M. Labori.—“I never before saw an assize court like this. All means are sought here to prevent the light from being thrown on any point.”
The Judge.—“These are your witnesses.”
M. Labori.—“Pardon me, these are not our witnesses; they are witnesses. M. du Paty de Clam is called because we wanted a complete investigation, and, whenever we put a question, in the absence of a good reason why it should not be answered, we are offered two bad ones. When there has been a consideration of the matter behind closed doors, they say: ‘We will not answer, because this occurred behind closed doors.’ I say this to the jurors: Are you not as worthy to keep a secret as French military officers? If closed doors are necessary, let the doors be closed. We do not distrust you. Then they appeal to professional secrecy. When that will not do, they invoke secrets of State. And when they can invoke neither professional secrecy or secrets of State or closed doors, they invoke private secrets. Consequently I have no further questions to put to M. du Paty de Clam.”
Testimony of Colonel Henry.
The next witness was Colonel Henry.
M. Labori.—“Will Colonel Henry tell us how far the facts related in Major Ravary’s report are correct, and what documents Colonel Picquart took from the files? Will Colonel Henry tell us whether that report described correctly the scene that took place in his presence in Colonel Picquart’s private office between M. Leblois and Colonel Picquart, and what that scene really was?”
Colonel Henry.—“I was absent when the file was taken by Colonel Picquart. I was on leave of absence, in August or September, 1896. Colonel Picquart asked M. Gribelin for the file, and he gave it to him.”
The Judge.—“M. Gribelin made the same answer.”
Colonel Henry.—“M. Gribelin, the keeper of the archives, to whom I had given the key of my closet,” ...
M. Labori.—“Thus it results from the testimony of the witness” ...