Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-23

| the minister of war. The witness ADDED:
! col Picuuart's manner in speaking OF
! Esterhazy left me little doubt that
| proofs of Esterhazy's guilt existed that I
| asked if he had been arrested or was about
| to be taken into custody. Col Picquart re-
! piled that he had not yet obtained positive
proof, but had the gravest presumptions."
! Here Col Picquart jumped up and de-
| MED mentioning espionage to Maj. LIE Rond
| or that he spoke in behalf of the minister
| of war. But the major adhered to his
! statements and asserted that Picquart's
memory was playing him false
| AT this juncture Col. Jouaust announced
! it was Esterhazy's turn to speak, but that
as he was not present the evidence which
he gave before the court Of cessation would
be read. The clerk of the court. according
ly, read to an inattentive audience Ester
Hays deposition, as published in April
last.
The reading of Esterhazy's deposition
occupied hour. during which the audi
ence devoted most of its attention to NJ
Labor. whose appearance denoted no dim
mutton of energy. The pallor which was
noticeable in his face yesterday was re-
placed by rudy glow, though there were
signs that he was suffering occasional ex-
Cruciating twinges.
ed that three letters addressed by Ester
hazy to the president of the republic
should be read
Esterhazy's Odd COnceits.
The following are passages from those
letters which were published early in April
last:
In the first letter he (EsterhaZy) said:
My house is illustrious enough in the an
nais of French history and in those of the
great European causes for the government
of my country to take care not to allow
my name to be dragged in mud. l address
myself, therefore, to the supreme head of
the army and to the president of the re-
public, and | ask him to put an end to the
scandal, as he can and ought to do If l
should have the sorrow not to be listened
to by the supreme head of my country,
my preca Itions are taken for my appeal to
reach the ears of my heraldic chief, the
sovereign of the Esterhazy family, the
Emperor of Germany. He is a soldier, and
will know how to set the honor of a SOL
der, even enemy, above the mean,
equivocal intrigues of politics. He will dare
to speak out loud and strongly defend the
honor of ten generations of soldiers 1t is
for you, president of the republic. to
judge if you should force to carry the
question into that region. An Esterhazy
fears not anything or anybody if not God
In his second letter Esterhazy said: Il
am at bay and compelled to all means
in my power. generous woman who
warned me of the horrible plot woven
against me by friends of Dreyfus, with the
assistance of Col. Picquart, has since been
able to procure for me- among other docu
ments, the photograph of a paper which
she succeeded in getting out of that officer.
This paper, stolen in foreign legation by
Col. PicGuart, is most compromising for
certain diplomatic personages. If | neither
obtain support nor justice, and if my name
comes to be renounced this photograph,
which is today quite safe abroad will be
Immediately published
In the third letter Esterhazy says: This
document is protection for me, since it
proves the scounGrelsm of Dreyfus and is a
danger for my country because its pubica-
ton with the fac smile of writing. will
force France TO humiliate herself or to de-
clare war. You who are above empty quar-
reIs in which my honor is at stake, do not
leave under the obligation of choosing
between two alternatives equally horrible.
Compel Pontius Plate of politics to make
a clear. precise declaration instead of
maneuvering to retain the votes of friends
of Barabbas.
"All letters that l have written will short
~ reach the hands Of one of my relatives,
who has had the nonor this summer TO
ceive Two emperors What will the whole
world think when it learns of the cowardly
cold cruelty with which / have been al
lowed to struggle in my agony without help,
without advice. My blood will be upon your
heads" ....-.
= --. Gen. GOnse Replies.
General Gonse said he desired to reply to
Esterhazy's statements. During the course
of his observations, the general said Ester
hays allegation that he was the right
hand man of the general staff was abso-
utely false.
The Mont Sours interview, Gonse con-
tinued, occurred in July, 1893. But" he
added. "as Major du Patty de Clam and
Lieutenant Colonel Henry left General de
Bosdeffre and myself in the dark in regard
TO their movements, it was only by chance
l heard of it from NJ Gribelin.
Anonymous letters received in October,
1897, announced that campaign was being
organized against Esterhazy. 1t was pro-
posed to send Esterhazy anonymous let
ter telling him to keep quiet and do moth
ing, but the minister of war refused to
sanction it,
The general positively maintained that
EsterhaZy was never instructed in regard
to what he should say at the inquiry con-
Quoted by Gen. Peliieux. and, Gonse added,
the assertions of Esterhazy this sub
ject We're utterly devoid of truth
Gen. Gonse proceeded to refer to his
avoidance of Esterhazy during the lola
trial.
Il considered him to be a compromising
person." said the witness, "and L was not
wrong If EsterhaZy was permitted to go
free, it was by order of Gen. Saussier, who
would not accept the advice of the general
staff nor of the officers under him, however
high their rank. 1t was Major du Patty de
Clam alone who COMPROMISED the entire
headquarters ST fl by his imprudence (Sen-
sationD If l now say for the first time
ii is because the case against Patty de Clam
has been dismissed. l could not have spok-
en- earlier without seeming to accuse a
prisoner"
The general then attempted to explain
the Intervention of the headquarters staff
in the choice of EsterhaZys witnesses at
the time of his prosecution by Col Pic
quart, and said he, the witness, was con-
viEced Patty de Clam was only connected
with the late Lieut. Col. Henry and not