The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-24
ESTERHAZY WROTE IT.
His Confession Published by the /
Figaro.

Paris, April 24-The Figaro, continu-
ing it's publication of testimony offered
before the court of cessation in the
Dreyfus revision inquiry, gives today
the deposition of Gen. Billot, recently
minister of war. Gen. BillOt denied alb
solutely any knowledge that Esterhazy
had rendered services to the general
staff had had interviews with star
officers. He declared that the ALLEGATION
of sc, 900 francs to Esterhazy would have
been impossible because of the restricted
resources of the intelligence bureau.
He admitted that he had recommend
ed Col. Picquart's prudence in the inves-
LEGATIONS aiming to incriminate Ester
hazy and had refused to authorize Gen.
de BOisdeffre to send PicQuart to Ton
quin. He told of the latter's endeavors
to entrap ESterhaZy by inviting him to
write a letter, adding that he (BilloD
opposed this plan.
Finally, Col. Picquart seized one OF
Esterhazys letters while in the post,
and on representation by Gen. Come
of the danger of such seizures, he CBil-
1oD decided to send Picquart into exile
The witness repudiated, however, any
idea of sending him on perilous mis-
sion.
Cen BilIot denied ever having said
that Dreyfus ought to be ASA SSinated.
In concluding his evidence he main
tanned the seriousness of Col. Picquart's
conduct.
Mr.. Strong, Paris correspondent of the
London Observer, gave an account OF
his transactions with Esterhazy. When
he first interviewed him last October,
Esterhazy asserted that the general
staff possessed 153 papers proving thaS
DreyfuS was guilty. On ESterhazyS
quitting prison Mr.. Strong visited him
and found him in a high state of excite
ment. He exclaimed: q will tell you
all. You will ruin Patty du Clam and
all those who have abandoned me-"
This ESterhaZy repeated many times.
On another occasion, according to Mr.
Strong, he said: Undoubtedly Dreyfus
- e-%- fVxGa Cd
him shamefully." Mr.. Strong told the
court he thought this might refer to
orders given Esterhazy to fabricate the
bordereau.
opinion that Esterhazy was perhaps
neither a traitor nor bandit, but had
certainly written the bOrdereau, Mr..
Strong described how ESterhaZy had in
Vited him to make a sensation in for
eign newspaper by announcing that he
GIsterhazy) had written the bordereau
at the order of Col. Sandherr, because
the general staff, though possessing
moral proofs, lacked material evidence
of the guilt of DreyfuS.
81 wrote it," said Esterhazy, with
out Disgusting my hand. MERCER had
instructed the court martial to condemn
Dreyfus, but. warned by Henry that
matters would not go as he desired.
MERCER Ghen minister of war; decided
to show the judges the canallIe de p
document, which determined their
Judgment.
Mr.. Strong deposed that at this inter-
view Esterhazy talked of suicide. The
witness then related Esterhazy's at
tempts to sell his confession for $500
sterling. Esterhazy explained to him
that the actual bordereau, which he
wrote on both sides of the paper, was
not shown to the court martial, but
only a transfer copy, imperfectly' made
as regards some words, which led to the
errors made by the experts.
Esterhazy told Mr.. Strong that it was
never in the hands of any foreign nation
but was deposited in the lodge of a
concierge by a French agent and taken
thence to the ministry of war.