New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-18
COLONEL PICOUARTS TESTIMONY.

After the coward. the hero. After the ilar'
the man of truth. After the members Oh tne
military ring-who to adapt historic WORDS
must hang together lest they hang separately
the fearless. disinterested officer who has not
hesitated to sacrifice hopes OF promotioh anu "
leonard life itself for the sake OF justice 10
man who had not upon him even the claim Oh
friendship What effect Colonel Plcquarts 'es
timony, given yesterday and to he continued w
day, may have upon the members OF the heines
court martial we know not. The impression 1t
and the circumstances of its delivery must nave
upon impartial minds throughout the WORTH 10
evident and iDdisputable.
The testimony--if we may dignity with that
name mere diatribes OF personal OPINION ana III
sult-which has been given against Cap'ain
Dreyfus by such men as MERCER and Roget Is
obviously interested These men are person
ally implicated in the case. They are on triai rs
much as Captain Dreyfus. If he is acquitted
they will be by the same verdict at least NOR
ally convicted of one Of the most hideous crimes
of the age They are not merely attacking hlni'
they are working to save their own bacon lhat
Is the fact 10 be kept constantly in nina IN estl-
mating the weight OF their harangues bu' no"
different has been the case of Colonel l1cqnart!
He took up the Dreyfus case feeling n certain
antlpatby toward the condemned captain ana
complete assurance OF his guilt His naturai III
clnation and his positive orders from his supe-
riors were therefore in the direction OF con-
frminr the Justice of the original sentence
against CAPTAIN Dreyfus. But when he began
IA examine the case he found TO his aStonsh-
ment that Captain Dreyfus had been illegally
and unjustly condemned; that there was really
no case against him, and that there were
strong indications that another was guilty OF
the crime of which he was accused. Against
this discovery Colonel Picquart strove. he
stroye TO find evidence against Captain Drey-
FMS and justification Of his sentence. 1t was IN
vain. The more he sought for proofs OF the
mans guilt the more proofs Of his Innocence
did he find He communicated this fact TO his
superors BY them he was told that 1t did not
matter 1t did not matter if Captain Dreyfus
Was innocent His guilt must be maintained
for the sake Of screening some one else. tie
WAS given to understand. too. that his own wei
fare depended upon his minding his business
and obeying orders, no matter what he might
think or might find out. At that his honest soul
revolted He took upon himself the responsible
,ty Of acting in the interest Of truth. He took
steps toward fixing upon the real culprit the
Immediately he was made an object OF persecu-
ton. His superior officers removed MIN from
his Mace. sent him to a dangerous locality from
which he was not expected TO return alve, ana
at last. on fabricated charges. degraded him
and imprisoned him. But through 1t all ne
chung TO the truth and was faithful to the cause
Of justice.
That is what is to be kept constantly in mind
In estimating the weight OF Colonel PicQuarts
testimony There Is thus the strongest possible
presumption that his testimony is true. And OBJ
serve too, that it Is testimony. 1t Is nara
ton Of pertinent facts, not mere string OF opn-
ions and denunciatons. There was scarcely
word OF Merciers and Roget's stun that would
not have been ruled out OF any court In the CIV
ilized world except a French court martial
There Is scarcely word Of Colonel Pcquart's
testimony that would not have been accepted as
relevant and competent We shall hope 10 hear
more from him to-day. We shall hope TO have
him and Du Patty de Clam brought face to face
that the latter may hear the truth concerning
himself Doubtless Du Patty de Clam would not
Ike IT, We are told that some OF the Jew bait
ing generals sneaked out Of court yesterday
when Colonel PicQuart began to speak. NO
wonder But they cannot keep sneaking and
lodging forever Sooner or later they must
stand up at the bar of justice. Roget had to do
SO yesterday for few minutes, and got might
ily red in the face and hot in the collar present
ing a fine contrast to his airs Of jaunty inso-
lence Of the day before. So Du Patty de Clam
would probably not come into court with the
dark lantern with which he tortured Captain
Dreyfus, with the pistol with which he tried to
get Captain Dreyfus to commit suicide or with
the razor with which Henry was killed
Let attention be paid to the Rennes court to-
day. There is on the witness stand brave
man, who is telling the truth.