Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19

conviction is as strong today as ever. -
| (Sensation.)
81 regard 1t as an abominable crime, "
continued the general, Ito have endeavored
| to substitute for him man of straw, how
ever disreputable he may have been and
| whatever his offense, which in any case
| would not lessen the guilt of Dreyfus. My
| conviction Is the same as at the commence
| ment of the affair. Esterhazy, it is true.
at certain psychological and singularly
! well-choosen moment, confessed to having
written the bordereau, but he has made
many other statements. He is always tell
| ing lies. What Is certain is that he could
never have delivered the documents enum-
Grated In the bordereau."
The Trial of Esterhaxy.
Tier the witness briefly referred to the
| trial and acquittal of Esterhazy and the
| latter's threats to proclaim himself a tool
| of the general staff, after which the gen.
eral alluded to the Henry forgery and NJ
| Cavaignac's interrogations of Henry
You know the result" said he, appar-
emily much moved. Il will not tell you
what 1 suffered at that moment. AS soon
as everything was ended 1 rendered my
resignation, but was asked to withdraw IT,
1 was told every one could make mis-
was liable to err. every one had not the
misfortune as l had to assert to jury
that a document was genuine when In
reality it was forged; that every one ought
to stand by ones word. and that when
man happened to experience such mfsfor-
tune there was nothing left for him but to
go away, and from that moment nave
held a loot" (Sensation)
Replying to the court, General de Bo1s-
deffre admitted that the leakage at the
headquart ers continued after the condem-
nation of Dreyfus. 1t ceased for year.
but in 1895. a paper was discovered proving
the communication to foreign government
of a document relating to the Distribution
of the artillery and showing that a foreign
government was perfectly acquainted with
the changes made.
Answering Il question put by member OF
a court-martial relative to the conflicting
testimony of General Mercier, the former
minister of war and NJ. Casimir-- erier
formerly president of the French repubiic),
witness replied that he certainly had an
interview with General MERCER early in
January, during the course of which Mer-
cer remarked, in regard to the representa-
tons Of a foreign ambassador to the presi-
dent of the republic:
1t is not going to happen this time,
either. lou can steep III pedCe. Inc lilSA-
dent has been settled. B"
Confession to I.ebrun-Renault.
De Boisdeffre declared he no less GER
tain of what had been said in regard to
the confessions to Captain Lebrun-Renauit.
The general also perfectly certain the
incident at the Elysee did not occur Janu-
AIRY 5, 1895; it was, he said, the 9th or the
It'll.
What is certain added General de Bois-
deffre. is that when it occurred l re-
manned personally at the ministry of war.
NJ. Demange referred to General Rogets
deposition to the effect that Dreyfus was
certainly Intelligent, but that he would not
have wished to see him on the headquar-
tiers staff, and asked the witness opinion
on the subject The general answered:
Il can only o-:press the same opinion as
General Roget"
NJ. Demange-''Was not EsterlaZy, with
your knowledge, assisted at the court of
inquiry by Major du Patty de Clam, who
gave him advice?"
De Boisdeffre-'I am absolutely not
aware of it
Col. Jouauss, president of the court-mar-
tial pat the usual questions to the prisoner,
who replied:
Il nave nothing to say to General de
Boisdetfre." and resumed his seat.
Gen. Gonse Called.
After brief suspension of the sitting OF
the court, Gen. Gonse, VINO was under chief
of the general staff was called TO the wit
ness stand. He explained the motives which
influenced his actions during the past few
years and said he believed he was ami
mated by the loftiest aims, namely the
protection Of the army against the Grim
inal attacks made on it from all Sides
In this connection Gen. Gunse dwelt upon
the danger TO France OF the system of
espionage, cleverly killed organized
against her by Foreigners and said that
in spite of EsterhaZy's statements, it was
impossible for him TO have written the Dor
dereau, and still more impossible for aim
TO nave secured the information contained
therein He added that no traces of in
discretion were discovered during all the
proceedings against Esterhazy.
Continuing, the witness depIored the fact
that the cCurt-martial of 1854 was held be
hind closed doors, adding:
Il regard it as a great misfortune The
witnesses certainly said much more at th.
secret trial than they would have done at
a public trial. But the judges had a better
opportunity of forming an opinion even
though the public might retain doubts l
deplOre ii keeniy''
Gen Gonse denied that Esterhazy had re-
celved money from the intelligence depart
ment, and, describing the Strange be-
havior' of Dreyfus and his frequent acts
OF indiscreton," the witness begged the
court to summon the secretary of the min
istry of war, who surprised the prisoner
prying in the Offices at a time when there
was no business going there. The gen
eral defended Guenee and referred to
another spy as an honorable man. whose
name he could not give as having furnish
ed military headquarters with valuable in
formation.
Col Jouaust asked: rs he in receipt of
regular monthly Day?"
Gen. Gcnse-''He was paid when he
brought information
Maj. Carriere-''We have here two diff
ferent versions
Gen. Gonse-"I mean to say that as he
watched others he was paid his expenses
rs did not want him to be out OF
pocket"
No IntimatiOn of Innocence.
The witness asserted that while the
name of Dreyfus was often mentioned
in the documents in the possession of the