Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-15

ihoAs, odlu uc Qiu HOt uSStIS 10 reply u
certain of Gen. Mercier's insinuations.
Il do not wish to answer them" said
the former president. The circum-
stances are too sad and too tragic for
me to desire 10 enyenom the discussion.
| am master of myself and of my con-
science. | would only state that Gen.
MERCER has made every effort to mix
me as deeply as possible in this affair.
But have remained aloft, l affirm DUR
ing the progress of the investigation. =
The former president then complained
of the incorrect behavior of his subor-
dinate toward the chief of the State.
As an instance" said NJ Casimir-
Perier, Gen. MERCER undertook TO
shorten the term of service of so 1000
men without consolidating the chief of
the State, thus lacking in the respect
he owed to the chief of the State. -
M. CasimirPerier next protested
against the assertions made by Gen.
MERCER in regard to the role adopted
by the chief of the State in this affair,
whereupon the general interjected that
he had spoken of the attitude assumed
by NJ. Casimir-P erier because he had
sworn to tell the whole truth.
NJ. Demange asked Gen. Mercier il
he had explained to the cabinet how he
reconciled the relations of cause and
effect and the patriotic emotion aroused
by the treason with the communication
of the secret documents to the court
martial.
The general repeated his statement
of Saturday as his hypothesis of the
situation.
NJ. Demange asked NJ. Casimir-Pe-
rier if, on the sixth, an understanding
had not been reached between France
and Germany on the subject of Drey-
fus.
NJ. Casimir-Perier replied that before
his interview with the minister on the
sixth the question of Dreyfus had never
been raised between them and Ger
many.
NJ. Demange asked Gen. MERCER why
he had not included in the dosier Of
1894 the doubtful translation Of the tel
egram of agent 'B'' to his government,
under the date of November 2.
In reply Gen. MERCER said not one
of the translations of the telegram
was communicated to the judges be-
cause there still existed doubts in his
mind. NJ Demange remarked that the
text was communicated to Sandherr
as official. and therefore doubts were
IMPOSSIBLE.
NJ Demange then asked that NJ.
Paleologue, Of the foreign Office, be re-
called in order to state that only sim
gle version Of the telegram was given
him, as he understood Gen. Mercier's
uncertainty was aroused by the receipt
of a semi-official draft of the telegram.
At this point Major Carriere, the
representative Of the government. ask
ed that it be clearly shown that two
versions of the telegram were given,
one official, and the one semi-official.
VI. Demange said that in commune
eating the Official text November 2,
Sandherr emphasized its official char
acter
Counsel next asked Gen. MERCER
why the explanations of the secret
dossier were not inclued in the dossier
relating to the revision.
The General replied that he consider
ed these explanations were given for
his personal use and that was why he
destroyed the document. At this NJ.
Demange expressed a sense of aston
ishment and asked Gen. MERCER if he
did not have reasons for suppressing
the document
The witness repudiated the sugges-
ton
Dreyfus. at this point, rose from his
seat and asked leave to explain in re-
gard to the assertion that he had
traced on a card the itinerary Of a GER
tain journey of the general staff. Both
the itinerary and journey, he asserted,
were purely fictitious.
NJ. Casimir-Perier then said he desir-
ed to reiterate that he had never prom
Used anything to Drevfus. adding that
it was with NJ Rousseau
alone that he had spoken in regard 10
the condemned man. Therefore, VI.
Casimir-Perier reiterated his protests
at the letters Of Dreyfus referring to
NEGOTIATIONS.
This caused NJ Demange TO explain
how Dreyfus came to say NJ Casimir-
Perier had promised him a public trial.
After NJ. Demange had asked NJ. Wal
Rousseau to intervene with NJ
Casimir-Perier (then president Of
France) to obtain publicity. NJ. Wal
deck Rousseau reported that the pres
ident appeared favorable to the sug-
gestion, and counsel therefore thought
he might Communicate the fact TO Drey-
fus.
NJ. Demange added that it must be re-
membered Dreyfus wrote the letter 4
years after the occurrence, and his re-
collection of the facts naturally lacked
precision. NJ. Demange expressed re-
greet at the fact that the latter had
been published, and apologized TO NJ.
Casimir-P erier, who thanked Counsel
for his expression of regret and explana-
ton.
General Billot. former minister OF
war, was the next witness. He was in
uniform, sat with crossed legs and gave
his evidence in a conversational man
ner He said he would be seyenty-one
years of age tomorrow. Like every
body else, he added, he had some know
ledge of the Dreyfus affair before TAX
ing the war portfolio. While feeling
deeply on the subject he remained aloof
from the matter until he returned TO
the cabinet In the early days Of his
ministry, the witness continued, 81.
Scheurer- Kestner, IA former vice-pres-
ident Of the senate) asked him whether
he ought not to investigate the Dreyfus
affair II. Scheurer-Kestner, the gener-
al pointed out, had made similar repre-
sensations to NJ De Freycinet and got
the same reply from both, that neither
of them were very cOnYerSant with the