New-York tribune., 1869-02-27
THE ROUND TABLE-READE LIBEL SUIT


AUTHORSHIP OF THE B0OK-UPON WHAT
THE CRITICISMS WERE FOUNDED
In the Supreme Court Trial Term, before
Mr. Justice Clcrke novel and interesting scene was
enacted yesterday, with all due decorum' the occasion
being nothing else the reading OF the celebrated
novel, 'sGrith Gaunt" to the Court and jury Oy MI
George Vandenhoh, the we-known elocutionist some
peope used to assert that Mr. Dickens could not read the
trial scene from Pickwck" any better than MI Van
denhoh; but the reading yesterday was the feature IN
the trial scene rather than the trial scene the feature
IN the reading Instead Of heavy tones from Coke upon
Iittleton down TO that bundle Of confusion Tie re-
yised Statutes of New-YOrk," the counsel taples
were covered with copies OF Mr.. ChaIles
Reade's novels. and "Grifhth Gaunt, or Jeal
ousy," was for one day, at least, the most
carefully studied authority recognized by the Court ana
instead of dull and dreary arguments founded upon pre-
cedents as duh and dreary even as the arguments,
the court and jury the counsel ana spectators al
resigned themselves TO hearing the unloiupR VI 'n
"pot Of one OF the most startling ana sulKng
this startling and striking novelproduehg age Even
the doorkeeper was compelled to listen and the clerk TO
hear
In 1866. Mr. Charles Reade sded Charles H. sweetser
and Dorsey Gardner at that time publishers of The Roa
Table in libel the complaint being founded upon two
criticisms the novel "GrlHith Gaunt," published on
the 9th Of June and tne 2sh Of July in that year. anu
a communication entitled "Did Charles Reade "rI'e
Griffith Gaunt," and signed G. s. H." puohshed ou Ino
1lh of Augu The novel was then being printed IN i'
ArgosH an English periodical, and in the AHanHe M0u"V
the criticism charged that far as it had been pup
lishef. it was one Of Ithe worst stories SINCE the
daT when sterne, and Fielding, and Smole1
cehled the English literature Of the Eighteenth
Century. The Round Table said the book was
| essentially bad and indecent" and declared Ina'
1t left for Mr. Reade "not only to elaborate Pith
pastery skin the nsdlous growth Of guilty paSsion'
but to detail the arts by which dssoute servant woman
seduces the husband Of her mistress The article went
on to say that the story repeto with mpury
ing with ausons that most prurient scandalmonger
would hesitate TO make" y; asserting that Don Juan
was "less cor-uptng reading" and that George Sahu
and Eugene Sue percous authors TO turn loose
upon society than Charles Reade, as he now reVeas MN
se and closed with the declaration that the publishers
of the Argosy and Of the Atlantic Monthly had no rght 70
introduce it into thousands OF vrtuous families since
was only ft for the columns Of The Police Gdsee OF the
pages OF the avowed organ OF the Partisan denmoae
Up TO the time Of the publication OF the nrSt
article IN The Round Table the story hau
appeared Ts Atlantic Monthly as FAR as inc Close VI
chapter 25 and, strangely enough, the criticism was
founded upon the closing words Of the chapter Griffith
Gaunt had deserted his wife in fit OF Jealousy ana
written to Mrs. Ryder, the servant woman OF Mrs.
Gaunt have taken wayside inn, and think OF rent
ing q small farm. which two things go well together
Now you Of all those know most fitted to manage
the inn, and 1 the farm. 30 then AT OF the
clock on Saturday evening be the same wet dry,
prythee come to the gate of the grove unbeknown"
BECAUSE Mrs RYDER had made up her mind that IL
Griffith and she began allies in business she felt very
sure she could make herself rst necessary 70 him. and
then dear to him it seemed clear the mind Of The
Round Table that G. G. had been "seduced" and slash
ing article sprung from the following words:
"What with her cOalblack hair strcaked with red
her black eyes flashing IN the starlight aud her glowing
cheeks. she looked bewitChiDg
And, thus armed for conquest willy vet mpassioned.
she stole out with nOseess foot and beating heart her
appointment with her imprudent master"
The second article founded upon chapter 49, this
chapter having appeared in The Atlantic Monthly within
few days This is the chapter in which the bullet with
the words;
"I LOVE KATE"
engraved upon 1.-THE bullet being the with which
Griffith was wounded in the duel with Neville for her
ake-revealed TO the second wife OF the bigamistnot
Nrs Ryderthe fact Of the existence Of his first wife,
whom he had deserted but whom he determined TO
leceve In this second article the ground was taken that
-ongfelow, Emerson, Agassz, Holmes, and Whittier,
Oud lend their cOuntenanoe 20 the publication OF Mr.
aeades story, Dor Mis-. Stowe, Miss Carey, and Miss
Prescott afford to have their articles appear side by sdo
With t. The third article is fully described In It's title
IN the 18th Of October 1906 The Round Table republshed
r Reades famous Prurient Prude letter. with an ed
tOria article in which he called In the caption as
awsuit treated OF little moment, and the critics
declared that Mr. Reades name could no longer be pro
bounced any respectable household in the land, and
osed by hoping that this suit at law would bring blight
ome redeeming feature in his behalf m, ,.,.u.u,.
Mr. Reade lays his damages at $4,000 The defendants
ieny that they were the PropIet%9rs % or publishers OF
erred not Charles Reade but 10 his book, which they
,tafements are true except where it was said that
Grifith Gamt" had been offered 10 and refused by
They alege that their opinion was generally indorsed
The opened yesterday by Mr. Frederick Gala
stated and the alleged bels read the book "Grinth
Gaunt" offered In evidence aud Mr. George Vanden
Jury. Mr. Vahdenhof began the reading few minutes
before o'clock As he proceeded the jury looked bored
and pleased by turns; though they often frOwned and
drOwsed, ne quite often brought smile TO their lips
But one Old gentleman Of the Jury looked out Of an eye
holloBness OF tho whole proceeding and seemed
DSid for @ an orchestra chair to the entertain.
Inent When Mr.. Yandenhof said, Mr. leicester IA
and the Court and the Jury and the Court looked sor
rowfuy back again. but the wink" with the reader
On he went but when he read because you hant got
no stomach said the boy. contempuously" laugh went
round which showed plainly enough that other people had
lunch time Getting disgusted with his work the reader
began % utter the words rapidly aud the chophop
read badly II he At 25 minutes TO o'clock lac had
read eight chapters and rested for short tme but after
resuming even the pathetic capitals " love Kate made
no impression upon tho Jury could they be reused
when he read In dramatic manner how their lips met
spite Of all the difficulties, aud grew together IN oug
and tender embrace" and at 20 past having
got through with 10 out OF the 81 chapters Mr. Vanden
lof asked that the longest reading he had
10 make the rest Of his task might be deferred
lntil another day
The defendants suggested that the jury should DO fur
lished each with copy OF Grifth Gaunt" that they
night acquaint themselves with t cCntonts and that the
expense be divided between the parties but this not
agreed TO, and the Jury were allowed 10 depart. Mr. |
Whitney behalf of the defendants. question of
order OF proof took the ground that the authorship
Il Griffith GaunV must be proved before the book can
20 admitted I'm evidence. II Mr. Reade was not the
uthor he could say that his professional reputation
IS an author suffered by the criticisms. As matter OF
act they intended 10 show such plagiarism In the book