New-York tribune., 1899-05-02
PATTY DE CLAM TESTIFIES.
DEMANDS TO BE CONFRONTED WITH CUIG-
NET AND OTHER ACCUsERs

paris MAY 1.-The Figaro" continuing It's pub
ycation OF the testimony offered before the Court
- cessation in the Dreyfus revision inquiry prints
.o-day the deposition of Lieutenant Colonel du
pa,y de Clam. who on April % doposed that on
,ens invited TO reply frankly to the statements Of
rontsin Cuignet. he had obeyed as a soldier with
49,, asking written orders from his superior con-
..,,,ng himself with oral ones.
peferring to his silence in the face Of accusa-
.,ors and TO his being placed on the retired list
~. witness asserted that he was 'the most dis
,n,ned of soldiers. and had not merited the fate
rs,ea out 10 him. He demanded to be confronted
ui,h CAPTAIN Cuignet end his other accusers
Tn replying 10 numerous questions he said that
han General lie Mouton de Boisdeffre Chief Of
,hs French General Staf In 1924. wanted him to act
os police officer in the Dreyfus affair he asked to
~ excused and recommended Lieutenant Colonel
1,couart for the task. General de Boisdenre re-
,used to accept this suggestion. Throughout the in
r,rv the witness affirmed. ne had only acted
IN the advice of the experts in handwriting. NM
Rertilon and Cochefort NJ. Bertillon advised him
"a dictate lines to Dreyfus and VI. Cochefort
companied him.
The report was presented in October. 1894. II did
mt draw the inference OF the guilt Of Dreyfus. but
merely stated certain facts. In December. 1894
co,onel Sandherr sent him (Du Patty de Clam)
a aosser Of secret documents to report upon; and
the report which the result Of his collaboration
uath Colonel Sandherr, went TO General MERCER.
then Minister of War.
Coming down to the events OF 1896 Colonel du
patty de Clam said he was ignorant OF the doings
~ the Intelligence Bureau during this period but
ba Indicated NJ. Decrion as being at the head Of a
ysriiable manufacture OF forgeries for Lieutenant
Colonel Henry.
SThe Figaro" remarks that NJ. Decron's evidence
has been forgotten or suppressed In the dosser OF
Colonel du Patty de Clam said General Gonse told
him in 1897 that he had minutey Investigated the az
fsir and had proved EsterhaZys innocence OF trea-
SON Again in 1898 General Gonse told him 1t was
imnerative TO save Esterhazy at any price in order
10 prevent his commttal OF the irreparabe acts or
snicde or fight. and also avoid diplomatic diff
culties, war, owing to the lack of preparations.
would then be disastrous,
II was decided. the witness continued, to save
Fsterhazy. and NM Gribelin and Pauffn de st.
Norel and the witness were intrusted with the
task Then for the first time the witness acted he
declared with Esterhazy. whom he had only seen
once in Algeria eighteen years previously. He &C
eepted the responsibility for what he had done but
declared that he only acted on orders He ADMIT,
fed giving Esterhazy draft OF the article signed
''Dix" and also drafts Of letters addressed to the
President OF the Republic the sending OF whch
was authorized and covered by General de Bois-
derfre after a conference with General Gonse
In the course Of the examination Colonel du Paty
de Clam denied that he had made any communca-
tions to the press, such Captain Cugnet had ac-
cused him OF doing. adding that this kind of work
was done by Henry and Pauffn de st. Morel