The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-17
descended from the platform and took 9
seat beside General Zurlinden.

Colonel Picquart was then called to the
witness stand. He protested most for
mally against all suspicion Of having
caused the disappearance of any document
relating to Dreyfus. Documents, he
added, had disappeared but he was not
connected with their disappearance. He
also repelIed with scorn the assertion that
he had endeavored to put another officer
in the place of the real author of the
bordereau
1t is true,'' the witness continued,
that the name Of Captain Dorval being.
mentioned to me as a dangerous man, /
had him watched, and do you know,
gentlemen, by whom Dorval was de-
nounced? By his own cousin" continued
Picquart, Major Du Patty de Clam
i (sensation.)
| Colonel Picquart then next proceeded to
reply to the various attacks made upon
him.
| These tactics, he said, are evidently
pursued with the object of lessening the
value of my testimony
The Colonel next outlined his connection
with Dreyfus at the Military College, and
afterwards at the Ministry of War, where,
owing to the Anti-Semite prejudices of
/, the General Staff, he first appointed Drey-
fus to department where probationers
! had no direct cognizance of the secret
| documents
He then described the CONSERVATION in
the War Office when the treason was
discovered and the relief experienced
when It was thought the guilty person
witness discovered, the similarity between
the handwriting of Dreyfus and that OF
the bordereau and he had recourse to
ou Pary de Clam, who was supposed to
rlI Inn 7lc3rr T
tef)
Then the witness described what he
charac ac[erized as rthe Irregular steps"
the arrest of Dveyfus.
Referring to the dedication test. the
witness. earnestly and. emphat atieally
turbation in the hand writing of Drey-
fus on that occasion and, moreover,
shortly afterwards Du Patty de Clam adj
mitted he had not found a fresh charge
Beyond the bcrdereau, added the
witness, there was nothing against
Dreyfus--absolutely nothing"
Picquart then recalled the vehement
protests of innocence which the prisoner
had not ceased to reiterate during all
phases of degradation. The witness de-
clared he was quite ignorant of the CON
fession Dreyfus is alleged to have made
to Captain Lebrun- Renault
Continuing Col. Ficquart defended him
self against the charge that he had
always directed his efforts towards the
rehabilitation of Dreyfus. He said he had
onl ydirected the Investigation made to
that end and when he became aware that
the writings of Eserhazy and the border
eau were Identical ana that consequently,
the charge against Dreyfus no longer
His impression during the investigation.
continued Colonel Picquart. was that the
accuseds acquittal was probable, as the
evidence was insufficient. Witness be-
lieved he had even told the Minister of
War that the condemnation of the ae-
cused could not be secured unless the
court martial had shown the secret docu-
ments which it had been agreed to submit
to the court
The Colonel next declared that in 1894
he did not know the contents of the secret
dossier. But he believed, like all other
officers. that it contained frightful proofs
against the prisoner But when he be-
found That his ssearlier impressions were
entirely wrong (lProlonged sensation.)
During the course Of his deposition:
Colonel Tsicquart asked TO 5e confronted
with Major Du Patty de Clam and to be
permitted ssto deal with some of his Pc
ctliarities' when Patty de Clam Is in the
Next. the Colonel examined the border
eaux and declared Dleyfus could not have
disclosed part of It.
Regarding the Madagascar more, the
witness disputed its value and said ne
did not believe it was confidential note.
He added that if Oreyfus. IN ms capacity
of probationer, had asked the witness
him Immediately Therefore he, Picquart
was unable to understand the sentence IN |
the bordereau reading
ssThis document was very difficult to
obtain
never seen Dreyfus cepy the smallest doc
ument in the War Office In the. opinion
If the witness the department where the |
bordereau was discovered ought to have |
been searched when the discovery was
made This ne exBiaalneGa o. 1sSas,, vas tne r,es ae5
and that was the department which was /
working on the plan of the concentration /
of the troops and the Madagascar expe-
.sTt was in Major Dus Patty de CLAIMS de-
nartment that the search should have I
been made. or, rather. in his private room
where he worked quite alone tSensa-
Paty de Claim, continued the witness.
had been guilty Of grave imgrudence, IN |
having, contrary to the regulations, had |
confidential documents copied by simple /
secretaries missioned officers /
and even private soldiers. whereas the
custom was that such Work was done /
Later on the witness said he wondered
if it was not to avoid the risk of punish
ment that Patty de Clam advanced the
date of the reception of the bordereau +
at the Intelligence Department, so as to
make it prior. to the date Of his, Patty de
CLAIMS arrival in the Third Department? /
The Court adjourned after partly hear
ing Colonel Picquart, who will continue
his deposition tomorrow
Colonel Picquart was magnificent today I
as he marched into court, tall and strong
ly buift, dressed in a fioclxcoat and wear
ing the ribbon of the Legion of Honor
in his buttonhole His first words sound
ed through the court room like trumpet
blast as he replied to the questions of
the President, giving his name, etc. His
advent was like fresh breeze, clearing
away the foul atmosphere of the previous
sittings. The Colonel began his deposition
in the high, resonant voice of a man de-
termined to abide by every word uttered
He was pale but had a look of grim de-
termination on his face He regarded the
members of the court-Inartial straight in
the eyes and Immediately assumed bold
demeanor towards them, giving Colonel
Jouaust the President of the Court, just
such Difference as the latter could de-
mand but not a scrap more.
The strength of character of Colonel
Picquart and the attitude he intended to
adopt in court was shown at the outset
when. having been already stopped by
Colonel Jouaust from entering into GER
tain explanations he came to the reasons
why he entered the War Office, and de-
clared:--
Il am going to explain why I entered
the War Office in few Words adding,
in resoIute tone, and that will not
be much.
Picquart spore nalpahly, under the in
f1uence of stroN emotion. But, through.
out, he maintained complete mastery over
himself He accompanied his statements
with energetic gestures and with an in