Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-06

| ject. Lauth proceeded to accuse Picquart
| of the most profound contempt for the Of
| ficers of his department and their home
| life. The day Of the cars entry into Paris,
| Commandment Lauth asserted, Pfcquart in
| troduced to the witness and Madame Henry
| a woman unfit for their society, and whom
they had since discovered to be the wife OF
| a magistrate.
Lieut.. Col. Picquart sprang to his feet
| and vigorously protested against the mon
| strous allegation.
| Gen. Zurinden followed. He explained
| that he deposeG both in the capacity of
| military governor of Paris and minister of
war. He had played a most prominent part
| in the du Patty de Clam, Picauart and Es-
| of Maj. du Patty de Clam had caused hin,
great anxiety. The witness wished for
more light with regard to the ground upon
which revision of the trial of Capt. Drey-
| fus was demanded and the charges ema-
| mating from other officers of the general
staff against Lieut.. Col Pfcquart.
Charge Against Picquart.
He thought tt absolutely necessary that
the charge of forgery against Pfcquart
should be cleared up by the court. Lieut..
Col. Picquart was then in the custody of
the civil authorities. but the minister Of
justice drove the witness to have him ar
raigned before a court-martial, not for
making erasure in a document, which
was Insignificant, but for forgery.
M. Trarieux broke in upon the deposition
of Gen. Zurlinden to reproach the witness
with being responsible for ten months
groundless Imprisonment Of Picauart and
an unWarranted prosecution resulting in the
dismissal of the charges.
After further explanations by Gen. Eur
linden M. Labori asked permission to
speak.
Col Jouaust-Ts IT with regard to the
evidence of NJ. Trafieux?''
NJ. Laborf-"It Is with reference to the
erasure on the petit bleu"
Col. Jouaust (sharplyp-"In that case, no.
We are trying Dreyfus, not the Picquart
case"
NJ Labori-"AIow me- Mr. President. IT
is the question of a document alleged to be
device of Picquart's against Esterhazy
but which the defense maintain constitutes
proof of Esterhazys treachery."
Nj. Labor requested that the letter from
the minister of justice to Gen. Zurlinden
alluded to in the deposition of the latter
be read. Gen. Zurlinden had asked that the
minister of justice make a preliminary in
quiry into the origin of the petit bleu, to
which the minister replied that Lieut.. Col
Picluart was in the foreign service at the
time the erlsure from the document was
made. and that the proposed inquiry was
beyond the scope of the common law I'M
less civilians participated in the suspicious
proceedings
Gen. Zurlinden's tntimation, the erasure
seemed even then to have consumed con-
siderable Importance in his mind
Gen. Zurlinden replied:
Discovered by Zurlinden.
1T was myself who discovered the eras-
ure. 1 first thought it attributable to an
attempt to remove blot. and therefore 1t
did not possess, in my mind. the import
ance which others attached to it,
NJ. Labori-'Was the erasure subsequent
to the first photograph
Gen. Zurlinden. amid intense excitement
admitted that Trarieuxs inquiry showed
that the petit beu had not been scratched
when it reached the statistical section of
the intelligence department and that con-
sequentiy the erasure was not the work Of
Lieut.. Col. Pfcquart.