Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-30


NJ. De Freycinet, the former minis
ter of war, FORMER minister of foreign
affairs and premier, followed Col. Cor
der on the witness stand. The
COURTROOM WAS PACKED
to its utmost capacity, as the distin-
guished Frenchman began his deposit
ton. 1t was evident the public was
anxious to see the former minister ct
the witness bar. He was venerable
looking man, with scanty, snow-white
hair and moustache, and was dressed
in blue serge suit He wore little
black bow for arecktie, and gave his
testimony seated, and in low voice.
This witness was expected to speak
about the 35,000,000 francs supposed to
have been contributed abroad, mainly
in England and Germany, to the Drey-
fusian war chest.
M De Freycinet, began by express
ing the pain which he experienced at
the troubles his country was under
going. Later, he said he remembered
a conversation with Gen. lamont, at
which there was a reference to money
coming from abroad in support of the
Dreyfus agitation, (which, while dis
interested in France, might not be so
abroad" M. De Freycinet, however,
did not remember the details of the
conversation, nor could he say if any
specific amount was mentioned. He
then alluded to his fears that cat
tacks on the chiefs of the army might
be prejudicial to discipline" adding:
Might not these attacks lead to the
disappearance of discipline, and what
then would be the result if we found
ourselves in difficulties with a foreign
country?" In short, M. De Freycinet
delivered patriotic speech, rather than
deposition, concluding with the
words: "All the world will accept
your verdict, which will open an era
of reconciliation"
The members of the court-martial
treated M. De Freycinet with the great
est Difference. The president of the
court, Col. Jouaust, declined to put to
the witness some questions from Mai
tire Labor, on the ground that they
had no bearing on the case. One of
these questions referred to M. De Frey
cinet's personal opinion on M. Scheur-
er-Kestner the former vice president
of the Senate, who has interested him
self strongly
IN BEHALF OF DREYFUS.
Although the colonel refused to put the
question, the witness replied that M.
Standardization was his friend and
that he had high opinion of his char
acter. M. De Freycinet was then con-
Quoted to the witness seats, where he
sat for a few minutes beside Gen. Bill
lot, chatting with that officer. He left
the court later.
The testimony of two minor witness
es concluded the days proceedings.
In telling how the bordereau reach
ed the war Office Col Cordier explained
the ordinary channel by which in
formation reached that Office. "The or
binary channel the witness said, was
a very clever spy attached to the in
to1l;ronoa Iono uvh0 had tho
habit of visiting great houses, but who
preferred the company Of servants to
the company of their masters" Cor
der then described the method of piec
ing documents and showed how the
bordereau was pasted together by Hen
ry, who was usually entrusted with
such work. The witness said piecing
documents possessed fascination for
the men who were engaged upon such
work, like the passion of fortune-tell-
ing by cards." Men who have once
pieced paper" said the witness, amidst
laughter, will always continue to do
So"
Referring to the spy who has been
DUBBED as the ordinary channel" Col.
Cordier said the former did not direct
ly receive the documents from the en-
bassy from which they were extracted.
A woman, he explained, served as an
intermediary, and the ordinary chan
nell having been closed, it was found
necessary to negotiate directly with
the intermediary, otherwise the wom-
an, with whom rendezvous were usual
ly
MADE IN CHURCHES.
But. as the ordinary channels" SER
vices were still available elsewhere, his
pay was continued. Possibly, contin-
ued the witness, the spy endeavored to
continue 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, Col. Cor
der said he ascertained it was occur
ring at Bourges. The witness recalled
how information of the leakage of 1894
was received, primarily. The name
mentioned was that of ent1aman