The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-20
MAJORS HEROlCS
MADE THEM SMILE
Continued from First Page)

Matthieu Dreyfus and the Enquiry into
Esterhazy's proceedings.
AT that time" the witness said, 81
was convinced of the guilt of Dreyfus
| and this conviction is as strong today
as ever" (Sensation)
Then the witness briefly referred to
the trial and acquittal of Esterhazy
and the latter's threats to proclaim him
self tool of the General Staff, after
/ which the General abiding to the Henry
forgery and NJ. Cavafgnac's interroga-
| tons of Henry.
You know the result" said he. APP
parently much moved. Il viii not tell
| you what | suffered at that moment. As
soon as everything was ended | rendered
| my resignation, but was asked to with
| draw it. | was told everyone coulG
make a mistake, but | replied that
| while everyone was liable to err. every
| one had not the misfortune, as | had, 10
assert to a jury that a document was
genuine when in reality it was forged;
that everyone ought to stand by ones
word and that when a man happened 10
experience such misfortune there WAS
nothing left for him but to go away and
from that moment | have held aloof "
(Sensation.)
Boisdeffrp admitted that the leakage
at the headquarters continued after the
condemnation of Dreyfus. it ceased
for year, but in 1895, paper was dis
covered proving the communication to
foreign. government of a document re-
lating to the distribution of the artillery
and showing that a foreign government
was perfectly acquainted with the
III 5Y,as,Ia
After a brief suspension of the sitting
of the court General Gonse. who was
under chief of the General Staff, was
called to the witness stand. He eX-
planned the motives which influenced his
actions during the past few years and
said he believed he was animated by
the Hottest aims, namely the protection
of the army against the criminal attacks
made on it from all sides.
General Gonse said that i'm spite of
Esterhazy's statements it was impossible
for him to have written the bordereau
and still more impossible for him To
have secured the information contained
there He added that no traces of IN
discretion were discovered during all the
proceedings against Esterhazy.
General Gonse denied that Esterhazy
had received money from the Intelligence
Department. and, describing the
..strange behavior OF Dreyf1ls." and
'shis frequent acts of hldiscretion. the
witness begged the court TO summon the
Secretary OF the Ministry Of War who
surprised the prisoner pry.ng in the off,
fees at a time when there was no bust
ness going on there.
Considerable comment was aroused
by the fact that, contrary TO the provis-
ions of the law requiring the testimony
TO be verbal and without notes. General
Gonse, adjusting his eyeglasses, proceed
cd to consult a large note book. and
frequently refreshed his memory.
Dealing with the Henry forgery, Gen
eral Gonse said:
II can say it was already known.
General Roget spoke to me about it at
length eight days before Henry confess
cd (Sensation-)
The witness disputed Magistrate Ber-
tulus' account of the interview with
Henry, but admitted that when he
General Gonse, handed Henry his for
gerry. the latter insisted lit must not
lie shown to Picquart. (Sensationl
Replying to NJ. Demange. witness adj
mitted he had ordered Colonel Picquart
not to concern himself with the hand
writing or the bordereau when he com
inenced his investigation of Esterhazy.
Then asked M. Demange sharply.
when You saw his handwritings were
| identical with the writings of the Dor
! dereau, did that make no impression on
you?"
evidently" replying the witness ''the
two handwritings had great resemb
lance"
When Dreyfus was asked the regular
question he said:
Il viii reply directly to the Secre-
tary Of the Ministry of War who said
he saw me in the big offices after sery-
| ice hours.
AS regards General Gonse, I am
surprised that the General officer re-
peats dinner-table gossip. There Is
known to be insnrmountable difficulty
| in introducing anyone into the Ministry
of War, and it is absolutely Impossible
| for an officer to bring anyone into the
ministry"
To this the General replied
mo doubt it is difficult :
| Colonel Jouaust:
| No doubt it lis difficult, but it is not
| impossible. The ministry can be enter
ed easily enough at certain hours. Drey-
Ius Ads lie IL poSItfou 10 KNOW fnat.
| tSensation.)
Il will reply to Secretary Ferret, who
has told a lie. What | have to say to 4
| General Gonse is that every time
/ friend came to see me at the ministry,
even when a French officer, | was oblig-
ed to descend to the floor below. and
even members of the Chamber of De-
pnties who called on me could not en-
ter the ministry. 1t was consequently
| absolutely impossible under ordinary cir
cumstances for subaltern 10 bring any
one into the ministry"
General Gonse declared that permits
could easily be obtained.
THE PROBABLE VERDICT.
Opinion is greatly divided as to the
probable verdict of the courtmartial.
| 1nomas Terrell, an eminent English jur-
| isl who has been in attendance. predicts
| acquittal. Mrs Emily Crawford pro-
| diets tie which will liberate Dreyfus.
| The correspondent of the London Sunday
| Special says the case against Dreyfus
| will he withdrawn because the docu-
ments are proved to be forgeries.
4