A CRUEL LIBEL.

Evening Star, Issue 12928, 26 September 1906, Page 6

A CRUEL LIBEL.

+ SLANDERING THR CECIL FAMILY. Last week the cables advised thai 1 a Mrs Matilda Stanley, who was onco organist n± Hatfield House, the scat, of the Marquis of Salisbury, had been sentenced to six months' imprisonment for publishing pamphlets defamine the character and chastity of Lady Gwendolen. Cecil (daughter of the late and sister of the present marquis). Details to hand by the last Brindisi mail show that Mrn Matilda Lavinia Stanley, a middle-aged woman, was charged before Mr MACahain with unlawfully and maliciously publishing, on the 10th August, at Lincoln's Inn Fields, a defamatory libel concerning Lady Gwendolen Cecil. Mr Bodkin, who appeared for the prosecutor, said the members of Ijord Salisbury's family had far many years been troubled with letters from the prisoner, and received document from her, but up to a month ago the name of Lady Gwendolen Cecil had not been mentioned in them. For somo tamo past printed documents had been distributed from a victoria in various parte of London, and a distribution of this kind in liincoin's Inn Fiolds on the 10th August, had been chosen for the purpose of those proceedings. Chief-inspector Drew, of .Scotland Yard, stated that on the previous Tuesday ho went to Brighton, and found tho prisoner at the Centra! railway station there. She was sitting in a comi>artinent, of a train bound for London. Witness told her that he was a police officer, and that ho held a warrant for her arrest for libel. At, his request, she left the train, and she was then taken to Brighton poiico station. The warrant, wa.s there read to her, and, after being cautioned, she said : " I havo been expecting thin for somo time, and I am glad now that it has come. I havo been a very much persecuted, deeplywronged woman, as is perfectly well known to many. 1 have appealed in a long letter lo the King, as well as to the public at large, for funds for a fair, equal, and open trial in the law courts, and T mean to fight the case to the hitter end —not only for my own sake, but for tho sako of everyone concerned, inasmuch sis I regard it as a representative case, and one seriously threatening and involving the rights and liberties of the people." In °a brown paper parcel which the prisoner was carrying witness found a MS. letter, which she said was addressed to the King. She stated that she had intended to' post it in London after having consulted ber honorary socroUry, with whom sho had an appointment that day. Her name was Mrs Summcrvillo, Thornton avenue, Ghiswick. Among the prisoner's luggage, which had been removed from the train, was a parcel containing 1,000 copies of what was called an addenda., bearing the address of 21 Gladstone place, Brighton: about 2,000 leaflets, and 500 printed copies of a sheet headed 'The Kingfs Letter.' When these things were found, tho prisoner said: "The copies of the addenda and leaflets were intended for distribution in London at once, and the copies of the King's letter later on. I have been persecuted for twelve years hour by hour, and nothing has been done. Lady Gwendolen Cecil has only been attacked eight days, and now I am arrested. She is the guilty woman and I am the innocent one." In another parcel witness found five large placards, on which weTe printed: " Letter to the King. The Hatfield business. Cecil plot." The prisoner stated that they (the placards) had already been exhibited on her victoria all over London during the last two weeks by herself. Witness then went to a house in Harrington road, Brighton, where the prisoner said that she had been lodging. He there found a number of printed documents. They included 1,000 headed ' Tho Hatfield Business,' 500 copies of the addenda, 9,000 leaflets, 1,000 outside pages, and 1,000 summaries. He also found a copy of the correspondence. Mr Harry Wilson, solicitor, then entered the court, and- said he had just been instructed for the defence • by the prisoner's husband. He did not wish to examine the witnesses, as he understood that the prisoner was charged under a section of the Libel Act which did not, permit of justification at that court. His client was very anxious to go to another court a.i quickly as possible. Lady Gwendolen Cecil, sister of the present Marquis of Salisbury, of the Vicarage, Hatfield, was then called. She said she knew the prisoner, who in her maiden name of Sheehan was the organist at Hatfield House. That was up to 1889. Sha lived in .HaitwU.

but not at Hatfield House. As weM as being 'organist, she gave music lessons. ..Mr Bodkin: Did-she leave., the .service of the late Marquis of Salisbury in 1889 or 1890? ..-.'.■■ Witness: So far as ■my memory, goes, about: that time. , Did she leave under drcumstanees of perfect friendliness ?—Quite so, as far as I know. In 1893 was she married by your brother. Lord Waiiam Cecil, at Hatfield?—Yes. Have you for the last fifteen ; or • sirteen years had any communication with herP— None at all that I remember. Have you seen the printed documents which have been referred to?— Yes, for the first tun© on the 10th. Ale you satisfied that you are "the Lady Gwendolen Cecil mentioned in this document?—l believe 6o; So far as this document is concerned—so far as the imputations on you are concerned —is there a word of truth in it?— Not a word of troth. Mr Wilson said that the prisoner would reserve her, defence, and call no witnesses there. The magistrate then committed the prisoner for trial. He asked her if she would undertake not to repeat these statements. Mr WHson said he should strongly advise her to give such an undertaking. \ Prisoner: Certainly I will; but I want a trial. Mr Bodkin mentioned that if these documents were distributed by any other persons he should probably apply for warrants against them. , Mr Wilson: My olient assures mo that there shall be no repetition. Prisoner <finn}y): Pending tho trial.