The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-18

ond document. It was then evening.
had stayed late alone at the office in
order to examine the documents thor
ouShIy- 1 thought it over during the
night and the next day I explained the
whole situation to Gen. de Boisdeffre.
I took to his office the secret dossier
the fac smile of the bordereau, the
Petit Bleu and the principal papers
connected with my investigation of Es-
terhazy.
I wonder now if had one or two in
terviews. But, I still Sc Gen. de BOis-
deffre as he examined the secret dos
sier with me before he reached the end
and tell me to go into the country, give
an account of the affair to Gen. Gonse
and ask his advice.
Before starting to see Gen. Gonse,
L copied note, four pages in length,
which made September 1, containing
my resume of the Esterhazy affair.
When L informed Gen. Gonse of all
which had occurred, he remarked. so
a mistake has been made
After my interview with Gen. Gonsa
I did not work any longer on my own
the return of Gen. GOnse, September Is.
At that time Esterhazy was at the
great maneuvres."
Next the witness dwelt on the ru-
mOrs in September, 1896, of the project
of replacing Dreyfus by a man of straw
and the discovery of the forged Weyl
letter supposed to be connected with
the same project. At about the same
time the campaign for and against
Dreyfus was started by the newspa-
pers.
At this stage of his deposition, Col.
Plcquart, who had been speaking for
two and q half hours was visibly dis
treSSed- He had occasional attacks of
coughing, but managed to continue.
Col. JOuaust not showing any incIina-
ton to suspend the session of the court
in order to give him needed rest.
The witness then turned to the news
paper attacks on Dreyfus, saying that
at fnn
contained in them convinced him that
they had been inspired by some one
closely connected with the Dreyfus af-
fair.
INTERVIEW WITH GONSE
They could not" he added, "be at
tributed to the Dreyfus family while
they contained the expressions familiar
to Du Patty de Clam who would be in
teresting to hear on the subject" Wit
ness next said he asked permission to
inquire into the sources of the articles
but was forbidden to interfere in any
way whatever.
Describing his interview with Gen.
GOnse, September Is, Picquart said:
When I asked Gen. GOnse for permiS-
sion to continue the investigation, in
sisting on the danger of allowing the
Dreyfus family to proceed with their
investigation alone, the general replied
that it was impossible in his opinion
and in the opinion of Gen. de Bois-
deffre and the minister of war to re-
open the affair. When 1 pressed the
point, in order to make Gen. GOnse I'M
derstand that negotiation could pre-
vent its reopening if it could be be-
heved Dreyfus was innocent. Gen.
Gonse replied: If you say nothing, no
body will know
General I replied, what you tell
me IS abominable- I do not know what
I shall do, but won't carry this secret
with me Great sensatiOn.)
I at once left the ROOM added the
witness That is what occurred. I
know my account is disputed, but I
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.
DU Patty DE CLANS DISGUISE
The colonel next described his inten-
lions with regard to Esterhazy, which
Generals Gonse and de Bolsdeffre had
forbidden him to carry out. He at
tached particular Importance to this
point as it contained a clue to subse-
quent occurrences. Later witness said
that while Du Patty de Clam evidently
acted wrongly in Disgusting himself
with a false beard and blue spectacles
perhaps he was authorized to do so.
After a few minutes suspension of the
hearing, Colonel Picquart resumed his