Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-30
GERMAN COURT LINEN
Gets Thoroughly Laundered in
Public in Berlin.
THE M0LTKE. HARDEN TRIAL
Complainant Seems Jubilant; De-
fendant Weak and III.
STORIES OF FRAU Won ELBE
Pictured by Some as a Vicious wom-
an; by Others as a Model
Of Judgment.
THE MOLTKE-HARDEN TRIAL
STORIES OF FRAU Won ELBE

BERLIN. December 30.-The name OF
Princess Charlotte Won Saxe-Meiningen,
the eldest sister Of Emperor william. was
brought into the Harden-von Moltke libel
case today. as the person who had sup
piled Maximilien Harden with the infor-
nation concerning the Zu Eulenburg
group near the person Of the emperor
upon which Harden based his campaign
against the so-called camarilla. Harden
had two meetings with the princess, seem.
ingly at her request. Prof. Schweininger,
who was present at these interviews. gave
brief account OF them in a deposition
Gen. Count Won Wilhelm Won Hohenau
was mentioned at these meetings, but no
reference was made to Count Kuno Won
Moltke.
Princess Charlotte and the emperor have
been on cool terms for several years The
late Prince Bernard, husband of the prin-
cess, was long opposed to the influence Of
Prince Philip Zu Eulenburg at court. II
is apparent that the princess did not for
get this feud. and that she has been in
strmental in running Zu Eulenburgs rep
utation and his consequent loss Of favor
with the emperor.
When the court which is hearing the Har-
den-von Moltke libel suit reassembled to.
day Harden appeared to be very weak,
while Count Kuno Won Moltke was ex-
ceedinslg cheerful and keenly interested
in the proceedings.
The evidence of Prof. Sohweninger, who
was physician to the late Prince Won Bis
marck. was read to the court The pro.
fessor declared that he had no Ill feeling
against Won Moltke, in spite of coolness
existing between the count and Mrs.
schweninger. Harden. the professor set
forth. had met the hereditary Princess of
Saxe-Meiningen twice in his presence IN
the course Of visits to schweneck. On
one Of these occasions the princess talked
about Gen. Count Wilhelm Won Hohenhau,
and expressed her sorrow that such de-
generacy should occur in high circles"
Prof. Schweninger deposed that he was
very much astonished when, following the
appearance of the articles in Die zukunft,
the excitement against Harden broke out.
He could not understand the reason. as
the articles were not intended to have q
personal, but only political significance.
Bismarck's Friend.
Prof SchvyepfpOor xutxo
seven years old. was for twenty-five years
notable figure in Germany because of
his intimacy with Prince Won Bismarck.
This began when Schweninger W s about
twenty years old. The young man be-
came Bismarcks physician for his gout.
and this led to confidential and personal
relations, which made Schwening:r a DO
htfcal parsonage until the old chancellor
died. Since this time the professor has
at the University of Berlin. The reap
pearance of Schweninger recalls to the
German public the days when he was
reputed to be one of Bismarck's most
able advisers.
Continuing. Prof Schweninger saws he
considered Mrs. Won Elbe, the divorced
wife of Count Won Moltke, to lie mentally
sound and not likely to suffer illusions:
He consequently believed her riginal as
sertions. She had related amy Incidents
appeared to be blamable. The professor
had heard rumors of the perversity of
Prince Philip Zu Dulenburg, even during
the life of Bismarck, but the name of Won
Moltke was never mentioned In connec-
ton with these matters. Mrs. Won Elbe
told him that her former husband, the
count, loved Zu Eulenburg more than he
I'd herself.
Sought Introduction.
Continuing. the professor said he had
himself related to Harden 3ismarck's
opinion of Zu Gutenberg. whose tenden-
cies. the prince considered, untitled him
to act as confidential adviser to the en-
peror. He could not say whence smarck
had acquired this knowledge. The cham
ceilor expressed the opinion also that a
certain imperial adjutant, whose name
was not mentioned. had more influence
upon the decisions Of the emperor than
had the chancellor himself. Bismarck de-
clared in this connection, according to
Prof Schweninger, that If the members
of the camarilla were so foolish as to
permit their influence to be suspected the
camarila would Immediately cease to
exist.
Prot Schweninger declared that he
would not have introduced Harden to
Mrs. Won Elbe had he considered the
sire. he said. was to make the affair
public in the interests of the fatherland,
not as personal matter.
Against Mrs. Won Elbe.
The state then introduced witnesses
whose testimony tended to discredit Mrs.
Won Elbe. Her former paid companion,
Miss Mai, said Mrs. Won Elbe was an
unreliable woman and that she had suf-
fered much at her hands. She isjudged
everybody, was often excited and quar-
relsome without reason, and 1t was her
custom to talk to respectable young girls
the most depraved acts. The
count suffered greatly from his wife's
but he was patient with and
kind to the countess, no matter what
she did.
Mrs. Won den Marwitz testified that
Mrs. Won Elbe's mother Mrs. Won Vey-
den, once confded to her that her daugh-
ter was II advised and untrustworthy.
Mrs. Won veyden poured out her heart
to me and complained bitterly about her
daughter" the witness said.
Baroness Swassen gave testimony to
the effect that Mrs. Won Elbe during her
hrst marriage with Won Kruse acted
she mentioned various de.
tails
Countess Danckelmann swore to cir
detrimental to Mrs. Won Elbe
and Count Won Moltkes enthusiastic ad- =.
- ~, aon xfxer LoG.