Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-08-25
ALMOST A WRANGLE.


upon the secret dossler and certain
document in blue pencil, General Gonse'
General Roget. NJ. Gribelin, and Major
lIauth also participated In the discussion
which almost degenerated into wransie'
The government commissary, Major
Carriere, protested against such a DIS
| cussion. and Colonel Jouaust ordered 81
! lence.
Major Iauth said he believed clue to
| the blue pencil document existed before
the trial Of 1891, and VI. Labor asked
why. In that case, 1t was not produced at
the trial. since 1t incriminated the prls-
| oner.
General MERCER said ne did not know
OF this clue. and Major Lauth disclaimed
all responsibility in the matter, as he
was not connected with the preliminary
| inquiry "a
General Gonse said the document had
| been I'm the possession OF Colonei sahu,
| herr fsensation), and was by MN piaceu
! I'm the secret dossier for comparison Win
! other papers. -.,- l., 20
NJ Labor asked for explanations In re-
gard TO the commentary on the secret
| dossier and General MERCER admitted
he destroyed it in 1897.
General ChamOin was drawn INTO the
discussion, and said that he communl-
Gated the translation Of the Panizzardi
telegram 10 General Roget, while enJoin-
ing absolute privacy on the subject
When asked # he accepted the sss
sion's reliability for this document zen
eral Chamoin replied that he had mace
a mistake. 49,.
Colonel Jouaust intlmated that the
court ought TO take no notice OF the
document in question.
DREYFUJS MAKES A STATEMENT.
Drevfus here gave a detailed story OF
how he employed his time AT Boursss'
He said that he was preparing lot MS
examinations. and had not time 10 20
IN cafes or TO think of anything out
eide of his duties. This was a reply 10
General Mercier's assertions that he couio
have learned the secret Of the pneumatic
brake there.
General Risbourg.. who was commander
Of the Republican Guard in Paris In lS1f
was the next witness. He described IN
scene with Captain Lebrun-Renault
when witness learned of Dreyfus's al
legged confessions 70 Captain Lebrun-Re-
nault. the day after the prisoners degra-
dation.
After being asked the usual question
Drevfus proteste- against General Rls-
bourg's evidence
Dreyfus then proceeded TO give the true
version Of his words on the occasion OF
the alleged confession, and dwelt on MS
protestations of innocence to Du Faty
De Clam.
The prisoners remarks deeply impress
ed his hearers.
MERCER RECALLED.
At the request of NJ. Demange. Cen
eral MERCER was recalled, and was ask
ed to explain why, having sent DE cam
to Dreyfus 10 discover the amount OF
the injury Dreyfus had done. ne had
not followed up his investigations.
Colonel Jouaust: Since the prisoner
seemed TO have begun making avowais
Of his guilt, why did you not follow the
matter up?
General Mercier: might perhaps have
thought Of IT, but II did not occur To me-
The prisoner again protested that the
inquiry ought to have been followed up,
because 1t would have served 10 destroy
the fiction of a confession 70 WhlSn,,
much importance has now attached
(Sensation)
FICTION OF A CONFESSION.
Continuing. Dreyfus said: "Will you
permit my Colonel, TO make a small re-
mark with reference 10 the ncuon OF my
confession? | remained I'm the prison or
La Sante for two or three weeks, ana
saw NJ. Demange during that period ana
then wrote 10 the Minister OF war ana
others. ! believe the letters l wrote, are
collected i'm the secret dOssier. | relieve
! also wrote 10 the head OF the state.
| How is il l was never asked about the
| legend Of my confession, that was IN
a position to destroy Immediately? l
never heard a word of IL. IL was only
four years later, in January 1899, when
Intercepted by the commissioners sent
by the Court Of Cessation, that l heard
of this fiction"
NJ. Jules Roche, deputy and former
Minister, testified as to his acquaintance
with EsterhaZy, and Of the steps he took
TO procure the admission OF EsterhaZy
into the War Office.
ORDER TO DROP EsTERHAZY.
Replying to the Government Commits
! sioner Al. Roche declared that General
| Billot. who was then Minister of War
| told him he must cease TO interest himself
in Esterhazy, mot only for private legal
! reasons. but for other reasons still more
| peremptOry." (SensatiOn.)
NJ. de Veruine, special commissioner Of
the Minister Of War, deposed that Colo
| mel Picquart was ordered TO have Ester
| hay watched.
On several occasions, witness continued,
! Esterhazy was seen entering the German
| embassy. always quite openly, but dress
ed in civilian clothes.
N-WITH-THE-MAN NAMES"
NJ. Georges Charles Alfred Marie Millin
! de Grandmaison, deputy from the Saumur
! district Of Maine-et-LOire, who IS classed
/ Liberal Republican, next appeared az the
witness bar and repeated the testimony
! he had given before the Court OF Cassa-
/ ton. He recalled a conversation he had
J with Mr.. Charles an English friend, who
/ said he was assured Dreyfus was inno-
! cent. because he had seen a letter from
| Colonel SwartZkOppen. Affirming the prls-
! oner's innocence. Baker. II seems had
! seen other documents showing that GER
! tain French officers, not including Drey-
xuG
ness to publish the documents, but with
] out VOuching for their genuineness, as
| Emperor William did not wish to inter
/ vene.
/ The witness. after protesting against
/ foreign interference in French affairs. re-
| pudated the idea that French oincer
could be septenced because he was a Jew.
NJ de Grandmaison concluded by say
| ing: Il sdiure the court 10 acqult the
| prisoner unhesitatingly. if II believes him
| Innocent daughter. and 10 convict MN II
] II believes him guilty.
After hearing several other unimportant
witnesses the court adjourned.
Ioubet on the Rennes Trial.
RAMBOUILLET, FRANCE. August q.
/ Replying 10 an address OF sympathy from
/ the President and members OF the Dis
| trict Council, President Loubet to-day
| expressed his gratitude at being able TO
| appear at Rambouilles IN spite OF the
/ cares of Office. to which the speaker had
| referred These cares, he. added, were
| real ones and II was not without deep
| grief that ne beheld a disturbance OF the
| public mind leading 20 street dlsorders.
| These should not be exaggerated, now
ever. and the public sh9uIa nSe ios aid ~
| am nrofoundlv convinced that the troubles
az the country are nearing an emu Inc
| measures adopted by the government
! bear witness 70 the TACT may - hrllly
| resolved To defend the republic, preserve
/ n,,tlic neore and assure respect for the