Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1899-08-17

| NJ, Demange remarked that the tele-
gram was communicated 10 Sandherr
as official and therefore doubts were
| impossible.
Gen. Billot, former minister OF war
was the next witness. He referred to
the eminent services Col Picquart rem
| dered 10 the army, leading to his being
! entrusted with a confidential mission
| in the east and afterwards to Tunis.
| He energetically protested against the
| allegation that he had desired to send
Col. Picquart TO a place frcm which he
would never return. He explained his
devotion TO the country and army and
anxiety respecting the secrets of the
national defense often entailed eXcep-
! tional measures like resignation and
going TO distant points whence 1t was
not possible TO return with a Superior
rank and where heroism certainly
wiped out everything excep, treason.
NJ. Demange invited Gen. Billot 10
explain the statements of Barthou and
Poincare, former ministers, that the
general was once so doubtful of the
guilt of Dreyfus that he did not sleep
for several nights. Gen Billot ac-
Enowledged the statements were true.
The general said Col. Picquart's
! revelations produced doubts in
his mind, but, he added,
all the same his conviction of the
guilt of Dreyfus remained unchanged.
There was a great sensation when NJ.
Demange mentioned the opinion eX-
pressed by NJ Barthou that Gen. Billot
had been forewarned in regard to the
forgery of Lieut,-Col Henry. The
general acknowledged that the Henry
forgery was among the factors arous-
ing his doubts. Continuing, Gen. Bill
lot said he was immensely surprised
and deeply affected by the revelation
OF the forgery. He said; Il never
could have believed a superior officer
could be guilty of forgery" NJ. Cav
aignac, eXminister Of war, said he was
the first cabinet minister to assume
responsibility to Dreyfus. He had
closely followed the inquiry of the
court of cessation and still desired to
| associate himself with the responsible
ity of those who in 1894 protected the
country and the army against treason.
Continuing, the witness said that
among the principal points upon which
he based his convictions was the con-
fession to Capt. Lebrun- Renault, in
support of which contention he quoted
a passage from an alleged letter to
Dreyfus, but which in reality was part
of Gen. Gonse's report to the minister
of war on Col. Du Patty de CLAIMS re-
ports Of the alleged confession THE
Henry forgery" said NJ. Cayaignac
'as alleged, was in order to secure a
revision of the case by the court of
| cessation"
The prisoner, who during NJ Cavaig-
macs arraignment of him had seemed
nervous and agitated said in a low
voice Il am astounded that the man
who produced in the tribunal of the
chamber the Henry forgery can come
here and base his convictions of my
culpability on matters which the court
of cessation has already disposed Of "
NJ. Serulingten, also former minister
Of war, was the next witness. He de-
clared he still regarded the bordereau
as decisive proof of the guilt Of Drey-
fus. Nothing, not even Esterhazy's
confession, he said, had occurred to
change his convictions General
Chanone next testified. He briefly
affirmed his belief in the culpability of
the prisoner. NJ, Hanotaux, former
minister of foreign affairs, declared he
had nothing that could be added to his
evidence given before the court of cas-
zance, either as a minister or as pri-
vate individual, Of any secret dossier
He had been busy with threatening
foreign relations. When it became
necessary to publish several official
notes in order 10 satisfy a foreign en-
bassy, the situation was grave and he
forthwith required Gen MERCER 10
cease the prosecution of affairs under
the ruling circumstances. But Gen
Mercier was obfurate and the case pro-
ceeded The court adjourned until to-
morrow.
Why He Wrote Bordereau
london. Aug 15.-The Evening News
yesterday said Esterhazy again says he.
wrote the bordereau. He alleges it,
was intended to serve as a suOstanti1tI
basis for accusation against Dreyfus,
against whom there already existed a
number Of grave proofs Of guilt, which
could not be used without compromis-
ing certain personages
Effect OF Mercier's Testimony
Paris, Aug. 15.-Maitre Demange
tells the Petit Blue that the deposition
OF Gen. MERCER was a great aid to
| Dreyfus Dreyfus, Daemange says, is rs
sure Of himself as ever.
A National Calamity
London, Aug. 15,-The correspondent
OF the Times at Rennes says: There
was a terribly suggestive timelIness in
the crime (attack on LaDoriJ. II was
master stroke The one indispensi-