The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-23

countered TO various people. including the
late Lieutenant Colonel Henry, but when
the witness treasured Esterhazy on this
point he exclaimed. 1T is the last thing
l should expect for Henry to be nasty"
Colonel Jouaust-Did Esterhazy tell you
he believed in the innocence Of Dreyfus?
The witness could not reply definitely to
( this question. He said his recollections were
not sufficiently exact. He fancied Ester
hazy had said SO, but he could not swear
to 1t.
Lieutenant Colonel Rollin, of the intelli-
gence department, was the next witness.
He described the spy La Joux employed in
the department. as a bad spy" whom it
was found necessary to suppress.
NJ. Labori asked the witness whether he
knew La Joux had offered to make revela-
tions in the Dreyfus affair, and the witness
replied that La Joux wrote to the minister
of war, asking for assistance and referring
to the Dreyfus case. The clerk of the
court read a letter. in which, after dwelling
On his services, La Joux said it was in
consequence of Henry's exactions that the
SPY Cuers had become an enemy. instead
of an ally. He also described a conversa-
ton with Cuers. In which Cuers declared
Dreyfus had never been heard Of at army
IledUQudTteTS III beTllu, duQ l1dl Ou Tie
news of the arrest Of Dreyfus, General
Count Won Waldersee summoned all the
German military attaches in Europe to Ber-
lin and then unanimously declared that not
one of them had ever had relations with
Dreyfus. Cuers added tina he himself had
never heard of Dreyfus. "a Joux then COM
planned of his abandonment by the head
quarters staff and of the measures taken
/ q paipSf him nv nfficara of the Ministry of
War. He spoke of the promises of Coils.
Sandherr and Henry, who gave him credit
for most of the success Of their work in the
intelligence department.
After the reading of this letter NJ. Labori
inquired: 'fCan Lieutenant Rollin explain
how a man, regarded as a rogue and a bad
egg, is now receiving a pension Of 200 francs
monthly"
The witness replied: at is no doubt In
recognition of his previous services"
[Laughter.1
Then NJ. Labori asked IL the witness as
sumed responsibility for the report Of Nov.
30, 1897, which was attributed to a foreign
military attache.
The government commissary, Major Car
iere, protested against this question. saying
it referred to affairs of state and should not
be answered except behind closed doors.
NJ. Labori pointed out that he had not
named anybody, and Lieutenant Colonel
Rollin replied that he had no knowledge re-
garding the transaction of the document in
question.
MERCER IN A CORNER.
At this NJ. Labori called attention of wit
ness to the cautious nature Of his reply.
and asked him how the document came into
the possession Of General MERCER. General
MERCER thought the witness was not justi-
fed in answering, but, in reply to further
queries, MERCER declared he took the full
responsibility for the TRANSACTIONS submitted
to the court.
Thereupon NJ. Labori pointed out that
when the document was produced General
MERCER was no longer minister of war. and
esked what right, then, had he to have in
lis possession a document which was a
state secret?
General Mercier made a pitiable exhibition
but did not reply. NJ. Labor, In a passion,
fairly Numbered his question. "wha can
be the value of documents" said he, when
we cannot see and cannot discuss; docu-
ments for which it is impossible to know
who takes the responsibility? I appeal to
you, Mr.. President, to be good enough to
ask General MERCER how this document
came into his possession"
MERCER, driven into a corner, feebly
evaded the question.
"Mr. President" continued Labori, Il in
sist thai a reply be given. General MERCER
has sworn to speak the whole truth. 1 must
insist that questions respectfully rendered by
the defense be answered by him. The court
martial unlike the Court Of Cessation, has
to deal with the whole range of the affair;
and it is necessary that complete light be
thrown on 1t. / insist that General Mercier
answer me, for it Is my right"
After Mercier's shutting collapse, NJ.
Labori sank back into his arm chair. great
beads of perspiration standing on his fore
head, but his countenance was radiant at
the impression he had made.
Counsel then asked what right had Gen.
eral MERCER to retain possession of all the
documents In the secret dossier?
General Mercier was silent.
M. Labori-I am asking for the official re-
sponsibility, and / make note of the fact
that it is refused. 1 will reserve the right
to take all the measures which / think prop
er. ISensation.]
Counsel added that he would. later, ask
Colonel Jouaust to recall General Mercier
and would put numerous questions to him,
TO which, however. counsel added, he could
fcresee the general would refuse to reply.
prolonged sensation.1
THE LA JOUX CASE.
Reverting next to Lieutenant Colonel
Rollins evidence and the testimony Rollin
had given Spy Guenee. NJ. Labori read the
evidence of Guenee before the Court of Cas-
sation, pointing out that after such evil
, dence none of the information which
Guenee supplied in 1894 could be maintained
against Dreyfus.
Replying to a question as to the char
acter Of La Joux and the confidence which
could be placed In his statements, General
Gonse handed in a report giving La Joux
the worst possible character.
Dreyfus then made d statement regard
ing a passage of Rollins evidence referring
to the searches made in his (Dreyfus's)
residence in 1894. Everything said the
prisoner, was seized without exception"
Colonel Jouaust-Some Of the pages were
missing OF your notes taken at the lectures
given by the military college? That has
been the subject OF remark.
Dreyfus-No. my colonel: not in 1894.
fSensation.1
Ferret, a former secretary of the Minis
try of War, who is alleged to have caught
Dreyfus prying into the work Of some of his
fellow-oficers during their absence, testf-
fed that, towards the end of 1893, on return
ing from his lunch at an hour the officers
were usually out. he found Dreyfus In the
fourth bureau with a stranger. a civilian,