General de Boisdeffre.--“Because a decree of the court, which I have
read in the newspapers, separates the two cases.”
M. Labori.--“Does not General de Boisdeffre know that Major Esterhazy
has been prosecuted and examined concerning the _bordereau_ attributed
to Dreyfus in 1894?”
General de Boisdeffre.--“Major Esterhazy was examined behind closed
doors. Consequently it is not for me to know what took place behind
closed doors.”
M. Labori.--“I believe that General de Boisdeffre is mistaken, for I
was present at the public part of that trial. I imagine that General de
Boisdeffre, having so many secrets to keep, confuses those concerning
which he is obliged to keep silence with those concerning which he need
not keep silence. At any rate, he cannot dispute that the _bordereau_
has been in question, for it has been discussed by the newspapers for
the last fortnight. I ask him to tell us, since I well understand that
it was the question of the innocence of Dreyfus that obsessed the mind
of Colonel Picquart, what Colonel Picquart did in relation to the
Esterhazy case.”
General de Boisdeffre.--“He made known his doubts concerning Major
Esterhazy’s situation. We told him to do everything to illuminate the
matter, and to settle the doubts that preoccupied him. He could find no
document that sustained his doubts to our satisfaction, and we could
only invite him to abstain and not continue his researches.”
M. Labori.--“I note here, for the benefit of the jurors, that at the
time when General de Boisdeffre, chief of staff of the army, learned
that Colonel Picquart was obsessed by this case which he will not
name, he invited him to confirm his doubts. It results therefrom that
at that time it did not seem impossible to General de Boisdeffre that
Major Esterhazy was the author of the crime for which Dreyfus had been
condemned.”
General de Boisdeffre.--“My words are incorrectly interpreted. The
guilt of Captain Dreyfus has always been to me a thing absolutely
certain, and my conviction is absolute regarding it. I do not say
more, because I wish to touch this matter as little as possible.
Consequently, when another officer was pointed out to me as guilty
of such a crime, it was my duty to order an investigation. My doubts
concerned the guilt of Major Esterhazy, and not the guilt of Captain
Dreyfus.”
M. Labori.--“Is General de Boisdeffre’s belief in the guilt of Dreyfus
based on the facts of 1894, or on facts of earlier or later date?”
General de Boisdeffre.--“It is based on the facts and the trial of
1894, the outcome of which is beyond discussion. There have been other
facts, subsequent and prior, which have,--I do not say confirmed, for
my conviction needed no confirmation,--but which have assisted my
certainty most decidedly.”
M. Labori.--“What is the source of the communications made to certain
newspapers, seeming to come from the war offices?”
General de Boisdeffre.--“To my knowledge, they do not emanate from the
war offices.”