The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-19
CLERGYNGNS WIFE 70 PRISON
SIX MONTHS FOR LIRELLTNG
LADY GwENDOLEN CECIL.

Accused Daughter Of the Late Marquis
o. Salisbury Of Intimacy win the
Chaplain Of Hatneld HOuse-DeSends
Herself in Court, bat II Convicted.
Special Gable Despatch 10 THs suS.
LONDON, Sept la-Mra. Matilda Stanley,
wife Of q clergyman. was charged at the
Old Bailey to-day with publishing q false
and defamatory libel concerning Lady
Gwendolen Cecil, daughter Of tho late Mar
quis Of Salisbury. The defendant was not
represented by counsel, and decided to
conduct her own case.
Charles Gill, X. c.; conducted the prose-
cution. In opening the case he said the
libel was contained in pamphlets published
by the defendant. headed: The Hatfield
Bushes. TIE cso!I PIC. Astounding Rsv-
Citations. Great IL the Truth and In the End
II viii Prevail A paragraph In the pam
phIct was read. a. follows:
"A scandal arose between the chaplain Of
Hatfield House and a lady OF the house.
hold, who was q member Of the Cecil family.
II appears that in 1890 this lady gave birth
TO q child, Of whom IL was alleged this chap
lain was the father; and, in order to shield
this lady, the ~pRrentage Of this child has
been UNANIMOUSLY attributed to me. and
t~radesmen's bills ave been made out in
my name
In another Ieaflet Mrs. Stanley explicitly
names Lady Gwendolen az the one for whom
she had been made the scapegost.
Mr.. Gill said that the Lbels were the cul-
mination Of q series OF wild statements n
wild attacks against all sorts OF persons
extending over several years. and directed
against any one from whom the accused
was unable to obtain money.
The defendants father had been employed
for years by the late Marquis Of Salisbury,
and she had acted as organist at the daily
services at Hatfield House. Mr.. Gill cited
several acts Of kindness the Cecil family
had shown her. They had ever helped her
in obtaining a church living for her hus-
band.
She constantly wrote begging letters, he
said, to Hatfield House, and the fact that
these appeals remained unnoticed possibly
rave rise 10 her resentment against Lady
Gwendolen.
The defendant for a long, time went
from place to place, staying with persons
from whom she obtained money on the
strength Of her statements as to her suffer-
ings and the allegation that she was about
to institute proceedings against the Cecils.
The sums OF money she obtained in this
manner were considerable, particularly
as what she said was guaranteed by a
committee Of FIVE women, who wrote: W
have no doubts as to the truth Of the fore
going statement" meaning the charges
made in the pamphlet.
Police Inspector Drew testified that
5000 copies OF the pamphlet had been
found in the defendants possession.
Lady Gwendolen Cecil testified that she
remembered the defendant as ar organist.
She said that in August last one Of her broth
ers showed her the pamphlet. She denied
absolutely that there was any truth in the
allegations mad in it.
The defendant cross-examined Lady
Gwendolen the latter maintaining that she
had had no child and ~strenuously denying
the alleged intimacy with the chaplain.
After Robert Dunton, secretary TO the late
Marquis OF Salisbury, had given testimony
as to offers OF monetary assistance which
the Warehouses Of Salisbury had made but
which had not been given, Mrs. Stanley.
irst supplying the jury with copies OF the
pamphlet, Addressed the Court. She as
serted in a rambling manner that she had
been the victim Of a loathsome libel for four
Jbbu yChIb duu bh0bf Ah SOACoANCAS NV
had lost places and had suffered terribly.
The defendant. continuing, talked 30 fast
that only such terms as ruin and per
secution" could be heard by the reporters.
She admitted that she had no documents
to prove her charge; but she said that a
lady member Of the Cecil family had con-
fessed 10 her the guilt OF Lady Gwendolen.
The witnesses Mrs. Stanley called ad-
duced nothing to substantiate the allega-
ti"-s made in the pamphlet.
lie jury found the ibels untrue and
that the plea OF justification entered by
the defendant had not been proved, Mrs.
Stanley was sentenced to six months inn
prisonment and the documents in the
case were ordered sent to the Public Prose-
cutor TO ascertain whether the author
should not be prosecuted.
JEWS APPEAL TO BRITAIN.