The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-08-22

been supplied by Esterhazey; hat the
words i am going to b maneuvers'
could perfectly well apply to Ester
hazey, n that Esterhazey had secre-
taries at his disposal to copy a docu-
ment so yoluminous as the firing man
ual, I resolved to consult the secret
dossier and see what part OF the treach-
cry might be ascribed to Dreyfus and
to assure myself whether the dossier
contained anything indicating Ester
hazey.
II frankly admit I was supplied on
reading the secret dossier. I expected
to find matters OF gravity therein, and
found, in short, nothing but a docu-
ment which might apply just as much
to Esterhazey as TO Dreyfus, an unim-
portant document mentioning DAvig-
non, and a document which it seemed
absurd to apply to Dreyfus, namely the
'cette calaille de D. document Last
~, I recognize a report appended in the
handwriting of Guenne which appear
ed to be at least as worthless as the
second document.
at was them evening, I had stayed
late alone at the office, in order to
examine the documents thoroughly. I
thought it over during the night, and
the next day I o the documents and
explained the whole situation to Cen
eral De Boisdeffre.
General De Boisdeffre examined the
secret dossier with me, but stopped be-
fore he reached the end and told me
to go into the country, give an ccoun
of the affair to General Gonse and ask
his advice.
Before starting to see General
Gonse, I copied a note, four pages in
length, which 1 made September 1st,
containing my resume of the Esterha-
zey affair.
When l informed General Gonse of
all which had occurred he remarked:
So a mistake has been made
After my interview With General
Gonse, / did not work any longer O
my own initiative. I said nothing more
TENDER 18th. At that time Estehazey
was at the grand maneuvers."
INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL
COME.
Describing his interview with Gen.
eral Gonse, September 18th, Picquart
aid when 1 asked General Gonse
for permission to continue the investi-
cation, insisting on the danger of al
lowing the Dreyfus family to proceed
with their investigation alone, the gen.
eral replied lat it was impossible, in
his opinion and in the opinion Of Gen
eral De Boisdeffre and the minister Of
war, TO reopen the affair.
when I pressed the point, in order
to make General Gonse understand
that nothing could prevent it's reopen
ing if he could believe Dreyfus was in
nocent, General Gonse replied: If you
say nothing, nobody will know Gen
eral,' I replied, firmly, what you tell
is abominable. I do not know what
I shall do. But I won't carry this Sc
cret with mel" Great s~ensation.)
81 at once left the room," added the
witness. THAT is what occurred. I
know my account is disputed, but I
positively swear it," said Picquart, as
Of the witness box, and looked in the
direction Of the generals.
The next feature of Picquart's depo-
sition was his recital of the intrigues
against and h pressure exercised by
Henry with the view of fixing on the
witness the blame for communicating
information to h newspapers.
Then, turning to the distant mission
upon which he was dispatched, Pic
quart described the irritation he felt
when he saw he was being removed
because he was no longer wanted as
head of the intelligence department.
He explained that if this disgrace had
been frankly avowed it would a
been much less painful to him. The
cOlOnel also SAID InaI curing MS dD-
sence his correspondence was tamper-
ed with.
Colonel Jouaust, president of the
court) having asked for explanations
on certain points, Picquart said: eff
l tell you al this, gentlemen, it is to
show what must have been the mental
attitude towards me of the members
Of the court-martial which tried Ester
hazey." (Murmurs of assent.)
When he resumed his deposition, the
witness said he regretted he had not
been given the opportunity to contra
dict his at that court-mar-
tia.
Il have almost finished my task"
added Picquart; "but I ask permission
to refer to the way the bordereau
came to the war office. I have doubts
in regard to the person who brought
he bordereau. Two quite different
persons could certainly have delivered
the bordereau in 1894. But, if an intel
ligent person had delivered it, he would
certainly have insisted on the value Of
its contents"
The court then adjourned.