Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-02-21
H0LLE8EN IN A VINE ROW.
Ex-A N Alleged ERers- TO
HAye German Champagne Used at
Lnnnching Of p assseor.

W 49, NNNf
New York, Feb. lit wa = French
champagne after al tnsr splashed the
bow If the German Enaperor's yacht
the Meteor, ~ it slid into the water
last spring. a jury IN the United
States Circuit Court at Milwaukee de-
cided this late 5asarday.afternoon, and
incidentally gave George A. Kessler 3
5000 verdict in the suit for libel he
bro upht after the publication of d
telegram from Or. Won Holleben, the
former Ambassador from Germany. as
sorting that q German brand had been
used.
II became known yesterday that the
charges against Or. o Holleben. The
defeuaan. wa Jacob Best, the Amer
lean agent Of the German brand.
II was brought out during The trial
that DR.. Won Hollebeu endeayored to
have the German brand used. ala chat
20 cases OF champagne were ole elto
him by the firm making the wine.
that he failed in his undertaking. bat
at Chattanooga sent p telegram saying
that it had been used TINT charges 81
exceeding his diplomatic sutboliy nv
sending forth an untruthful statemat
were fled with the Secretary Of StB /.
that it is not kuowa whist became ~
the charges.
No sooner had Miss Alice Roosevelt
c%hristened the ElnDeror's yacht last
spring when from Berlin came dis
patches to the effect that all Beflu
was LAUGHING because Mr.. Kessler by
some tries had n anage1 to substitute
his wtees for the regularly decreed
German vintage.
How it was lone the DISPATCHES did
not state, and the entire matter was d
puzzle, which was intensified when
the rival fir m published broadcast a
copy Of the German Ambassadors tel
earam declaring that there was a dou.
bic trick, and the German brand had
really been used, after all.
This was followed By prompt denials
from Mr.. Kessler. the Townsend 4
Downey Ship Building Company and
various interested individuals. The
result was the assertion that Hoadley.
Lauterbauch 6 Johnson. attorneys for
MIR. Kessler, had flee the charges with
the State Department and sued MI.
Best for libel.
Before the case. could come up for
trial last week Mr.. Won Holleben re-
caived a leave of absence, on the
ground that he was i'll. and departed.
In his absence Count Quadt, Score
tssry to the German Embassy, aud
wine agents Of all varieties were ex-
amined.
In evidence last week were submitted
letters to show that Mr.. Kessel OBJ
tanned the contract 10 furnish the
champagne Mt the launching and
luncheon; that soon afterward DR..
Won Holleuben received letters from
the makers ofsthe German brand ask
ing him to see that their brand was
used; that accompanying one Of these
was the st~atementSethat 20 cases would
be shipped him.
Later it was sworn the German Am
bassador failed ia his attempt to have
the champagne changed, and on Il e
day of the Launching detectives. n
guard Of honor aud various persons
kept a tender watch over the silver
cased bottle the Presidents daughter
was to use. Once. it was asserted.
the Ambassador approached'the bottle.
touched it with his hands, lifted if
up, read the inscription and then
looked sad and meditative.
The guards gathered around, on the
lookout for a slight-of-hand perfor-
nance, but there was none, and every
thing went Off smoothly.
1.-THE charges against DR.. Won Hol-
leben were filed with the State De-
partment by Mr.. Edward Lauterbauch.
said Herbert Limburger, member of
the law firm, who returned from
Milwaukee Yesterday morning. II do
not think. however, that they had
anything to do with his removal. We
are directed to devote the $4,000 YER
diet to charity. as all Mr.. Kessler
wanted was ~vindication.
FARMING IN THE SOUTH