The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-18
P|CQUART'S S
TRIUMPH
Dreyfus' Enemies Confound-
ed By the Colonel's
Flawless Defence.
GENERALS FEEBLE REPLY
Roget and Mercier Demand
CONFORMATION but Make
No Impression.
WONDERFUL EFFORT OF MEMORY
Five Hours Recital Of Facts
Without Notes--Jouast's
Brutality.
WONDERFUL EFFORT OF MEMORY
by Gable to The Associated Press-l


ond trial by court martial of Captain Al
fred Dreyfus. charged with treason, was
resumed in the Lycee at rs this morn
ing. Colonel Picquart. former Chief OF the
Intelligence Department of the War Off1ce
was called to the witness stand and con-
tinued his deposition. which was inter-
rupted Yesterday by the adjournment of
The court for the day.
The Colonel gave his testimony in the
same loud, fearless tone of voice. He
commenced by declaring he thought it
necessary to Immediately reply to Cen
eral Roget's verftable arraignment of him
while the latter was on the stand.
AT the outset of Colonel Picquart's re-
marks. Roget interposed and said he
would reply to them.
Colonel Picquart practically occupied
the whole of today's sitting with mas
terful presentation of his side of the case.
He spoke for five hours, and his voice
at the end of that time, began to show
signs of fatigue. His testimony was fol-
lowed with the closest attention by the
members of the court martial and by the
audience, and during the brief suspension
of the court General Mercier, Roget, Bill
lot and de Boisdeffre and other witnesses
sauntered up and down the court yard OF
the Eiycee or gathered in little groups,
animatedly discussing Picquart's evi-
dence. although it contained but few new
facts, was so closely placed before the
tribunal and was spoken so effectively
that it could not fail TO repeat the i'm
preston he made yesterday.
Dreyfus naturally, drank in all the wit
ness,s words. which came as a balm to
the wounds inflicted upon him by MERCER
and Roget, and the prisoner frequently
and closely scanned the faces of his
judges, as though seeking to read their
thoughts.
From the standpoint of the spectators
the session was the most monotonous
one since the opening of the trial. Even
the conformation at the end lacked the
dramatic force of the similar incidents
which have marked almost every prev
ious sitting.
Picquart's deposition was a fine per
formance. He spoke without notes and
in view of the mass of facts adduced, II
must be ranked as feat of memory
The members of the court-martial took
copious notes during Piequarts testimony,
and it was quite evident that several OF
the explanations he gave came as fresh
light
Then, when Picquart concluded. both
General Roget and General Nercier jump
ed up and asked to be heard contradic-
torily.
Colonel Jouaust asked General Roget to
speak first. He thereupon faced Colonel
Picquart, who replied promptly to his
questions. which the General delivered in
a theatrical manner and with frequent
gestures.
General Mereier adopted a quieter de-
meanor.
Neither, however, said anything which
could be described as damaging to Colonel
Picquart's evidence
Continuing, Colonel Picquart proceeded
to discuss the secret dossier as being the
main spring Of the condemnation of Drey-
fus. He took up the documents success
sively, referring to the writers and ad-
presses of the letters as "a, and "B.'
Among those present in court were
Generals Zurlinden and Bllot, former
Ministers of War.
Maitre Mornard, who argued the case,
In behalf of the Dreyfus family. for the
revision Of the prisoners sentence, before
the Court Of Cessation, was present this
morning to assist NJ. Demange, Of coun-
sci for the defense.
Following is the evidence in detail:-
Before resuming his deposition Colonel
Picquart said
Il think it necessary to say a few words
with reference to the veritable speech for
the prosecution delivered by General
Roget when referring to the Qnenelli
case
The President Of the Court, Colonel
Touaust, here interposed, saying:-
rs it a personal master?"
u shall be very brief. Colonel" replied
Pfcquart. II am, moreover, ready to re-
ply to all questions the Court may ask on
the subject.
For the moment, ] shall conf1ne myself
to the following explanation. The Quen-
ELI case occurred between May 80 and
July II. 1896, at which period. on account
Of family bereavement l was able to
pay very little attention to my official du-
ties. In my absence. Colonel Henry act
ed for me. Moreover j devoted most Of
the month Of July to a journey Of the
Headquarters staff, which also prevented
me from attending to my ordinary duties.
was, therefore, able to give only very
Intermittent attention to the Quenelli
case. Besides this. Quenelli was a re-
turned convict who had contravened a
decree Of expulsion and had been caught
red handed n another criminal act. He