Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-05-31
"vlcE BOOK" IN COURT.
Allan Case Testimony Mentions As.
quiths in Now Scandal.

London. May 31.-Noel Pemberton.
Billing. member ot parliament for East
Hertfordshire and publisher OF the
newspaper Vigilante, opened his de-
fense in his trial In the Bow street
police court today on the charge OF
ltbeling Maud Allan. dancer, and J. T.
theater.
Mrs. villiers Stewart was called 20
testify to the existence OF book which
Pemberton- Billing said had been pre-
pared by German secret agents. con-
! tanning the names Of $1,000 British
persons alleged to be addicted to vice
and held in bondage to Germany thru
fear Of exposure.
Mrs. Stewart, under examination by
Mr.. Pemberton- Billing. said the book.
which she had seen. but which was
not produced. contained the names OF
former Premier Asquith and Mrs. AS
quith, Viscount Haldane. former secre-
! tary for war. and Justice Darling. who
is trying the ease against the member
| Of parliament. !.
Another witness, Capt. Harold Spen-
Ger, said he was shown the book by
Prince William. of Wied. in Albania
He said he did not remember seeing
! Mr. Asquith's name In 1t, but he de-
clared the names OF Mrs. Asquith and
Viscount Halda1e were there.
Both Captain Spencer and Mrs. Stew
art said they had been threatened. the
former after he had communicated the
fact to the authorities. Mr.. Pemberton-
Billing asked the judge for protection
for himself and his witnesses. The
Judge referred him to the chief COM
missioner Of police.
Captain Spencer before giving the
names Of Mrs. Asquith and Vlscount
Haldane, said he would give only the
names Of those who had been ap-
preached and had succumbed to Ger
man temptation. He had placed tho
information before the foreign office,
the war office. and the admiralty.
There was great political pressure
brought to bear" said the witness,
"and I was told that II 1t we're pub
llshed it would undermine the whole
fabric Of the government. then took
1t to the political machine"
Captain Spencer declared that pres
sure had been brought to bear to sup
press the matter in September last
when "a political crisis was on and
to power"
Mr. Pemberton-B Billing explained
that his object in calling testimony as
to the existence OF the book Of names
was to prove the existence Of tho
cult" referred to In the alleged libel
and it's political significance
Continuing his testimony. Captain
Spencer, who was a member OF the in
ternational gendarmerle In Albania be-
fore the war and aide de camp to
Prince William. Of Wiec, and Is now n
member OF the royal air forces. said
he wrote the. article which contained
the alleged libel and which was based
on a letter from Marie Corelli, the
novelist.
Last September he mad heard Of n
camarilla in financial circles whose OBJ
ject was to get Asquith back inpower
and make n German peace. As a pre-
caution. he informed American naval
headqurters. so that the plot might be
frustrated.
"Admiral Mayo and his secretary
came to me and got the whole state
ment, ne Sdlu
Asked whether he knew Of opera
tions Of the camarilla between England
and Germany. tho witness replied:
"They have had messages sent be-
tween England and Germany with this
Intelligence"
One OF the principal messengers, he
learned from persons who had re-
ported to the intelligence department,
was well known English society
woman, Mrs. George Keppel. He had
seen Mrs. Keppsl come back from
Holland.
Handicapped In War Movss.
London, May sI.-iUnder cross ex-
animation after his startling testi-
mony for the defense in the trial OF
Noel Pemberton- Billing on the charge
of lbeling Maude Allan, dancer, and
]. T. Grein, manager of the Independ-
ent Theater, Capt. Harold Sherwin
Spencer declared today that in May.
1917. ne made this report to the chief
OF the British general stafr In writ
ing:
Eve are being undermined In Italy
because tho British ambassador In
Italy is being hlackmailcd by Germans
and y afraid to send Information to