Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-18

ness. "That is what occurred. I know my
account is disputed, but I positively swea
it, said Picquart, as he ernphatically smot'
the bar In front of the witness box, ant
looked in the direction of the generals.
The colonel next described his intentions
with regard to Esterhazy, which Gems
Gonse and De Boisdeffre had forbidden hin
to carry out. He attached particular i'm
portance to this point, as it contained clu'
to subsequent occurrences. Later, witnes!
said, that while Patty de Clam evidently
acted wrongly in Disgusting himself with {
false beard and blue spectacles, perhaps III
was authorized to do so.
Esterhazy Was Warned.
After a few minutes suspension of The
session. Colonel Picquart resumed his depo
sition, showing how, through an article IL
the Eclair of September 10, he was salts
fled Esterhazy had been warned of the sus
picions against him. In order to make the
proofs complete, witness continued his in
vestigations with utmost discretion. In his
opinion, the only event of Importance in the
Dreyfus affair since the discovery of the
bordereau was the Henry forgery perpe
trated October 81. 1896. He added that il
Gen. Gonse. Shortly before Henry perpe'
trated the forgery, an agent named Geunee
Henry's right-hand man. prepared report
declaring NJ. Castelin republican revision
list, deputy for Laon division of Aisne), was
about to play the hand of the Dreyfus fam
lily by unmasking. in the chamber of depu-
ties the prisoners accomplices, thus hav-
ing the affair reopened.
Col Picquart incidentally complained bit
terly that, while he was still chief of the
intelligence department, Henry's tool, Cue
nee, should be allowed to make reports
against the witness, who had then estab-
lished a connection between the reports OF
Guenee and the false deposition of Henry
who had testified that he had seen the
witness seated in Maitre Leblofs office with
the document containing the words "Cette
Canaille de D." before them.
Each new scheme, said the former CHIEF
of the intelligence department, was COM
plement development of the one preceding.
Intrigues Against Witness.
The next feature of Picquarts deposition
was his recital of the intrigues against him
and the pressure exercised by Henry with
the view of fixing on the witness the blame
for communicating information to the news
papers.
Then, turning to the distant mission
upon which he was dispatched. Picquart de-
scribed 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 dis
grace had been frankly avowed it would
have been much less painful to him. The
colonel also said that during his absence
his correspondence was tempered with.
Dealing with his mission to Tunis, which
Picquart said ought to have been entrusted
to commissary of police, the witness de-
clared it was then that Henry, abandoning
his underhand intrigues, began campaign
of open persecution. Henry wrote to the
witness accusing him of communicating in
formation to the press with disclosing the
contents of secret documents and with at
tempting to suborn officers in connection
with the Petit Bleu.
1t was then Picquart learned of the ex-
istence of the forged secret documents di-
rected against himself, and foresaw his
own ruin if the Dreyfus affair was reopen
ed, and, to safeguard himself, he Entrusted
to a lawyer friend certain letter from Gen.
Gonse at the same time acquainting the
lawyer with what he knew of EsterhaZy,
and instructing the lawyer how he should
intervene eff the occasion demanded it,
This lawyer, Leblois, communicated with
NJ. Scheurer-KeStner, then one of the vice
presidents of the senate, and the repre-
sensations OF the latter to Premier Meilne
government followed When Picquarts
furlough was due Gen. Leclerc, command
ing in Tuns, was ordered to send Picquart
to the frontier of Tripoli. Leclerc COM
mented to the witness on this abornal mat
ter. and Picquart confided to the general
the probable reasons for it and his belief
in the innocence of Dreyfus. Gen. Lecerc
thcreupon ordered Picquart not to go be-
yond Gabas. In the meanwhile the cam
paign in Paris was continued. Esterhazy
appeared among the witnesses and ac-
cusers.
Judges Were Deceived.
Picouart here created a sensation by in
cidentally remarking that the judges in 1891
were shamefuily deceived in having the
document containing the words "Cette
Canailie de D" communicated to them.
Witness bitterly reiterated the details of
the various Vaccinations, with the view Of
discriminating him, instgated by Henry,
Esterhazy and Patty de Clam
Col. Jouaust president of the COURT hav-
points, Picquart said:
If l tell you all this, gentlemen, it is to
show what must have been the mental
attitude toward me of the members Of the
court-martial which tried EsterhaZy.
(Murmurs of aSsent)
When he resumed his deposition the wit
ness said he regretted he had not been given
the opportunity to contradict his accusers
at that court-martial.
II have almost finished my task" added
Picquart, but | ask permission to refer
to the way the bordereau came to the wal
office. | have doubts in regard to the per-
son who brought the bordereau. Two
quite different persons could certainly have
delivered the bordereau in 1894. But if an
intelligent person had delivered it he would
certainly have insisted on the value of its
contents"
After Picquart had reiterated his state
ments the court adjourned, at II 40 am.
until tomorrow.
The deposition of Colonel Picquart occu.
pied the entire session.
SAYS HE SHOT LABORI.