EULENBURG TRIAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 239, 2 July 1908, Page 7

EULENBURG TRIAL.

CLOSED DOORS. ' A CHARCE OF PERJURY. . EVIDENCE IN THE HARDEN CASE. (BT TELEGRAPH —rUESS ASSOCIATION—COrTRIQIIT.) ' ' Berlin, Juno 30. Princo Philip zu Eulonburg, the ccntral figure of tbo "camarilla" charges made last year, by Herr Maximilian Harden in "Bio Zukunft," is standing his trial for perjury. .' During the second Moltkc-Harden trial in December last, Prince Eulenburg declared categorically tinder oath that ho had never in his life committed malpractices of the kind of which Herr Harden accused him. As a result of ovidencc given on April 21 by two witnesses in libel proceedings brought by Herr Harden against a Bavarian editor— which witness gave evidence in support of the malpractices—the Crown Prosecutor instituted proceedings against Prince Eulenburg for perjury.

■ The case is proceeding behind closed doors.

A DRAMATIC SCENE. : CONFRONTED WITH WITNESSES. Almost a year to a day from the hour when the Kaiser banished him from his entourage, Prince Philip zu Eulenburg, late leader of tiia "innor round-table" of. the Court, was brought .under a polico guard to tho prisoners' ward of tho Charite Hospital in Berlin. At '4 o'clock in tho afternoon he was taken from his sick bed at his magnificent Castlo'of Liebenberg and convened under arrest in a motorambulance to Berlin —a, distance of 10 miles—to await his. trial for perjury. / ' "The .prince has been under ;police surveillance at. Liebenberg practically .< tho whole of the preceding weelc (says a Home paper) as a result of; ovidonce given against him at Munich on-April 21 in the libel proceedings brought by HGrr Harden against a Bavarian editor, who alleged that Horr Harden had received X 50,000 'hush money' from Prince Eulenburg. Two witnesses—a milk dealer named Eiedel and- a fisherman named Ernst—testified during ~ tho .trial, that they .had for, years boen partners of the prince in malpractices when the prince (then a count)' was attached' to tile Prussian Legation in Munich in the early oighties. .'.The evidence of Eiedel and Ernst was so circumstantial and produced so profound an impression that the Crown Prosecutor felt impelled to institute proceedings against Princo Eulenburg for perjury. During tho second Moltke-llarden trial in December tho Princo declared categorically'under oath that he had never in his life committed malpractices of the kind of which Herr Harden accused him. V /HAVE YOU.'BEEN BRIBED? . " Matters camo to a climax at Liebenberg Castle .when Prince: Eulenburg was confronted with the, two. incriminating : witnesses in tho presence of Judge Schmidt, of tho Berlin Court .of Inquiry. Ttic confrontation was exciting and dramatic in tho extreme. Prince Eulenburg was suffering ; inteuse pain from swollen knees, tile result of neuritis,' and had been propped up in bed' with 'pillows to faco tho ordeal. ■ "When Eiedel and; Ernst wore led into the room' tho prince looked thoin squarely in the face without (linching and declared in calm and positive tones that lie- had never had anything to do with oitkor-. of them. However, .'after-Ernst had reiterated his confession, tho princo exclaimed passionately,' ' Jacob! Jacob! Has anybody'given you moyey? Have you been bribed to : say these things about me?' Both ■witnesses "stood-'firmly''.to their stories, -and Judge Schmidt told the prince that thero was no alternative but to give them full credence." Prince Philip zu Eulonburg was SI years old last February,'and'was a member of tho Diplomatic Service until. 1002, when ho voluntarily resigned the Ambassadorship in Vienna in consequence'of the'alleged; threats of Jlis enemies .to publish '-daniagihg-cxposurcs regarding his past. life. Ho continued, however, to. enjoy the friendship of the Jvaiser, .who paid; annual visits'to his Castlo of ,Liebenberg, staying, thero several days. . ' .. .'THE PRINCE'S INFLUENCE. It was on the occasion of the Kaiser's last visit in December, 1906, that tho Emperor sent the famous telegram to. Prince Bulow ordering the dissolution of the Reichstag. Princo Eulen-; burg.ranked as one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, of tho Kaiser's subjects, and ..the Emperor made no ; secret of his friendship for him. The princo is a gifted conversationalist, musician, and painter, and a man'.of charming poetic ideals. , 110 became involved in the scandals which ended in this arrest, in consequence of t'lie exposures in the "Zukunft," in tho winter of 190Q-7, when Herr Maximilian Harden accused him of being tho head of a " round-tablo " of courtiers, a camarilla, tho members of which -were addicted to< certain grave practices. Princo arrest was regarded in some charters as a great personal triumph for Herr Harden. It was primarily at tho-'princo that tho young editor's attacks were always aimed. Princess Eulenburg has; taken apartments, in a Berlin hotel in -order to be near her husband.. Tho village of - Liebenborg, whero tho princo ruled as a sort of feudal lord, was ablaze with excitement over his Serene" Highness's arrest and forcible; removal from his castle.-; - - ' ' ■ - '.