Major Lauth.--“By the use of a transparent paper, cut in very narrow
strips that followed almost exactly the traces of the tearing.”
M. Clemenceau.--“On which side of the dispatch were these strips
pasted?”
Major Lauth.--“On the addressed side.”
M. Clemenceau.--“Then will Major Lauth explain to us, accepting the
improbable supposition that he had complied with Colonel Picquart’s
desire, where he would have had the post-office stamp placed?”
Major Lauth.--“In the first place, he did not ask me to have the paper
stamped. He said to me: ‘Do you think that they would stamp it?’ It is
not for me to inquire what his purpose was.”
M. Clemenceau.--“I wanted to know how M. Lauth could explain the
alleged fact that Colonel Picquart asked to have a post-office stamp
placed upon this document by any third party whomsoever, to give it
authenticity, when, according to M. Lauth’s testimony, there was no
place on it where a stamp could be put without putting it in part on
the strips of gummed paper?”
Major Lauth.--“I have no explanation to give.”
M. Clemenceau.--“If the dispatch comes from the cornucopia, it is torn
and not stamped. If it comes from the post-office, it is stamped and
not torn. When the chief of staff shall call for the original, if it is
shown to him torn and stamped, because coming from the post, he will
ask: ‘Why is it torn?’ Another hypothesis: Assuming the dispatch to be
torn and stamped, it can have but one origin. It must come from Major
Esterhazy’s premises, because, stamped, it had been in the mails, and,
torn, Major Esterhazy must have torn it. Now, Major Lauth has just said
that it has never been pretended that the dispatch came from Major
Esterhazy’s premises.”
M. Labori.--“When you compared Major Esterhazy’s handwriting with the
_bordereau_, was the original of the _bordereau_ before you, or the
photographs only?”
Colonel Picquart.--“Photographs only. The original of the _bordereau_
was in the Dreyfus file, sealed. That file has been unsealed only
twice, when General Gonse had occasion to withdraw some papers from it.”
The Judge.--“Did the photographs conform absolutely to the original?”
Colonel Picquart.--“They were used for the experts.”
Colonel Henry was then recalled, and re-examined as to the interview
which he claims to have surprised between M. Leblois and Colonel
Picquart in the latter’s office. Being asked whether he saw the secret
file and the document beginning with the words: “That scoundrel D----,”
he answered:
“It was in October, I think. I have never been able to fix the date
precisely. All that I know is that there was an open file in the
room. The colonel was sitting on his left leg, and at his left sat M.
Leblois, and before them on the desk were several files, among others
the secret file which I had so labelled, and on the back of which I
had placed my signature, or rather my initial, with blue pencil. I
saw the words: ‘secret file.’ The envelope was open, and the document
in question was outside of it. A few days later I met General Gonse,
who said to me: ‘How are things going? What progress is Colonel
Picquart making?’ I answered: ‘Things are going rather slowly. Colonel
Picquart is still absorbed in his Esterhazy matter.’ ‘Ah! that is bad,
because the business of the office is suffering a little.’ ‘And do the
indiscretions continue?’ ‘Oh! the indiscretions do not concern me.’
Whereupon I said: ‘In view of the indiscretions, perhaps you would do
well to take possession of the secret file,--there was then only one
in the department,--for I saw it a few days ago on his desk, in the
presence of a third person.’ I did not name the person. I believe that
two or three days later the general took possession of it. Whether he
took it himself, or asked Colonel Picquart to send it to him, I do not
know.”
The court then recalled General Gonse, and asked him whether the file
was in disorder when it was returned to him.
General Gonse.--“Yes.”
The Judge.--“Colonel Picquart, what have you to say?”
Colonel Picquart.--“I repeat that I never had the file on my table in
the presence of M. Leblois, either open or closed. Moreover, it seems a
material impossibility that the thing should have occurred as Colonel
Henry says, if M. Leblois proves that he returned to Paris November 7.
Colonel Henry has just told you that, a few days after witnessing this
scene, he spoke of it to General Gonse and advised him to call for the
file, and that General Gonse did so call a few days later. Now, General
Gonse has testified on previous occasions that he asked me for the file
a few days before my departure.”
The Judge.--“You hear, Colonel Henry. Had you the secret file?”
Colonel Henry.--“M. Leblois admitted it before the council of war.
He said: ‘In view of the precise declarations of Colonel Henry, I
certainly cannot contradict him.’ You can appeal to the members of the
council of war.”