OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15513, 21 January 1914, Page 9

OBITUARY.

GENERAL PICQUART. • CHAMPION OF DREYFUS. By Tsleerspib— Association— Paris, January 19. The death is announced of General Picquart, the champion of Dreyfus during that officer's famous trial. The general fell - from his horse yesterday and struck his head on the frozen ground with fatal results. DISLIKE OF T#E JEWS. General Picquart was born at Ftrasburg in 1854. After he had seen service in Algeria and Tonquin, he was appointed to the War Office in 1893, and in 1895 to the Chief of the Intelligence Department. la 1896 he discovered the truth about the Dreyfus drama, and for his share in the sensational proceedings that followed was exiled to Tunis: In 1898 he was expelled the Army, on a trumped-up charge, but eight years later was reinstated, promoted to the rank of general, and given the portfolio of War in the Clemenceau Cabinet. One thing, though, about Picquart and the Dreyfus case is worth recalling. Picquart had always had little if any sympathy towards the Jewish race. In his younger days he was often called to order by his chiefs for want of tact in dealing with Jews, and his behaviour in the case of Alfred Dreyfus was caused by firm conviction of the man's innocence, and not by any sympathy for him. For Picquart was heard to say, not once, but many times, at the little inn of the Trois Marches outside Kennes, that he cordially disliked Dreyfus, but that he knew him to have been unjustly treated. Those who were present during the trial will always remember the calm voice and manner of Picquart, as he sat there before the seven military judges, and clearly, without passion and without unnecessary oratory, set forth his reasons, point by point, for his belief in the innocence of Dreyfus. "What an advocate!" cried Me. Labori of him one dav, " what a loss to the Bar!" ■ *'