The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-14

present when Capt. Lebrum Renault
called at the Elysee, Paris "NIoreover,"
said NJ. Casimir Perier, there is a letter
from NJ. Dupuy which I ask may be
read" The letter asserted that Captain
Lebrum RenauIt when questioned by
M. Dupuy replied that Gen. Mercier had
sent to the president to receive a dress
ing down for his indiscreet disclosures
to the Figaro.
Gen. Mercier here interposed, saying:
Captain Lebrum Renault spoke to me
in regard to the confession in the pres
ence of Gen. GOnse who will testify
thereto. 1t was then that 1 ordered
him to so to the president of the re-
public"
Regarding Gen. Mercier's declara-
tions on Saturday last on the witness
stand, M. Casimfr- Perier said:
Gen. Mercier hTsd no right whatever
to intervene in a diplomatic conversa-
ton. 1 would have prevented such in
terference 1t was I alone who con-
ferred with the minister and I declare
that the impression I derived from that
conversation was one of complete calm,
otherwise the incident would not have
been closed by the framing of a note
I'VE had no telegram from Berlin
that evening. 1t was in regard to a
note that the minister referred to Ber-
lin. If there had been any news in re-
gard to the matter on the evening of
the 6th we should have not waited un-
til the 8th to publish the note. There
was no dispatch addressed to a friend
ly power relative to the incident The
the event of diplomatic complications
the president would have communicated
with the minister of foreign affairs"
Gen. Mercier replied that he went to
the EIsyee palace as minister of war
He recalled that Gen. De Boisdeffre
could testify in regard to the orders re-
ceiVed.
NJ. Demange seized upon his declara-
tion and insisted that Gen. MERCER re-
peat the statement that he had given
orders to Gen. Boisdeffre on the 9Th
relative to mobilization. NJ Casimir
Perier resuming his testimony said he
did not reply to certain of Gen. Mer-
cier'S inSinuatiOnS. 4 do not wish to
answer them,'' said the former presi-
dent
1.-The circumstances are too sad and
too tragic for me to desire to envenOm
the discussion. am master of myself
and of my conscience. I would only
state that Gen. Mercier has made every
effort to mix me as deeply as possible
in this affair. But I have remained
aloof, I affirm during the progress of
the investigation"
The former president then complained
Of the incorrect behavior of his subor-
dinate toward the chief of the state.
"As an instance" said NJ. Casimir
Perier, General Mercier undertook to
men without consulting the chief of the
state, thus lacking in the respect he
owed to the chief of the state"
NJ. Casimir Perier next protested
against the assertions made by General
Mercier in regard to the role adopted
by the chief of state in this affair,
whereupon the general interjected that
he had spoken of the attitude assumed
by NJ. Casimir Perier because he had
sworn to tell the whole truth.
NJ. Demange asked Gen. Mercier if he
had explained to the cabinet how he re-
conciled the relations of cause and eff
feet and the patriotic emotion aroused
by the treason with the communication
of the secret documents to the court
martial.
The general repeated his statement of
Saturday as his hypothesis of the sit
uation.
NJ. Demange asked M. Casimir Perier
II on the 6th an understanding had been
reached between France and Germany
on the subject of Dreyfus.
NJ. Casimir Perier replied that before
his interview with the minister on the
9th the question of Dreyfus had never
been raised between them and Ger
many
M. Demange asked Gen. Mercier why
ne had not included in the dossier of
1884, the doubtful translation of the
telegram of Agent ''B'' to his govern
ment under the date of November 2.
In reply Gen. MERCER said not one of
the translations of the telegram was
communicated to the judges because
there still existed doubts in his mind.
M. Demange remarked that the text
was communicated to Sand Herr as
official and therefore doubts were i'm
NJ Demange then asked that NJ.
Palelogue of the foreign Office be re-
called in order to state that only a
single version of the telegram was
given him as he understood General
Mercier's uncertainty was aroused by
the receipt of a seni-offcial draft Of the
telegram.
At this point Major Carriere. the rep
resentative of the government, asked
that it be clearly shown that two YER
sl9hs OF the telegram were given, one
official and one semi-official.
NJ Demange said that in conmuni-
eating the official text November ?,