Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-19
DREYFUS A VICTIM
How He Suffered Through the
Vi||ainy Of Others
P|CQUART'S PLAIN TALK
His Discovery Of Prisoners Innocence
After the Conviction.
SUPPRESSION OF THE TRUTH.
Chief of Intelligence Department
Wa, Forbidden by His SuperiOrs To
Tell Whnt He Knew-His Testi-
mony Makes N Deep Impression.
SUPPRESSION OF THE TRUTH

Copyright 1899, by the Associated Press)
RENNES, August 1S.-A severe blow TO
the military set ii was when the Schnei-
der dispatch was made known at O'Clock
this morning in the refectories and the
hotels. 1t was source Of jubilation on
the other side.
General MERCER had greatly emphasized
its importance when giving his evidence.
His manner was victorious as he handed
the alleged letter of Colonel Schneider 10
the president of the court-martial, 10 be
added TO and filed with the other papers
connected with the trial. These generals
at Rennes have no standing counsel TO
advise them; they show forensic ability
in making speeches when they ought TO
give evidence, but they lack prudence and
legal practice.
Any advocate would have felt how
risky it was to dwell on such a document
as an intercepted letter frcm military
attache, especially in view of the forge
ries with which the secret dossier teem-
ed. After all that had transpired about
the letters of military attaches to each
, other in 1894, the attaches, in self-defence,
were bound to discredit everything in
the secret dosser. These letters were
supported by police reports. Were they
published, the world would read them
| aghast AS at least ~ persons in all
must have seen them, the authors. real
or alleged, would find themselves on the
defensive.
MERCER LAUGHED AT.
But these consideration never present.
edw themselves TO General Mercier's
mind. That he believed in the authen-
ITCHY of his document, and pinned his
faith to it, is now laughed at every
! where. His best friends call him a
donkey, and his enemies rejoice.
Colonel Panizzardi trumps Colonel
Schneider's denial of his alleged letter
by writing and branding as forgery the
report that General Roget said
ne PanizzardD wrote TO the late Signor
Rossman the Italian Ambassador, re-
garding the relations Of Colonel SchwarZ-
kOppen with Dreyfus.
The Austrian and Italian embassies at
test the genuineness Of the Schneider and
PanizZardi denials.
MERCER feels that he has thrown the
fat into the fire, and he looked depressed
and out of countenance to-day. SO did
Roget who is a stronger man, notwith-
standing the tears he shed at the close Of
| his deposition yesterday.
PICQUART'S APPEARANCE.
Colonel Piccuart was again a witness.
| He was allowed to sit in an armchair,
| with which the generals had been sue
cessively accommodated. Plcquart's hg-
ure is younger than his face. He is clean
built 1.-the. tall, graceful. He remains
| the guardian angel of Dreyfus. standing
between him and the implacable enemies
who sit on the front seat of the witness
| es' quarters.
The Dreyfusites greatly fear for Pic
| quarts life. The stalwarts among them
now guard him. He looks a man with an
unproptious star. and he has always been
unlucky. unless in having that peace OF
| soul that passeth understanding.
EMILY CRAWFORD. -