The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-19

and in the opinion of General Bots
deffre and the minister of war to re-
open the affair. When l pressed on
the point in order to make General
Gonse understand that nothing could
prevent its reopenng if it could be be-
leved Dreyfus was innocent, General
Gonse replied: If you say nothing, no.
body will know
A Burdensome Secret.
General l replied. what you tell
me is abominable. l do not know what
l shall do but l won't carry this Sc
cret with me- Great sensation).
Il at once left the ROOM" added the
witness. That is what occurred l
know my account is disputed, but l
positively swear it," said Picquart, as
he emphatically smote the bar in front
of the witness box and looked in the
direction of the generals.
The colonel next described his inten-
tons with regard to EsterhaZy which
Generals Gonse and Boisdeffre had for
hidden him to carry out He attached
particular Importance to this point, as
1t contained a clue to subsequent oc-
currences. Later witness said that
while de Clam evidently acted wrongly
in Disgusting himself with a false beard
and blue spectacles, perhaps he was
authorized to do so.
After few minutes suspension Of
the session, Colonel Picquart resumed
his deposition, showing how. through
an article in the Eclar Sept. Is. he
was satisfied Esterhazy had been
warned of the suspicion against him.
In order to make the proof complete,
witness continued his Investigations
with the utmost discretion. In his
opinion. the only event of importance
in the Dreyfus affair since the dscov-
cry of the bordereau was the Henry
forgery. perpetrated Oct. 81 1896 He
added that it must have been handed
Immediately to General Gonse. Short
ly before Henry perpetrated the for
gerry, an agent named Guenee, Henry's
hand man, prepared a report de-
claring that NJ. Catelline, republican
revisionist deputy for Laon division of
Aisne. was about to play the hand Of
the Dreyfus family by unmasking in
the chamber of deputies the prisoner
accomplices, thus having the affair re-
opened. Colonel Picquart incidentally
complained bitterly that while he was
still chief of the intelligence depart
ment. Henrys tool, Guenee, should be
allowed to make reports against the
witness. who had established a con-
nection between the reports of Guenee
and the false deposition of Henry, who
had testified that he had seen the wit
ness seated in Maitre Leblois office
with the document containing the
words "Cette canaille de D."
Intrigues Against PIcquart.
The next feature of Picquart's depo-
sition was his recital of the intrigues
against him and the press. Then turn
ing to the commission on which he was
dispatched. Picquart described the irri-
tation he felt when he saw he was be-
ing removed because he was no longer
wanted as head of the intelligence de-
partment. He explained that if this dis
grace had been frankly avowed, it
would have been much less painful to
him. The colonel also said that during
his absence his correspondence was
tempered with. Dealing with his mis-
sion to Tunis. which Picquart said
ought to have been intrusted to a com
mssary of police. the witness declared
it was then that Henry. abandoning
his underhand intrigues began cam
paisn of open persecution. Henry
wrote to the witness, accusing him of
communicating information to the
press; with disclosing the contents of
secret documents and with attempting
to suborn officers in connection with
the petit bleu. 1t was then Plcquart
learned of the existence of the forged
secret document against himself and
foresaW his own ruin if the Dreyfus
affair was reopened, and to safeguard
himself. he entrusted to a lawyer friend
certain letter from General Gonse, at
the same time acquainting the lawyer
with what he knew of Esterhazy and
instructing the LAWYER how he should
intervene if due occasion demanded.
This lawyer M. Deblois, communicated
with NJ. Scheurer-Kestner. then one of
the vice presidents of the senate, and
the representations of the latter to Pre-
mier Melin's government followed.
When Picquart's furlough was due
General Leclerc, commanding in unis.
was ordered to send Picquart to the
frontier of Tripoli Leclerc commented
to witness on this abnormal order and
Picquart confided to the general the
probable reasons for it, and his belief
in the innocence of Dreyfus. Leclerc
ordered Picuuart not to go beyond
Gables. In the meanwhile the cam
paign in Paris was continued. Ester
| hazy appeared among the witnesses
and aCcusers. Picuuart here created a
sensatio incidentally remarking that
the judges in 1894 were shamefully de-
ceived in having the document con-
tanning the words ''Cette canatlle de
! D." communicated to them.
Witness bitterly recitsd the details o:
the various Vaccinations with the view
of incriminatng him instgated by
Henry, Esterhazy and Du Patty de
Clam.
Colonel Jousaust president of the
court having asked for explanations
on certain points, Picquart said:
IF / tell you all this, gentlemen, it
is to show what must have been the
| mental attitude towards me of the
| members of the court martial which
tried Esterhazy.' (Murmurs of as
senD.
When he resumed his deposition, the
witness said he regretted he had not
been given the opportunity to contra
dict his accusers at that court mar
tial.
Who Brought the Bordereau.
II have almost finished my task,
added Picquart. but l ask permission
to refer to the way the bordereau came
to the war office. | have doubts in le-
gard to the person who brought the
bordereau. Two quite different persons
could certainly have delivered the Dor