The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-08-30
A Woman In the Plot.

A Woman In the Plot
a woman, he explained, served as an
intermediary and, the ordinary channel
having been closed, il was found neceS-
sary TO negotiate directly with the in
terInediary, otherwise the woman with
whom rendezvous were usually made in
churches. But, as the ordinary chan
nel's" services were still available else
where, his pay continued. Possibly,
continued the witness, the spy endeav-
ored to renew his relations with the
embassy. Such was the situation at
the moment of the reception of the Dor
dereau.
Dealing with the leakage discovered
by the military authorities, Colonel
Cordier said he ascertained it was oc-
curing at Bourges. Witness recalled
the fact that an artificer named Thorn
as was sentenced for treason in 1894.
The foreign correspondents did not no
tice his arrest and consequently a letter
addressed to him was intercepted and
reply was sent. This letter asked for
plans of a shell.
The headquarters staff obtained the
plans and sent them to Thomas CORES
pOndents. The latter replied thanking
Thomas and enclosing bank notes.
which were credited TO the funds of the
headquarters staff Whatever has been
said to the contrary, witness maintain
ed that the leakage at Bourges could
not be ascribed to Dreyfus.
Were Various Leakages.
This was also the opinion OF Colonel
Sandherr, who frequently had recourse
to witness intimate knowledge in this
question of the futile efforts to discover
evidence against DreyfuS.
Cordier Whose evidence greatly inter-
ested his hearers, described the various
leakages. He referred to a very serious
case, designated as leakage of st.
Thomas Aquinas." in which a clerk of
the church of St. Thomas Aquinas,
Paris, was mixed up IN espionage and
serious leakage in the ministry of ma
rine. The witness recalled how infor-
nation of the leakage of 1894 was re-
ceived primarily. The name mentioned
was that of a gentleman 45 years of age
and decorated, who used to convey doc
umentS to the embassy which the wit
ness described as a house with large
garden.
Colonel Cordier emphasized the fact
that the above personal description did
not bear the slightest resemblance to
Dreyfus, but resembled much more
closely another officer whose name had
been mentioned and could no longer be
prosecuted or convicted
Roget's Testimony False.
Cordier then described the events
prior to the arrest of Dreyfus, and
showed that only a single real leakage,
namely, the plans of IT, fortress, had
occurred at the time of mis- arrest. The
document known as the "Cette cain
nellie de D." he explained, was con-
temporaneous with this leakage.
1T has been said" said the witness,
that l made a, mistake on this point
and COMPOUNDED the document with an
other, containing the initial alleged. 1
desire very much to see the document,
so as to assure myself that it had not
been tempered with. 1t is not of very
much Importance, however, except to
show that General Roget's testimony
against me is false from beginning TO
end" (SensatiOn)
General Roget asked leave to speak,
but Colonel Cordier continued, show
ing how the leakage of plans of fort
resses were facilitated by the careless
ness of the headquarters staff, and
maintaining that the leakage was still
occurring when the witness left the
war office.
Suspicious Against Dreyfus.
Reverting to the manner in which
the suspicious against Dreyfus crystal
lized the colonel described two efforts to /
pry into the prisoners life and said I
the information at first received was
very pdu ana constituted SlIOHS plOOI
against the prisoner. Later, however,
it assumed quite a different aspect. 1t
was admitted that before his marriage
Dreyfus was not 'unimpeachable
morally, nor was he entitled to wear
a wreath of orange blossoms.
0aughter)
But" Cordier added. after his mar
riage Dreyfus was quite different"
The witness also said that while
Dreyfus boosted of his cOnquests he (!
(Cordier) was of the opinion that those
who boosted the most accomplished the
least. 0aughter)
Dreyfus, he continued, Dragged a |
great deal and probably now repented /
having done SO. Dreyfus' inquisitive-
ness he said was probably explained |
by his knowledge that he would not
long on the headquarters staff
and he desired to obtain all the infor-
nation which might be useful to him
in after life.
The colonel then paid tribute to the !
memory of Colonel Sandherr who eX-
amined the immense mass of documents |
relating to espionage and unearthed the |
"cette canaille de De-" document !
which seemed to the witness to date /
back to antiquity.
The Bordereau insufficient.
In 1894 the witness regarded as in |
sufficient the sole proof against Drey- /
fus. namely, the bordereau. He did not 1
believe the prisoner was guilty but the (
fact that. the judges We're unanimous /
in convicting him changed the witness
mind. HIS doubts, however. returned |
when he saw that the date of the |
bOrdereau received in SeDfember had /