The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-05-04
RAIDED BY BANDITS
'Cubans Loot Villages in Puerto
Principe Province.
CONSPIRACY TO SAVE EsTERHAzY

Patty Dr. Clam Declares Himself "the
Most Disciplined soldier on Earth"
and Declares He Acted Solely on Or
ders of His Superior Ofiicers.
Paris, May 2.-The Figaro. continu-
ing Its publications Of the testimony
before the court Of cessation in the
Dreyfus revision inquiry, prints today
the deposition of Lieutenant Colonel
Patty du Clam. who on April ~
deposed that, on being invited to reply
frankly to statements Of Captain Cuig-
net, he had obeyed as 4 soldier. with
out asking written orders from his
superior, contenting himself with oral
ones.
Referring to his silence in the face
OF accusations, and to his being placed
on the retired list, the witness asserted
that he was "the most disciplined Of
soldiers" and had not merited the fate
meted out to him. He demanded to
be confronted with Captain Cuignet
and his other accusers.
In replying to numerous questions
he said that when General lie Mouton
de Boisdeffre, chief Of the French gen.
eral staff in 1894. wanted him to act
MS a police officer In the Dreyfus af-
| fair he asked to he excused and rec
ommended Lieutenant Colonel Pic
overt for the task. General de Bois-
dcffre refused TO accc;t this suggestion
Throughout the inquiry. the witnos'
affirmed, he had Cnly acted on the ad-
vice the experts IN handwriting. NM.
Bertillon "a Cochc'ort. VI. Ber'i'-
lion adviSel him :" dictate lines to
Drryrus. ard u. CocAofort accompanied
hiIf.
Tie report was presented Ia October.
1894 II did not draw the Inference
OF the guilt of Dreyfus. hut merely
stated certain cts. IN December.
! 1891. Co, re, Sandhcrr sent him
(Paty du Clrirl a Goasicr of secret doc
umen.s to !"ror, uicn ard the report,
which w"s the result of his collabora-
ton with Co,cEcl Candhcrr. went to
General Me'cier, then minister OF war.
Coming down to the events OF 1896.
Colonel Fatty du Clam sad he was
ignorant Of the o1inrs Of the intel
ligence bureau during this period. but
he indicated NJ Decrion ns he:nc at
the head OF u vcritable mnnu!acture OF
forgerles for Lieutenant Colonel
Henry.
Colonel PGtr du Clqm said Gen
eral Gonse told him III 1897 that he
had minutely investigated the affair
and had proved EG;erhazy's innocence
OF treason. Again in 1898 General
Gonse told him 1t was imperative to
save Esterhazy at any price, In order
to prevent his committal Of the ir
reparable acts Of suicide or flight. and
also to avoid diplomatic difficulties. "a
war. owing to the lack OF preparedness,
would then be disastrous. -.
II was decided. the witness contin-
red, to save Esterhazy, and MN. Gribe-
lin and Pauffin de Stmorel and the
witness were entrusted with the task
Then. for the first time, the witness
acted, he declared, with Esterhazy
whom ne had only seen once in AL
geria. Is years previously. He accept
ed the responsibility for what he had
done. but declared that he only acted
on orders. he admitted giving Ester
hazy draft of the article signed
"Dixi" and olso drafts Of letters ad-
dressed to the president Of the re-
r"h'ic. the e"ndinC Of which was au-
thorized and covered by General de
Doisdeffre after conference with
General Gonse.