THE DREYFUS CASE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11401, 19 April 1899, Page 5

THE DREYFUS CASE.

Press Association—By. Telegraph—Copyright.

PARIS, April 17.

Fresh Dreyfus evidence has been published. Colonel Picquart is shown to have deposed that the document'containing the expression the " Canaille D " was not produced until the authorities had directly complained that the Dreyfus case was making no progress. The document was then shown to the court-martial privately: Colonel Picquart expressed, himself dumbfounded at the manifest unfairness shown by Colonel dv Paty de Clam when dictating' the bordereau that was. used against Dreyfus. April 18. (Received April 19, at 0.50 a.m.) Colonel Picquart assured Generals Boisdeffre and Gonse that it was impossible that the secret dossier proved Dreyfus's guilt. It was equally applicable to* Esterhazy. Colonel Picquart heard the officers remark ] prior to the court-martial that they believed the case was the invention of the Espionage Bureau.

The London correspondent of the Argus, under date A!!arc!i 10, writes that in the London Chronicle Esterhazy asserts that when his name was publicly associated with the bordereau be was sent for to Paris and interviewed by Colonel Henry aud Colonel dv Paly de Clam, who gave him hints'even to the extent of dictating letters for the purpose of defending himself against public accusations. Through these two mon he was brought into direct communication with General de Boisdeffre and several other members of the staff. He assert- that Colonel dv Paly de Clam had frequently visited his nouse, wearing an artificial beard and otherwise disguised, in ordor to convey message, from his chiefs. The melodrama was carried so far that, while the general staff were prosecuting KstcrhiiKy for irregularities, .hewere privately, supplying him with mean's and fabricating fictitious stories for the purpose of his defence. The suicide of Colonel Henry brought about a change in tho relations of the staff towards himself. He suspected lhey intended making a victim of him as they bad done of Henry, and from that timo onwards his relations with the generals ceased-to be either intimate or friendly. Scoundrel as Esterhazy undoubtedly is. the maii's revelations have had a remarkable effect on P.in>( opinion. Esterhazy is just now in London, where he can breathe more freely than in Paris. To-day's Daily News gives an iiilc.-r_.ting interview with him, wherein ho declares that tho comedy is only just commencing. He pays that now there is a prospect of dv Paty de Clam being placed upon his trial it is likely there will be somo further astounding revelations. Ksterhazy says that General Roget, having got into M. T)npuy's_ good graces by squelching Deroulede's ridiculous proposal to march on the Elysee, he may escape exposure: but be denounces Roget and General de Boisdeffre as being the cause of Henry's suicide. Henry ivas their instrument, " just as I was." The forgery by Colonel Henry was clone to get rid of Colonel Picquart. who was a troublesome fellow in the Intelligence department, rummaging everywhere. Thoy wanted to got rid of him by showing that he was on the wrong scent, and Henry wrote the forgery to establish the guilt of Dreyfus by a new proof. It is not a. little remarkable that M. Drumont, tbe editor of the Libre _ Parole, lias thrown over General do Boisdeffre, and has written an article in which he declares that the late head of the French forces will shortly be expelled from the army. It is evidently expected on all hands that if dv Paty de Clam bo put upon his trial—which Avould not have happened had M. Faure been alive—he will most likely make some very damaging explanations.