The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-17


man and loyal soldier. 1t is fright
full thing. Frightful Frightful.'
The audience, profoundly stirred, be-
gan to applaud, but the applause was
quickly suppressed NJ. Demange then
announced he would question Roget to-
morrow.
Evidence in Detail.
The following is the evidence in de
tall
Ex-Minister of Justice Guerin. the
first witness. said he knew absolutely
nothing of the facts in the case, but
could repeat the surrounding circum
stances which he had already related
to the court Of cessation, if the court
martial desired. Colonel Jousaust hav-
ing explained to the witness that the
court martial had no cognizanCe of the
previous proceedings. NJ. Guerin pro-
ceeded to repeat his evidence as given
before the court of cessation, saying
at the end of October. after cabinet
council. the premier invited him to his
room. where General Mercer joined
them, and explained that for some time
past documents had been missing from
the headquarters staff and in conse-
quence of inquiry made. suspicion at
tached to Dreyfus. General MERCER,
the witness continued. added that he
was convinced Drpyfus was the culprit.
He said he founded his conviction on
three facts:
| First--The bordereau, the author of
| which was undscoverable until Colonel
! Fabre, on returning from The man
oeuvrrs Immediately after he saw the
+ document, replied:
why. it is Dreyfus' handwriting.
! Secondly-The nature of the dCcu-
ment enumerated in the bordereau in
| conjunction with Dreyfus employment
! in different departments proved con-
clusively. according to General MERCER,
that Dreyfus alone had cognizance of
| all these papers and he alone could
have disclosed them.
Thirdly-The dictation test and Drey-
! fus perturbra ton at the time
General MERCER. NJ. Guerin then said.
| in consequences of these convictions,
| declared his intention to ask the cabi-
ne. to authorize the prosecution of
| Dreyfus.
A special cabinet met Nov. IA, 1894.
| to consider the matter. The witness
! forgot whether NJ. Casimir-Perier or NJ,
! Dupuy presided.
General MERCER handed the cabinet
nothing but the bordereau. After the
minister of war had related his rea-
sons for his suspicious. the cabinet
unanimously authorized the prose 'uti"n
Of Dreyfus.
| No Confession.
NJ. Hanotaux alone made some resar-
on the place where the document was
found, but it was agreed in the event
. of court martialing Dreyfus, measures
should be taken to prevent the men
tion of any power. From that day on
the witness had learned of the case
personally. as it was in the hands of
the military authorities. NJ. Guerin At
that time had never heard of the secret
dosser and nonp was ever "0mmunl-
Gated to the cabinet. He only learned
of the existence Of the alleged secret
documents during the Zola trial and
only learned of the alleged confession
of Dreyfus to Captain Lebrun -Renault
from the newspapers. General Mercter
never mentioned the confession to the
cabinet.
Colonel Jousaust then questioned the
witness. saying:
M Colbert an expert. has declared
you summoned him to your office TO
give you information about the Drey-
fus affair Do you remember the oC-
currence? Did he not say, on entering,
pointing to the clock, Monsieur lie min
istre de justice. l fear lest at this hour
a grave mistake is being committed.
Is it not a fact that you did not reply.
but when NJ Colbert was leaving, rec
commended him to observe extreme eau
ton as the government was deslrous
Of keeping the treason secret, dreadlng
particularly indscretions on the part
of the press and above ALL upon the
part of the Libre Parole as the sus-
pected officer was a Jew?
NJ. Guerin replied:
'J cannot affirm whether or not | re-
ceived NJ. Colbert but what | can af-
firm is that if he came, | did not en-
ploy the language mentioned and l
made none Of the statements he at
tributes to me.
NJ Lebon, former minister of the colo
nies. was then summoned to testify re-
garding his treatment of the prisoner
He said that when the cabinet was
asked to intervene in favor of REVISION
: he thought the executive should not IN
5 terfere with the judiciary and his re-
: spect for the chosen judge was
strengthened by personal opinion or the
! culpability of the condemned.
"On my soul and conscience. de
clared NJ. Lebon, dramatically, Il say
I regard the measures I took relative
to the prisoner on the Isle dn blapit
as warranted. and if | had to repeat
, them l would not hesitate.
. Orders to shoot.
NJ. Lebon then explained the reason;
for the rigorous measures against DreS'
fus. He said a certain telegram sem
; to French Guiana had disappeared. u
was traced out of France, but imme
diately it reached the English lines 4
disappeared, showing, the witness salu
, that efforts were being made to enable
, the prisoner to evade the regulations
Rigorous. even painful, measures were
therefore taken to prevent his escape
NJ. Lebon therefore issued orders that
. if necessary, the prisoner was TO b'
fred upon. (Sensation) Continuing
, NJ. Lebon said he also issued orders
> that only copies of the letters addressed
a to the prisoner should be delivered u
him. the originals being retained.
,nrit
, that an American vessel passed the ISL
, de Salut and orders We're then ISSUED
, that Dreyfus was to be shot on tn
r slightest alarm. Referring to the Wey
Ter forgery, which was intended to con
vey the impression that Dreyfus wa
: in communication with outside sympa
thiZers, NJ. I[ebon said he frankly ad
2 nitted that he believed in its authen
, ticity, as did Colonel Picquart, unit
E long after its production. NJ. Lebol
= next referred to the numerous rougi
drafts the prisoner made of his letter.