New-York tribune., 1899-02-12

about his guilt. sharing. Of course, the feelings
of the people among whom he was placed, ana
being at that time animated by strong
anti-Semitc feelings
After the Dreyfus trial. when Colonel Sand
herr one of the accompliccs through mere
-Scmitism. OF Dreyfuss martyrdom, was
pensioned off, being nearly a lunatic, Major
Pcquart. cOnsummate lngust, speaking
German English, Italian and Spanish iiuently
was promoted to direct the Intelligence Depart
ment. And II was there. living among those
so-called secret dossiers." that he became af-
ter time convinced that the Dreyfus trial had
been blunder, and that the poor man was
an innocent victim, both Of fatality and or the
devilish prejudices OF Sandherr Du Patty de
Clam and Henry.
The story from here on is well known. Every
body remembers how his chiefs General de
Boisdeffre and Gonse, seeing it impossible to
stop his efforts TO procure revision and to silence
him. and well aware of his high capacities and
full Of confidence in what General Gonse called
his prudence" Judged it better to send MN
far away in order to let him get rid Of what
General de Boisdeffre styled his "idee hxe
HIS sECRETGvENEss IN OFFICE
But what is interesting to point out at the
moment when Pcquart is being prosecuted for
disclosing secret documents is that during the
time he spent in the Intelligence Office he
showed an absolute discretion. His secretive-
ness pushed far that he was six months
at the head Of that department before his
mother. whom he called almost every day
in Versailles. where she lived, knew it. He
never cared TO talk even with his friends and
relatives Of his military business, and neither
his cousin. NJ. Cast Mayor Of VILE dAvray
nor his brother-n-law VI. Gay. realized before
they saw it in the papers that he had anything
To do with the Dreyfus case.
His chief officers knew quite well how pru-
dent and discreet he was one needs only to
read the dialogue between him and General
Gonse in which the General said when re
hon tn
taken" And when Picquart pointed out the
necessity for revision. Gonse told him
What do you care for? 1t is not you who are
at Devils Island"
But if Picquart during the time he was at
the Intelligence Office gained the confidence Oh
among the officers. Especially. Lieutenant-Colo-
mel Henry, that stubborn soldier. who did not
know any foreign language, and who was hot
worthy to be picduart's orderly. hated the man
who had obtained Colonel Sandherrs position
which he coveted for himself
The only mistake. from a strict military polhl
Of view. it is possible to fix on Colonel PlcPuhII
is the advice he sometimes asked from MS oIu
friend Leblois. who often called on nm AT the
Ministry. But Leblois was lawyer who gave
merely gratuitOus advice on some legal points,
and il Is pure nonsense aud mere rubbish to
talk about "disclosare Of secret documents
The truth is that in this whole ali9lI, aS 81 ~.
Labori pointed out in his splendld adureSs % .pl
Zola Colonel Picquart is the only officer of the
staff who did not communicate with the news
papers like Henry. Du Paty de Clam. and the
only one who did not give up the secrets he had
TO keep.
Even during the ZOla trial | recall mis- lnilnlte
tact and discretion when Labor was cross-eN-
amininC him and when he told that dramatic
story of his efforts to discover the truth. LapoIl
was asking the questions with his loud, ueeP
voice and Picquart looking at the jury, an
swered with his clear. soft voice Sometimes ne
uttered only a monosyllable, sometimes he sald
with decision. Il cannot answer; that IS secret,
And | recall also the deep impression ne maue
uuon the audience when he appeared TOT the
first time in the court. coming stfalghi rom
the iail Of Mont Valerien. and entered that
large room. dressed in his blue UNIFORM OF ny
Algerian trailleurs giant win a SMIHsIns
gait a cool and firm appearance pdIt IA.
and then began to give his testimony Wi'hO9'
fear or passion And one could not heIp au-
miring that man who was COMPROMISING 'l9
whole military career 10y stating puolcIy tt tnt
truth we'll aware that he would be driven OUT
Of that army which he loved and TO Which ~
had given twenty years Of his life 70 quote h''
own words r.tu
The dav after in one Of our clubs OF the LatmlIl IN
Quarter some friends and myself sent 20 MN
n lei. or congratuating the soldier Tor ms t.u ,
ness his braVerv and his tact week dltv'
ward we received his answer a snort nu' ''u
auent note in which he expressed ms non , ~,
tn, triumph Of truth. and one ot MS S,Il%N.It. %
rhrascs was this. which ] VIII never I"I
Ia verite nnira par vaincre. GU nnpVIte :. -
oueloues uus tombent mturtrcS en- Iul l.|s "'i'
u" OF the Paris Steele
,,t.,,rrbor, Macs Feb g. 1890.