General de Pellieux.—“Show me that it is illegal.”
The Judge.—“Were you not a judicial officer of police?”
General de Pellieux.—“Yes, and had the right to make a search. The military code will show it.”
M. Clemenceau.—“The military code declares that the search, to be valid, must be made in the presence of the interested party. If you had found a document of any value, Colonel Picquart could have claimed that it had been brought to his apartment in his absence.”
M. Labori.—“Besides, M. Picquart was not accused. There was only one accused,—Major Esterhazy. He was accused by the chief of the bureau of information to whom this service had been entrusted because he was the most worthy of it, and it was his premises that they searched.”
General de Pellieux.—“I am evidently ignorant regarding procedure. At every step I took the advice of a magistrate, M. Bertulus.”
M. Labori.—“Was it M. Bertulus who suggested to General de Pellieux to search the house for smuggled matches?”
General de Pellieux.—“I gave a police commissioner a search-warrant. If the police commissioner offered this pretext in order to carry out his orders, he is responsible.”
M. Labori.—“Did General de Pellieux, when entrusted with the duty of investigation, order Major Esterhazy to observe absolute discretion, and stay at home instead of exercising his liberty,—a liberty which he used in going daily to the offices of ‘Le Jour,’ ‘La Libre Parole,’ and other newspapers?”
General de Pellieux.—“I did, and in writing.”