ! note sent to the minister OF justice
/ q, 1905 II was set forth that I employed
/ az official agents the private detectives oil
/ tbe ,nouiry bureau. / only employed
3 sSnele official agent. What led to the be-
! lief tha. employed private agencies was
| the fact that this agent styled MIN SER
/ business agent In one OF his cards IN
cluded in the dossier OF the Esternazy al
fair"
/ When picquart had finished speaking,
General Billot Jumped up and asked leave
to speak.
( "Picquarti the general called sharply
I To the officer who had Just left the stand,
! will YOU come back?" (Sensstion.)
/ "Certainly." replied Captain Picquart.
/ General Billot then said II am very
pleased that Colonel Picquart has raised
the question OF secret funds which had
already brought before the court of cas-
sation The secret funds are secret funcs'
and | should If I respected the purpose
| for which they are assigned, say nothing
about them | will endeavor to say moth
ing which should remain secret.
THE secret funds are placed at the dis
position of the minister of war for sal vice
in the state, and the ministry has only 10
account for them 90 the president of the
republic. The president controls and slves
his discharge for the secret funds.
Colonel Picquart received from the
chief of the general staff the funds as
signed to his department. He believed he
could dispose of them as he liked, but this
the minister decides with regard to the re-
qurements Of the services and distributes
with the approval of the president these
secret funds at his disposal distributed
these funds as they have been distributed
for thirty years, before my advent to pow
err. by all ministers of war The sum OF
$4,000 francs monthly was allowed by the
chief of the general staff of the intelligence
department When the credit of 100000
francs was asked for 1t was the service
OF the general staff and not for the intelli-
gence department as Colonel Picouart
believes 1t was asked for on the report
Of General De Boisdeffre. then chief OF the
general staff, and not on the report of
Colonel Picquart. for the general service of
the secret war funds.
These funds We're expended, as Colonel
picouart stated 5000 francs by myself, and
as General Roget said, 20,00 francs in 1896
and 20, 900 francs in 1897 by General Gonse.
The remain6Ar was placed at the disposal
of myself and NJ. Defreycinet, who had
this sum liQudated by President rLoubet.
will not say another word, but l must
deal with the perldious insinuation made
to the court of cessation which is now
calculated to deal Slow to the delicacy,
fidelity and honor of the minister of
war"
This statement caused applause in the
rear of the court, but Colonel Jouaust cut
the demonstration short by announcing the
adjournment of the c2sst till Monday.