Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-19
GENERALS ARE DIsC0MFITED.
Discovery of Schneider Forgery and
Colonel Picquart's Testimony
Hit Them Hard.
Copyright, 1899, BY the Associated Press

Copyright, 1899. by the Associated Press)
RENNES, Aug. 1S.-A severe blow to the
military set it was when the Schneider dis
patch was made known at 5 o'clock this
morning in the refectories and the hotels
1t was q source of jubilation to the other
side
General Mercier had greatly emphasized
its Importance when giving his testimony.
His manner was victorious as he handed
the alleged letter of Colonel Schneider to
the president of the court-martial, to be
added to and filed with the other papers
connected with the trials.
These generals at Rennes have no stand
ing counsel to advise them. They show
forensic ability in making speeches when
they ought to be giving evidence, but they
lack lawyer-like prudence and legal prac-
tice
Any advocate would have felt how risky
1t was to dwell on such a document as an
Intercepted letter from military .attache,
especially in view of the forgeries with
which the secret dossiers teemed. After all
that had transpired about the letters of
military attaches to each other in 1894, the
attaches, in self-defense were bound to dis
credit everything in the secret dossiers.
These letters were supported by police
reports. Were they published, the world
would read them aghast As at least 127
persons in all must have seen them. the
authors, real or alleged, would find them
selves on the defensive. But these con-
siderations never presented themselves to
GeHeTal MerClef nllnQ mat he DelleVe0
in the authenticity of his document and
pinned his faith to 1t is now laughed at
everywhere. Hs best friends call him a
donkey and his enemies rejoice.
Colonel PanizZardi trumps Colonel
Schneider's denial of his alleged letter by
writing and branding as a forgery the re-
port that General Roget said he (Panizzar-
DID wrote to the late Signor Rossmann, the
Italian ambassador, regarding the relations
of Colonel Schwartzkoppen with Dreyfus.
Colonel Schneider sends his contradiction
to the Figaro from Ems. and Colonel Pan
izzardi makes use of that paper in tele-
graphing from Rome to give the lie to the
whole of RogetS statement, so far as 1t
dealt with the alleged report to Rossmann.
The Figaro at once telegraphed both COM
posted in the hotels for the edification of
the patrons.
The Austrian and Italian embassies at
test the genuineness of the Schneider and
Panizzardi dispatches. Mercier feels that
ne has thrown the fat into the fire. and he
looked depressed and out of countenance
to-day. So did Roget, who is stronger
man, Notwithstanding the tears he shed at
the, close of his deposition yesterday. But
tiresome humiliation.
colonel Picquart was again witness to-
day: He was allowed TO sit in an arm chair
with which the generals had been success
sively accommodated. Picquart's figure is
younger than his face. His voice is pleas
ant. His diction is good, the emphasis new
er too emphatic and the gesticulation sell
one who goes in for the sober and the un-
adorned.
His face is strange, but not unpleasing.
The aquiline nose is far too long. The eyes