LIBEL ON THE KING.

Grey River Argus, 3 February 1911, Page 6

LIBEL ON THE KING.

MYLIUS SENT TO GAOL

(By Electric Telegraph— CypyAght.)

LONDON, Feb 1

The Mylius' libel-sedition case, resulting over the publication of an assertion that Kin.g George married flhie dau/ghter of a British Admiral at Malta, attracted abnormal interest.

The TimJes, in ireforring tio Mr Mylius's application for tihe appearance of the King as a witness, states that it is eontitutipnally impossible that the King, Jn wlndse name the proceedings are being conducted, should be cited as a witness in his •own Courtis. - • Mylius conducted his own d°Frr.ce. Lord Chief Justice Alverstone refused the accused's request to," call the -King as a witness. ■Sir ißufus Isaacs, K^C, opened for the prosecution. He said that the Chairge was one of seditious libel wihdoh consisted of a statement to the effect that King George married the daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Culme Seymour in 1890 and that his wife, and the offspring born of that union, had been foully abandoned in larder that he could conduct a bigamous marriage with Queen Mary. Sir. Riusfus continued -tfeat the publisher of "The Liberator" wrote to the • prisoner proposing a special "bigamy Coronation .number.' 1 Admiral -. Seymour :gave evidence •that his younger daughter Laura died in 1895, aged 22 yea-rs. She was -never married and never spoke to the King, who was never at Malta while his daughter was there.

Mrs Napier, the elder daughter of the "Admiral, in evidence denied the libel.

Sir Arthur Bigge gave a similar denial.

■Mylius was found guilty on tlhree counts and sentenced to 12~"montihs' imiprisonment.

THE KING'S DENIAL

At the coclusion of the case, the Attorney-General said that he had been authorised by the King to state publicly that he never married any woman 'the Queen and that he would give evidence to this eff.ect but "the law officers, had advised him that such an act would be uncons 4^ - tional.

James, 'the proprietor of "The Liberator," is a nepnew of Henry James, •the well-known American novelist.