New-York tribune., 1899-02-12
PICQUART'S HEROIC STAND.
THE BRAVE ADVOCATE OF REVISION
PICTURED BY a FRENCH JOURNALIST.
NJ oTHoN GUERILLA. OF THE Steele" TELLS
or HIS LIFE AND TRAINING. AND HIS

OF HIS LIFE AND TRAINING. AND HIS
PART IN THE DREYFus CASE
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Lieutenant Colonel Plcquart is still in
jail The man who was the first to stand up for
truth and justice, who in the very midst Of the
secret dosslcr' began the revision Of the Drey-
fus trial and who by his courageous and chival-
rous demeanor has indicated the honor Of the
French Army and saved the fair, good name Of
his country. has been for more than seven
months in prison.
But France has never seen such prisoner. At
Christmas and New Years his room Of the
Cherche-midi has been filled with letters tele-
grams. flowers and various presents from
known friends throughout the whole world. |
have Just read a letter written by him to a
friend Of mine. in which, answering on January
l. a message sent to him the 1st, he apollo
gizes on account Of the big mail every day
brings in. PiCquart has become popular man
among the best elements Of French society and
he is now 1t might be said the Bouanger OF
the Intellectuas Even those who have not been
stirred by Dreyfus's tragic destiny have been
indignant at the treatment inflicted upon Pic
quart The protests by his admirers two months
ago were growing day by day. The most proml-
nent writers in France. like Edmond Rostand
author Of "Cyrano"; Nictorien Sardou, the cele-
brated dramatist Sully- -Prudhomme, the poet;
members of the French Academy like Ernest
Iavisse and Jules Claretie; scientists, like Du-
claux Pasteur's successor, and Esee Reclus.
the geographer; politicians, like Jaures. Clemen-
ceau, Yves Guyot, Wadeck Rousseau; great
actors. like Coquelin. Sarah Bernhardt and
RAjane: professors Of all the universities, MEM
hers OF the bar distinguished women and stu
dents. plain citizens workngmen and poor
people were coming together 10 stand by that
modern Bayard and emphasize their admiIa-
ticn for the man who alone. against all. has
tried 10 save lie innocent and unpopular Drey-
fus
NJ. Francis de Pressense. one Of the most
prominent Partisan journalists, who has led
such an admirable campaign for revision in
organizing meetings in Paris. has found time
enough already 10 write big biographical vol
,,ne entitled "a Hero: Lieutenant Colonel Pic
ouart" Anatole France the great novelist and
one Of the best writer's of French modern htera-
turc made the other day n fiery speech Tor
Plcduart in n meeting Of students. octave MH-
beau another prominent novelist, wrote some
DAYS ago. in a striking editorial of the paris
Aurore": "Picquart is not merely a hero; he is
something greater; he is symbol; ne suddenly
rose among us as the symbol Of duty. Of sacrl-
fee and of conscience
Even in the Chamber Of Deputies. where poti-
cal cowardice has so long tied so many tongues
the treatment inflicted upon him has reused the
Indignation Of one Of the soundest and most In
tclligent representatives. NJ. Poincare' former
Minister Of Public instruction, who delivered an
inpassionod speech against the attitude Of mill
tary justice in the Picquart case.
Now wish to tell the reader who Is that
man who. in his place in the General Staff
began. two years ago. to realize that DreyIus
was innocent. and who since has struggled FOR
revision: where he comes from, what is his mill
tary record and what. before these events
seemed to he his future an officer in the
French Army.
PIcQUART's EARLY LIFE.
Colonel Picouart was born in strasburG on
Septeubor g. 1871. in that Alsace which re-
mains so dear 10 all Frcnchmen. lie is forty
three years cid. and was the youngest leu
tonant-colonel Of the army He comes of an
old Lorraine family. which was prolific in judges
civil servants and officers. He IS neither
Protestant nor a Jew. he is a Catholic Ills
father was receiver cf taxes In Strashurg' ana
7 have often been told by my Alsatian friends
that Picouart's family was always looked upon
az one Of the most distinguished families of the
/ city.
GEORGES Picquart was brought up In homey
and sirnplc way and educated at the StraspurS
high school where he had as classmates the son
or a vcr-known Protestant clergyman young
Icbloie who has since become judge ana
LAWYER. and whose role in the Dreyfus case Is
/ known The intimacy that began there pe-
tween Leblos and Picquart has remained uh-
broken ever since. and the son of the Protestant
,o.t,r heca,n4 one Of the best friends Of the son
Of the Catholic receiver # taxes
picouort was sixteen when the war was de-
clared and like the other boys Of that genera
ton ne may be said to have been steeIed 10 al
yersitv by the events Of that year lie hea' u
the bombs whistle that set fire to me Va
thedral and the famous public library OF Stfas
,.rc ue ,,itnesscd his heart burning with
rage the triumphant entrance OF the 'er'''a"s
/ and vowed 70 devote himself to the services Of
France and to serve under the defeated nag
lie was a delicate lad, but had an iron WILL
which enabled him to compete with MS school
fellows in all their physical exercises. He had
o1eo q romantic bent strengthened by vacation
,oto,,rrs in the Vosges Mountains, and espe-
ciauv in that picturesque and ola castle or ST.
Cdi,o which some American readers have surely
visited.
lie was already famous for the maps he drew
ard for his close Typographical observations
He had an intuitiye and. at the same tlii'e' PEI
ccptive and mathematical mind. with the mag
nation of an artist and the senslniil'y OF tn'
poet He fed his fancy with Goethe ana hel"'
and was later in Paris society. one OF the hrS'
f. hail Wagner as a master Of lyric tragedy
/ His education. both intellectual ana artiSuc
Picquart is very fond Of music-has not peeh
the ordinary education Of soldier ana ms
rival Colonel Henry. that coarse ana ignorant
| peasant was Of course. unable To underSta""
or like such refined and accomplished sehue
/ man.
This poet and artist was. nevertneless' re-
markabe soldier. He was one # the best puP's
I ~ - C,,r-tbe French west POint-and was