Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-20
HARDEN CASE SECRET
Won MoItke Libel Suit Heard in
Camera.
ZU EULENBURG TESTIFIES
Room Cleared Gin the Interests of
Public Morals"
EDITOR HAD DECLINED A DUEL
It Is Understood That in Future
All the Proceedings Will Be
With Closed Doors.
EDITOR HAD DECLINED A DUEL

Special Cablegram to The Star.
BERLIN. December oO-On the resump-
ton today of the criminal trial of Maxi
milan Harden on charge of libelIng
| Count kuno Won Moltke in the columns
Of the Zukunft, the state prosecutor >e-
manded the exclusion of the public and
the newspaper reporters, on the ground
that publicity would endanger public NOR
| ais.
The court granted the demand despite
the objections of Harden's lawyers. The
fact that the remainder of the trial will
be held in camera is certain to influence
| general opinion in favor of Harden.
| Prince Philip zu Eulenburg Frau Won
Elbe, the divorced wife of Gen. Count
kuno Won Moltke, and Frau Won Heyden,
mother of Frau Won Elbe, testified in
camera.
| The only witness heard openly was Col.
| Otto Won Moltke, a cousin of Count Kuno
Won Moltke. Col. Won Moltke is studious-
| looking man of sixty. He spoke with
much emotion of his twenty-five years
| friendship with the co-plaintiff. They had
commanded squddrons of the same Life
Guard regiment at Breslau. A-.er he left
the army the colonel was often the guest
of Count kuno in Berlin. He believed, he
said, that he knew him better than any
one else. He was always popular with
| his officers and men,.
| His cousin. the colonel continued, was a
| man who exerted an elevating influence
upon those he met rather than a lowering
| one.
Ordinary Friendship.
| The colonel had observed Count Kuno's
friendship with Prince Philip zu Eulen-
burg on the occasion of the various visits
both of them had made to the prince at
his castle at Liebenburg. but he never
gained the impression that the relations
between the two men were other than
what was to be expected in an Ordinary
friendship. To these statements the
colonel took oath.
Regarding the statement made by Har-
den in the course of the civil action that
he would only be able to repeat in camera
the remarks about Count Kuno made by
Gen. Count Huelsen-Haeseler, chief of
the emperor'S military cabinet, that wit
ness read a letter from the general in
which he said that he was not conscious
of having made such remarks to any one.
The colonel produced thick typewrit-
ten document from which to refresh his
memory concerning the offices he has car
ried out between Count Kuno and Harden.
The count had come to him in his hotel
in Berlin on MAY and said he was in
great trouble. He asked the witness If
he would stand by him. and this the
colonel readily promised. Later he car
ried a challenge from his cousin to Har
den to fight duel, but Harden de clined
The colonel is at present holding sine
cure in the state Lutheran Church, being
80 &t,oT nod col Nl,o .fav
intendent of church properties.
Kuno's Resignation.
Herr Bernstein, counsel for Harden. ex-
amined the witness closely as to whether
he or his cousin had taken the least no
tice of the articles in Die Zukunft until
Emperor William took the action which
| resulted in Count Kuno ven 4noltke re-
| signing the position of military COM
| mandant of Berlin. The colonel admitted
| that Count Kuno had handed in mis- resig-
nation on May IL. He declared he Iad
taken his cousins word of honor to Har-
| den denying the insinuations published
in Die Zukunft; Harden had not accepted
| this communication, and the count then
| formally challenged him to fight a duel
on foreign soil. harden declined this pro-
posal by letter.
Court Is Cleared.
At this stage of the proceedings the
public prosecutor announced the Prince
zu Eulenburg, accompanied by two
sons. was in : .djoining room. He was
so i'll, the prosecutor declared that he
begged to be heard Immediately, and the
suggestion was made that the defense
might wish to put questions to the prince
| which the father would not desire his
sons to hear. DR.. Isenbiel, the state at
| forney then moved in the interests of
morality, that the public, including the