The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-02-24

LONDON, Feb a3-The case of Mrs. John
Biddulpn Martin, formerly Victoria Wood
| hull, against the trustees of the British
museum was heard in the high court OF
| justice, queens bench division. before
Baron Pollock, today.
Mrs. Martin some time ago obtained an
order from the court directing the trus-
tees of the British museum to diyulge the
names OF tue donors to the museum o.
two books relating to the Beecher-Tilton
trial, Mrs. Martin, in her petition, de-
clared that the first Of these books i'm
puted that she, as Mrs. Victoria Wood
| bull, had published libelous aud obscene
| literature. The second book, according to
Mrs. Martins complaint, purported to
contain statements made during the
| Beecher-Tilion on litigation. which, she
| claimed, reflected upon her.
The application was granted, but the
! trustees appealed, and Oh January %, last,
in the high court OF justice, the appeal
was heard. The trustees claimed that the
books were withdrawn as soon as their at
tention Was called to Mrs Martins COM
plants. This appeal, however, Was dis
missed.
Iu court today Sir Richard Webster,
formerly attorney general under Lord
Salisbury, represented the plaintiff. SIT
Richard said that the books contained i'm
aginary interviews with Mrs. Victoria
Woodruff, in which she was quoted AS
stating that Mr.. Tilton had been her lover;
that she had lived with him for three
months. and that he called her the queen
Of prostitutes"
Victoria Woodruff, Sir Richard Welt
ster also claimed, was charged liz these in
terviews with blackmailing the Rev.
Henry Ward Beecher, aud counsel asserted
that the interviews made a similar charge
against Victoria Woodhull's sister.
Sir Richard Webster then read extracts
from the works of Wet ria WoodhulI, ad-
vocating purity between the sexes. Un-
luckily counsel continued, the man who
Victoria WOOohuil left in control of her
newspaper in New York inserted in it,
unknown to her, some disgraceful articles.
Sir Richard Webster during the course
of his argument, said that Victoria Wood
hull, until she met Mr.. Martin, lived
life of struggle and suffering.
Mrs. Martin then took the stage, and
gave the story OF her life. Daring the
course OF her statements Mrs Martin said
that the interview published in Chicago
paper in 1872 aud copied into the books
donated to the British museum, and
which was one OF those which she COM
plaiued against. had never occurred. The
statements made In this Interview, said
Mrs. Martin, were false.
When asked whether she had ever been
guilty of immortality, Mrs. Martin said
that from 1870 To 1887 she WAS daily before
the American public, and 10 charge had
ever been made against her character.
Sir CHARLES Russell, the attorney gen
eral, who appeared for the trustees of he
museum, severely cross-eXamined Mrs.
Martin 10 regard to her life as II stock
broker in New York and an actress in San
Francisco.
Replying to questions put to her. Mrs.
Martin said that the prosecution against
her In the Uuited States on the charge of !
sending obscene matter through the mails |
had resulted Ia her acuuittal, the govern |
meut being forced to abandon the prosecu- |
tion as II result of public opinion.
When questioned in reg trd to the Rev. |
Henry Ward Beecher, Mrs. Martin said
that il the Beecher-Iilton case WAS to be |
tried again III London She must have time
to prepare her Case.
Alter considerable testimony had been |
taken the case was adjourned.