Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-03
HARDEN IS CONVICTED
German Editor Gets Four
Months for Libel.
SPEAKS IN HIS OWN BEHALF
Authorities Determined Won Moltke
Should Be Saved.
END OF A CELEBRATED TRIAL
Prisoner Declared He Wrote From
Political Motives, Which
Were Patriotic.
END OF A CELEBRATED TRIAL

special taDlegram 10 Inc star
BERLIN, January 3-The trial of
Maximilian Harden, editor of the Zukunft.
for libelng Count Kuno Won Moltke in
the columns of that paper, came to an
end today. The five criminal judges who
sat in the case found Harden guilty of
libel and sentenced him to four months
Imprisonment and to pay the costs of
court.
Harden was sufficiently recovered today
to appear in court. He was attended by
his own physician, DR.. Eisenberg. He
spoke in his own defense
In the beginning his voice was feeble
and he could scarcely be heard, but later
he developed something like his customary
elocutionary vigor. His first impressions
the persons attached to the princes in
terests at court had been gained, he said,
from the late Prince Won Bismarck and
members of his household. These impress
sions had been supplemented by converse
tions with Mrs. Won Elbe, the divorced
wife of Count Won Moltke; Prof Schwen-
niger, who was Bismarck's physician, and
others.
In His Own Cause.
Harden said he assumed full RESPONSE
bility for what he had written, but not for
the Interpretation given by other people
to his articles.
If he had intended to write against the
private life of Won Moltke he had had
for many years in his possession material
that he could have used. He had re-
Trained from publishing the things against
Won Moltke that he had heard from Prince
Won Bismarck, Mrs. Won Elbe and Prof.
Schweninger until Won Moltke reached a
position in the encourage of the en-
peror where his influence might be in
furious to the fatherland. Then only
had he endeavored by referring in his
articles to Won Moltke's relations with
| Prince Philip Zu Eulenburg to remove
this bad influence. 1t was impossible to
obtain absolute proof. Harden said. but
he was convinced that a ring had been
formed around the emperor which he
was determined to endeavor to break
through.
Spoke for Two Hours.
If his article had accomplished this re-
suit he was glad but if in his writings he
had libeled Won Moltke all he could say
was he had never intended to do SO. Il
never meant to libel the count" Harden
continued, land nobody knowing me could
imagine that I would deliberately defame
any one. Everybody is aware that I was
working purely from political motives.
If, however, owing to the pecuiarities
of my style, this tribunal considers that l
should be punished, then l am prepared
to undergo imprisonment, but it will be
with the conviction that l do not deserve
this punishment"
Harden spoke for two hours and half.
At the end of his address the court took a
recess until o'clock.
Official Vindication.
The Tageblatt this morning affirmed
that Emperor William had decided to re-
store Count Kuno Won Moltke to active
service and give him a high position in
his immediate entourage. Won Moltke,
who was formerly military commandant
of Berlin, resigned from the army when
the Harden accusations were brought
| against him.
The newspaper said also that the an
nouncement to this effect will be made
soon after the verdict in the present
case is given. 1t was assumed that the
finding of the court would be victory
for Won Moltke.