MOLTKE=HARDEN TRIAL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 489, 23 April 1909, Page 5

MOLTKE=HARDEN TRIAL.

ACCUSED FINED. (BT TeLjQEATE— PRESS ASSOCIATION—COTIRIOHT.) Berlin, April 21. A further stage has been reached in the Holtke-Harden case, which last year startled ' .Germany with its revelations of the doings of the Camarilla or inner cirole of unofficial and irresponsible councillors, who are said to have exercised great influence on tho Kaiser. Herr,Harden published in .the "Zukunft" Seriain articles which were held to l have alleged immoral practices on the' part of Prince Eulenburg, the central figure of the Camarilla, and his friend, Count Kuno von 1 Moltko,' formerly Military Governor of 'Berlin. Count von"Moltke prosecuted Herr| Harden for slander, and the lower Court gave I a verdict for accused. The.Public Prosecutor then took up the case in conjunction with'i Count von Moltke, and a, trial before a highor | Court' resulted in a conviction and' in the .sentencing of .Hoir Harden to four months' imprisonment. 'Against this decision Ht>rr , ; Haidon appealed. Count von Moltko,' as co-prosecutor, recently offered to abandon tho prosecution for slander if'Herr Harden withdrow the charge of" immorality he had made ,in his paper. Herr Harden agreed to,this, but tho Public Prosecutor insisted on procoeding with the retrial of the case. ' ' , The result, of 1 the retrial is,that Herr Harden'is fined ~600 parks,(about £30). Count von Moltke.swore N that the lmputa--1 tions against'himself wore basoless.' - ' ' ; ' -. -I CASE against prince eulenburg: Herr Harden's case against Count Kuno von Moltke rested "largely on the evidence of Frau von Elbe, Count von Moltka's former wife- 1 - they had been divorced—and in the second trial Frau von Elbe's' evidence broko down., The President of the Court declared .that Count von Moltke emerged from the trial without a stain on,'his'honour. ' , ' The case against Prince Philip von Eulenburg rests on other, evidence—that,of two witnesses, former servants 6f the Prince, In the Moltke-. Harden'case Prince Eulenburg'gavo evidence t denying their'charges, and he was subsequently t charged with perjury in so doing. The perjury trial, after dramatic scenes had occurred, was adjourned owing to Prince Eulenburg's illness,' and.it was suggested by the .English, press that t no more would be heard of the case against him. There are men in the Reichstag, however, who are not disposed to let things be shelved. In the Beichstag' on January 18, in reply to statements, the Imperial .Secretary of State, Dr. Nieberding, said that '.the proceedings against Prince (Philip Eulenburg had been 6tayed in consequence of the medical veto'of unbiassed medical officers. 'It was ,now proposed to take a "higher" opinion, and. this 'opinion justified further action, the law would-most certainly take its'course. Dr.'Nieberding said that, so far from special respect haying been paid to tho social position of Prince l Philip Eulenburg, the measures which had been .taken in order to preclude any such suspicion had caused .tho authorities to bo charged with inhuman brutality. , The Centre party Deputy, Dr.' Belzer, who raised tho question, said that the legal authorities •; could not bo accused of deliberate'partiality. But when,'with suoh a weight of evidence,, had a case been prolonegd for weeks? "hen had a man charged,with perjury been allowed such freo intercourse with? his relatives? And what became of other prisoners who' were -too ill to stay in' a police hospital, DUt were not tho owners of villas and castlos?