The record-union., 1899-08-23

recognition of his previous services.
NaughIer)
Then NJ. Labori asked if the witness
assumed responsibility for the report
of November 80, 1897, which was at
tributed to a former military attache
The Government Commissary, Major
Carriere protested against this ques-
J ton, saying it referred to affairs OF
State and should not be answered ex-
cept behind closed doors.
M. -Labori pointed out that he had
not named anybody, and Lieutenant
Colonel Rollin replied that he had no
knowledge regarding the transaction Of
! the document in question.
NJ. Labor called the attention of wit
ness to the cautious nature of his reply
and asked him how the document came
into the possession of General Mercier.
General Mercier thought the witness
was not justified in answering, but in
reply to further questions, MERCER de-
clared he took the full responsibility
for the translation submitted to the
| court.
| Thereupon NJ Labor pointed out that
when the document was produced Gen
eral Mercier was no longer Minister OF
War, and asked what right he had to
| have in his possession a document
which was a State secret.
Mercier did not reply.
Counsel then asked what right had
General Mercier to retain possession of
all the documents in the secret dossier.
| General Mercier was silent
| M. Labori-Im asking for the official
responsibility and | make note of the
fact that it is refused. 1 will reserve
the right TO take all the measures
which | think proper (Sensation.)
| Counsel then added that he would like
to ask Colonel Jouaust to recall Gen
eral Mercier and put numerous ques-
tions to him, to which counsel added,
! he could foresee Mercier would refuse
to reply prolonged sensation)
| Reverting next to Lieutenant-Col. :.
onel Rollins evidence and the testi
mony Rollin had given Spy Guinee, NJ
Labori read the evidence of Guinee be-
| fore the Court of Cessation, pointing
out, after such evidence, none of the
information which Guinee supplied in
| 1894 could be maintained against Drey-
| fus
Replying to a, question as to the char
acter of Lajoux and the confidence
which could be placed in his state
ments, General Gonse handed in a re-
port giving Lajoux the worst possible
| character.
Dreyfus then made a statement re-
garding a passage of Rollins evidence
referring to the searches made in his
| Dreyfus) residence in 1894.
Everything, everything said the
prisoner, was seized without excep-
ton"
Colonel Jouaust-Some of the pages
were missing of your notes taken at the
lectures given by the military college.
That has been subject of remark.
Dreyfus-No, my Colonel, no, not In
1894. (Sensation)
Ferret, former Secretary of the
Ministry of War, who is alleged to have
caught Dreyfus prying into the work
of some of his fellow-students during
their absence, testified that toward the
end of 1898, on returning from his
lunch, at an hour the officers were usu-
ally out, he found Dreyfus in the
Fourth Bureau, standing with a stran
ger, a civilian, at the table, discussing
a document which seemed to the wit
ness to be connected with the trans
port of troops.
NJ. Demange-Why did you not give
this evidence in 1894?
Witness regretted he had overlooked
it. Besides, he added. it was not his
business to suspect his chiefs.
NJ. Demange-The Court will form it's
own opinions of this five years si-
lence
NJ Labori asked when the witness
first mentioned these facts.
Ferret do not remember.
NJ. Labori-Try. 1t would be inter-
esting to have an explanation.
Ferret-It was about a year ago.
The prisoner protested against such,
statements, which. he said, were moth
ing but vile insinuations," collected
by a Minister of War. Great sensa-
tion)
Il never went into my Office" contin-
ued Dreyfus. "at any other time than
the hours of duty. 1 declare it impos-
sible or at least most difficult for a
civilian to enter the office of the Min
istry of War"
Dreyfus added that while his wife
was at Houlgate. Normandy, in August
or September, 1894. he happened to go
to his office at noon. though the usual
hour was o'clock.
Colonel Jouaust questioned Dreyfus
relative to kis hours of duty and the
| difficulty of introducing a stranger into
| the offices, after which General Gonse
asked for permission to speak in order
| to complete his evidence. He said he
| received a letter yesterday evening
| from Lechatelier. Chief Engineer of the
! Department of Roads and Bridges in
which Lechatelier said:
During six or seven years l had a
| permit for the Ministry of War and
went there at least a hundred times
l did not have to show my permit more
| than ten times. On another occasion
l was accompanied by a friend, who
| entered without any other formality
than opening the gate and saluting the
| sentry" (Laughter)
! General Gonse read another letter of
similar purport and Dreyfus said: THE
rule was strict. The letters only prove
that certain persons did not observe
| it,"
NJ Demange-It also proves that
since the Ministry of War was so easily
entered others besides officers could
easily procure information. (Iurmurs
of dissent.)
Lieutenant Colonel Bertin, who was