Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-24
THOUSANDS WANTED TO De At Trial
Case Was Begun in the German capi-
tai Yesterday and InsnuatIons were
Made That Members of the Nobility
Were Guilty of the erossest Mlscon.
duct--Harden'u General Denial
(py AssocInted pross.l

BERLIN, Oct. 23.-Tho libel action
brought by General Count Kuno Won
Moltko against Maximillian Harden
editor of Die kukunft, a free lance
polemlcal weekly and long an organ
of the editors extreme radical opin.
ions. began here today before Justice
Kern
Tho public awaited the ttial with
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES because 1t was
believed that many secrets of the I'M
perial court would be drawn from the
distinguished persons summoned to
testify, some of whom are members
of the imperial encourage.
Won Moltke Is an Intimate friend OF
Prince Phillip zu Gutenberg The OK.
German ambassador to Vienna. and
klnsmnn of the present chief OF the
general staff, Lieutenant General
Count Helmuth Won Moltse, uide of
the governor OF the province of East
Prussia, Frederick Won Motke
me three Won Moltkes nre nophews
of the late great Field Marshal Won
Moltke.
Harden began last November to as
sert that Count IN Gutenberg was the
head OF a group ne court that sought
to Influence tho emperor's political
actions by subtle, Indirect sugges-
lions.
Count IN Gutenberg. Count Kupo
Won Moltke and Lieutenant General
Count william Won Hohennu one of
me emperor's adjutants. were men.
TONED by Harden as members OF the
ao'called camarilla. or round table"
and he further alleged that they were
spiritualists and of abnormal tempcra-
nents and habits. Few of the ten
thousand applicants for cards of ad-
mission to the court room were able
to get them. and these largely were
lawyers, Witnesses and reporters.
Among those summoned to testify
We're Major Prince Biron Won Kur.
land, belonging to regiment of the
guards; Count Edgar Won Wedel:
Count Otto Won Motke, Herr Paul Lii
man, author OF n life of the emperor;
Baron Alfred Won Berger. director
Of the Hamburg theatre: Frau Won
lslbe. the divorced wife of Count XII
no Won Moltke and many others we'll
known In Germany. but less known
abroad.
After the clerk fthe court had
read all OF Herr Hardens articles on
the subject. the defendant arose and
said: 81 Lave followed political aims
alone in my articles and In 80 doing
have been compelled to mention
Count Won Moltke's name. did not
say he had practiced disgraceful vices
but said that he was of abnormal
temperament"
Hardep's Denial.
Harden said he had never written a
word more than was necessary. Count
Won Moltke said that such circle as
the round table" which, as the de-
fendant alleged, had sought 10 influ-
ence Emperor Williams political &c.
tons often II sense contrary to the
views OF his legslational advisers. had
ic-Cvpln- ?boccihrdluupuuD pu pu MI
's'aY.s- fssysseoa md o6tiid not exist in
the encourage of the emperor The
count added that his old friendship
with Prince Xu Gutenberg was Who'll
ly without ulterior significance"
Herr Harden's counsel, Herr Bern
stern. asked Won Moltke IL he had not
heard disgraceful reports about NJ.
Lecomte, the ex-first secretary of the
French embassy. who was transferr-
ed in June. and the plaintiff replied:
| did hear them, lllt did not believe
them. met M. Lecompte many
years ago at Stamsberger Ga Watering
place in upper Bavaria) and | saw
him once or twice with zu Eulen-
berg
Herr Harden questioned the plain
lifts about the testimony presented
at the time of his divorce from his
! wife, Frau Won Ellie. and said he had
heard things about the plaintiff five
years ago, which If he had told them
would have caused the counts uni
form to be torn from him but he had
Kept silent. Continuing Herr Harden
declined to Withdraw anything he
had Written. but admitted frankly that
he haG twice been imprisoned for in.
suits to III esoyereign. each time, for
six months, and that he had also been
fined several times for the same of
Tense.