Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-29

| ters' staff, and maintaining that the Leak
age was still occurring when the witness
| left the war office.
| Reverting to the manner in which the
| suspicious against Dreyfus crystallized. the
| colonel described the efforts to pry into
| the prisoners life, and said the fnforma
| ton at first received was very bad and
| constituted strong proof against the pris-
cner. Later. however. 1t assumed quite a
different aspect. 1t was admitted that be-
| fore his marriage Dreyfus was not "un-
| impeachable morally, was he entitled
| to wear wreath of orange blossoms.
uaughter)
Dreyfus was quite different.
The witness also said that while Dreyfus
boasted Of his conquests, he, Cordier, was
| of the OF lnion that those who boosted most
accomplished the least Gaushter)
Dreyfus. he continued. Dragged a great
| deal. and probably now repented having
| done so. and Dreyfus' inquisitiveness. &C
cording to witness. was probably explained
| by his knowledge that he would not long
| remain on the headquarters staff. and he
| desired to obtain all the information which
| might be useful to him in after life.
Tribute to Col. Sandherr.
The colonel then paid a tribute to the
| memory of Colonel Sandherr. who exam
| ined the immense mass of documents re-
lating to espionage and uneartled the
''Cette Canaille de D. document, which
seemed to the witness to date back to
insufficient the sole proof against Dreyfus,
namely. the bordereau. He did not believe
the prisoner was guilty, but the fact that
the judges were unanimous in convicttng
him changed the witness mind. His doubts,
however, returned when he saw that the
date of the bordereau received in Septem-
Der had been fixed as May. Colonel Pic
quarts investigation and the infamous
campaign against Picquart increased the
suspicious of the witness.
I'm 1894 declared Col. Cordier emphati-
cally, Il had been treasured by the una
nimity of the judges. and l was absolutely
convinced of the guilt of Dreyfus. Now
am absolutely convinced of his innocence.
Great excitement) Next the witness dis
cussed the attacks on himself. He said he
was astonished at being accused of being
soured because he was not given charge
of the intelligence department in success
sion to Col. Sandherr GAS every one knew
l wished to quit the service simultaneously
with my friend Sandherr."
Replying to the president. he declared
that the approaches Of the Dreyfus family
to Sandherr were not attempts at corrup-
ton, and that Dreyfus brothers remark
'Our fortune Is at your disposal was only
the expression of the familys ardent de-
sire to save an innocent member of 1t.
Witness we'll remembered hearing that
ESterhaZy and Henry were in the intelli-
gence department together about the year
1873. but, he added. Esterhazy had not since
been employed there. If he had any rela-
| lions with the department they must have
been clandestine.
Suspicious of Each Other.
Replying to Col. Jouaust's request to
state what he knew regarding Henry's re-
lations with Pinuart Cordier said good
fellowship prevailed in the department I'M
Ill the appearance of Henry, who had been
forced on Sandherr. Henry had close re-
lations with the supreme chief and his
colleague suspected he might report what
he heard in the office divisions and what
rr.If 10
ported Sandherr and others supported
Henry. Among the latter Grbein. 1t
was then while the division was rampant
that the witness handed over his depart
ment to Col Picquart. Henry was much
incensed at being superseded by Junior
officer. resolved to do everything to sup
plant him. and. added the witness. the
Henry forgery could have had other OBJ
ject but to ruin Col. Picquart with the view
of giving Henry his place.
Matre Labor asked the witness what he
knew i'll regard to the arrest of Dreyfus,
and Cordier replied that his recollectons
on that point were not very definite He
found difficulty in recalling the names of
those who were present at the dictation
scene. but he was informed on several oc-
caSionS as to what occurred.
II remember he declared, that one of
the proofs advanced against Dreyfus was
that during the scene. he looked in mir
ror That is going too far. If Dreyfus
looked in the mirror it was because he had
sef another head besides his own there
There was an arrangement of mirrors, and
| since it must be told, l will say 1t. Behind
the curtain were two ears, listening. Drey-
fus. therefore, might have seen something
besides hi; own face in the mirror"
NJ Labor questioned the witness in re-
gard to the letter mentioned in NJ de la
Roche-Vernet's evidence referring to the
spy &C c. which was dispatched to
the war Office at the time of Picauart's
arrival. Cordier explained that it was a
letter from an Italian lady with whom the
department at that time was in correspon-
oh into ill.,,
eign office.
Views of Italian Spies.
II greatly respect Italian ladies in gen.
eral.' said Col. Cordier. but not when 1t
is case of espionage; and / advised Pic
quart not to make too much use of the
! lady's offers. saying to him: There must
| be no petticoats.'
At this juncture NJ. Labor informed the
| president of the court that he had received
| telegram signed Pages announcing the
| dispatch of a letter relative to the reIa-
| lions between Col. Sandherr and the Drew
rus family. Counsel added that he had
| himself received telegram. as follows:
declare Col. Sandherr told me dis
| tlnctiy that neither before nor after the
| conviction was offer of money made to
| him.
| Col. Jouaust announced that he would not
read the letter. because he knew nothing of
| the writer, and asked the usual question of
| Dreyfus, who replied that he would refer
merely to the scene on October Is, preced-
| ing his arrest.
| 1T was" he said. $50 fantastic that I
| frankly confess l understood nothing con-
| nected with it. 1t was conducted under
| such conditions that 1 do not know what
| manner of brain had conceived it, and
| when l left the extraordinary scene nv
| head literally reeled, so l cannot remember
| the facts and details"
| Major Lauth. having been permitted to
| speak, said Col. Cordiers leave Of absence
/ commenced September ID, and not Septem-
| Der q, to which Cordier retorted that he
| was much surprised at contradiction on
| such an unimportant point.
But. nevertheless, his original statement
was true.
Continuing, the major commented upon
Colonel Cordier'S testimony, especially the
| statement that there were no anti-Semites
| on the headquarters staff. remarking that
! there was one exception, and that was Cor
der himself, who was always expressing
| antipathy to the Jews. especially when
| there was a question of introducing Drew
| fus to the department
| Yes, exclaimed Cordier; quite true 7
| was an anti-Semite. but my opinions never
| went to the length of bringing false evil
| dence against the Jews. (Sensation) lam
| an honest man and l have conscience
| (Renewed eXcitement)
Lauth COntrndicts COrdfer
| Major Lauth proceeded to discuss other