The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-10-25
CHARGEDW|THUBEL
Trial Of German Editor Begins
in Berlin
{XCITE5 MUCH INTEREST
Many DISTINGUISHED Persons Are
Summoned to Testify

Action Brought by Count Won
MOltke-Charges Made by. Editor
Reflect Upon Some of the Most
Notable Persons i'm the Empire
Berlin, October 23-The libel acLiOn
brought by General Count Kuno von
Moltke against Maximillan Harden, eG
itor of Die Zukunft, free lance 2O-
lemical weekly and long an organ of
the EDITORS extreme radical opinions,
began here today before Justice Kern
The public awaited the trial with
extraordinary interest, because it was
believed that many secrets Of the i'm
perial court would be drawn from the
istinguished persons summoned to tes-
tify, some of whom are members of
the imperial encourage. Won MOltkc
is an intimate friend of Prince Philip
Zu Gutenberg, the ex-German ambassa-
dor to Vienna, and a kinsman of the
present chief OF the general staff, Lieu
tenant General Count Helmuth Won
Moltke, and Of the governor of the pro-
vince of East Prussia, Frederick Won
Moltke. The three Won Moltkes are
nepheWs Of the late great field mar
shal, Won Moltke.
Harden began last November to as
seTt that Count u Gutenberg was tie
head Of a group i,G court that sought 20
influence tie emperor's political ac-
tions by subtle indirect suggestions,
Count Zu Gutenberg, Count Knno Won
Moltke and Lieutenant General Count
William Won HOnenaU, one of the enI-
|perOr's adjutarts, were mentioned Dy
Harden as members Of the so-caiied
Camarilla, or ''Round Table" and he
further alleged that they were spiritI
alists and OF abnormal temperamentS
and habits.
Few of the ten thousands applicants
for cards of admission to the court
room were able to get them, and these
largely were lawyers, witnesses and re-
porters.
Among those summoned to testify
were Major Prince Biron Won Kurland,
belonging to a regiment of the guards,
Count Edgar Won Wedel, Count Otto
Moltke, Herr Paul Liman, author Or
Berger, director of the Hamburg thea
tire; Frau Won Elbe, the divorced wife
Of Count Kuno Won Moltke and TnanJ
others we'll known in Germany, but
less known abroad.
After the clerk of the court had read
|all Of Herr Harden's articles on the
subject the defendant arose and sac:
Il have followed political aims alone
in my articles and in SO doing nave
been compelled to mention Count vOn
MOltke's name. [ did not say he had
practiced disgraceful vices, but said
that he was abnormal in tenpera-
ment."
Harden said he had never written
a word more than was necessary.
Count Won Moltke said that such 4
circle as the round table" which as
the defendant alleged had sought To
influence Emperor Williams political
actions often in a sense contrary to the
views of his legislational advisors, lad
never existed and could not exist in the
entOurage Of the emperor.
The count added that his old friend
ship with Prince Zu Gutenberg was
wholly without ulterior signiticances. >
Herr Hardens counsel, Herr Bern
stein, asked Won Moltke is he had not
heard disgraceful reports about NJ. Le-
cOmte. the ex-first secretary OF The
French embassy, who was transfer ed
= June, and the plaintiff replied
| Il did hear them but did not believe
them. | met NJ. LecOmte many Yeas
! ago at Starnsburger Ga watering place
in upper Bavaria) and l saw him once
or twice with Prince Zu Gutenberg
Herr Harden questioned the plaintiff
about the testimony presented at the
time of his divorce from his wife. Frau
Won Elbe, and said he had heard th!1Fs
about the paintiff five years ago,
which if he had told of them would
have caused the Counts uniform 10 b.
torn from him, but he had kept silen.
Continuing, Herr Harden declined &C
withdraw anything he had written hut
admitted frankly that he had twice
been imprisoned for insults to the SOW
ereign, each time for six months and
he had also been fined several times
for the same offence
At the afternoon session of the cour:
Harden said he did not accuse vor