The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-01
GUILTY
OF LIBE[lhG KING
Edward F Myths Is Sentenced rc
Prison for One Year After
Lightning Trial.

LONDON, Feb Edward p
Myths was today found guilty OF
criminally libeling King George. lie
was convicted on all three OF the
charges made against him.
A prison sentence OF one year was
imposed upon him. The state does
not provide counsel for man charged
with libel against the king ana as
Myths was financially unable 20 EN-
ploy an attorney he conducted his
own defense.
Opposed TO him were Attorney-Gen'
eral Sir Rufus Isaacs, Solicitor Gener
al Sir John Simon and Kings Counsel
lurs Messrs Rowlatt and Muir.
more formidable array or legal lights
would have been hard 10 ind
Myths was brought into court al
10:45, from Brixton Jail, where for a
month he has been confined in de-
faait OF slice, eee bail
Theoretically the trial was public
but In reality IL was conducted secret
ly. as every one was excluded except
a selected few, passed upon by the
crown. Among the spectators was
Home Secretary Winston Churchill.
There was a brief debate whether
Churchill should be admitted, but the
authorities finally decided that he was
a man OF sufficient discretion and re-
liability an dgave him seat well to
the front
The case was tried before a special
Jury chosen by the court officers.
Howlatt made the opening state
ment for the prosecution, declaring
that Myths had been accused three
times OF publishing the scandalous
falsehood of Georges morganatic mar
riage TO the daughter of Admiral Sey-
mour, when he was with the fleet at
Malta and long before his marriage
TO the queen.
The prisoner admits that he wrote
these libels and mailed them TO the
Liberator." Rowlatt said. He asserts
that this story Is true and that its pub
LEGATION is for the public benefit"
Sir Rufus Isaacs followed Rowlatt.
He began by saying that Myths we'll
known Republican views were not In
the least Objectionable TO the king
and that the prosecution was free OF
any political animus.
The king is likely TO suffer the loss
Of HIS subjects esteem" Isaacs con-
tinued, by this repeated assertion
that his marriage to the queen was a
sham and bigamous because the king
had previously married Miss Seymour
In 1890 and had foully abandoned his
wife and offspring to enable him TO
marry the Princess Victoria Mary, as
the result OF the death OF his elder
brother making him the heir TO the
throne"
Isaacs spoke in an impassioned vein
and was followed closely by the pris-
oner. The Encouragement promised
wholly to disprove the Malta mar
rage When he had finished, Myths
asked the privilege OF questioning
each of the Jurors as TO whether he
was able TO render an impartial YER
dict. Once more the lord chief JUS
tice refused his request, although
Myths contended that the law gave
him the right to put this question to
the jurors.
Tie whole foundation OF the oft.
told story OF the morganatic marriage
was swept away by the testimony OF
Admiral Seymour himself. He tcsti-
ueQ LHdt Ut was dc5lkutu u the fOUl'
mand of the Malta fleet in June, 1898,
ard denied that he or his family were
In Malta at the time of the alleged
marriage.
The admiral testified that he re.
NAMED In Malta three years and That
his wife and daughters visited him
there each winter
During this time my daughters
saw the king, who was then the Duke
OF York, only once and that was at
q garden party" Seymour said. II
am sure neither OF my daughters ever
addressed the king"
The Crown Advocate then produced
the Malta marriage register from 1888
to 1897. which showed only one en-
try of the name OF Seymour. This
was a man.
Following the sentencing OF Mylius,
General Isaacs read this let.
ter to the court:
Il am authorized by the king to
state publicly that he was never mar
ried TO anyone except the presen;
uueen. The king would have attended
tie trial TO testify to this effect II the
law officers had not advised that this
course would have been unconstitu-
tlonai"
rsaacs' authority for this letter vas
signed by the king himself.
RITZ. RESTRICTS