Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-08-18
TO-DAY'S TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
Picnnart on the ; tand.

Picunart on the tand.
Reunes, Aug. S.-Lisut. Colonel
Picouart today exceeded his brilliant
performance OF yesterday 10 the defense
of Captain Dreyfus when he resumed
his place Cd the stand at the opening
of the court martial. He took full adj
vantage of the French law which al
lows a witness to be his own adVocaie
as we'll as TO testify. The witness be-
gan by fatty coDtradicting some OF the
testimony OF Gen. Roget who devoted
nearly an hour yesterday TO lns!nua
inns against Picquart. General Roget
was recalled to the stand and brief
hut warm argument followed between
him and Picquart. Picquart maintain
ed that the line in the bordereau, - am
Just going to the msnouvers," could not
nave been written by Dreyfus as ne
could have mad no knowledge Of the
manouvres at the date the bordereau
was written. Picquart then pro
ceeded to dissect the documents named
in the act of accusation and sWore the
writing in these was the same as that
of the letter Henry forged. This de-
claration created profound sensation.
Picuuart then tackled the secret dossier
which he had declared yesterday con-
tanned absolutely no proof of the priso'
ner's guilt. He claimed that 1t was
Henry who altered the postal card
so as to make it appear that Ester
hazy's name, which appeared in the
note, had been forged. When Colonel
Jouast refused to let Picquart see GER
tain documents, the witness proceeded
TO recite their contents perfectly from
memory. Dreyfus looked like new
man as he listened to Picquart's test
mony. There was slight smile
on his face. The Judges took
copious notes. TIE audience lis
tened with breathless interest to
Plcquart's clear demonstration and
there were murmurs of approval as
the witness scored against De Clam, Is
terhazy, Gonse and other OF his en
emies. Picquart related the story OF
his Punishment to Africa on q pretext,
Just as he was hot on Esterhazy's trail.
He told of his return and subsequent
arrest for forgery and OF the efforts OF
the general staff to thwart Investigations
that could only lead 10 the conviction
OF Es:erhazy whom Henry and De
Clam sought to shield with the machin-
ery of the war office. II know" eX-
claimed Piccuart, with a dramatic ges-
ture, II am convinced that Esterhazy
is the guilty man." The sincerity and
conviction of the witness stirred the
court. Some started to cheer but the
court quickly suppressed the demon
stration. Picquart then related Du Patty
de CLAIMS story Of the "yeiled LADY"
and other inventions to shield Ester
hazy and showed up the plot in glar-
ing light, The session ended with the
conformation OF the witness with Gen
eral Roget and General MERCER, MS
detractors. II was an exciting moment.
Both the generals were excited and
talked with loud voices. Speaking
sometimes both at once, they claimed
the dates and details cited by Picquarl
were wrong. Picquart insisted hotly
they were right, and the generals ought
to know it, General Roget" he ex
claimed, 81 shall talk. l refuse TO be
mensced." When the session ended
Picquart had talked the generals to
ssandstill.
Col. Plcquart in his evidence riddled
(. the famous secret dossier and also took
= few shots at Du Patty de Clam, WHO
has ell along maintained that the dos
ser contained conclusive proof of Drey
fuss guilt. The document contained the
well-known phrase "Ce canaille De
D." Plcquart showed had been writ
ten by Pannizzardi, the Italian military
attache and not SchwartZkroppen.
There was nothing to show the I'D" re.
ferred to Dreyfus Both Schwarlzkrop-
pen and Panizzarei have stated en-
phaticaily they never heard Of Dreyfus
uutil after his arrest.
Picquart expressed his regret that Du Patty
| De Clam could not be present He wrote
the commentaries on the dossier," he said,
and wish he was here 10 give us his re-
miniscenes | would help him. This was
greeted with laughter. PicQuart said that
several of the documents in the second part
OF the dossier were palpablc frauds. he then
practically called Do Clam thief.