Major Lauth.—“In May, 1896. Colonel Picquart had me photograph his correspondence, concealing certain passages. I still have the plates. After Colonel Picquart’s departure from the bureau of information, the report spread that he had made suspicious assertions regarding several officers. He persisted in carrying on an investigation concerning Major Esterhazy. He also wrote us in complaint of our hostility toward him. ‘When,’ he asked, ‘is this campaign of mystery and falsehood to end?’ He was answered that the mystery was now cleared up, and that, as to the falsehood, the future would show who had lied.”
The stand was then taken by Adjutant Gribelin, keeper of the archives in the bureau of information.
Testimony of Adjutant Gribelin.
M. Labori.—“What do you know of the interviews that M. Leblois had with Colonel Picquart at the war department?”
M. Gribelin.—“I saw M. Leblois in Colonel Picquart’s office several times after hours. The lamp was lighted. One evening I saw them both with files before them. One of these files related to carrier pigeons. The other was a secret file in an envelope, bearing the initial of Colonel Henry, put there so that the envelope could not be opened without his knowledge.”
M. Labori.—“Was that the only file that Colonel Henry had so stamped?”
M. Gribelin.—“Yes.”
M. Labori.—“What was this secret file?”
M. Gribelin.—“I do not know.”
M. Labori.—“Who was the chief at that time,—Colonel Henry, then major, or Colonel Picquart?”