THE CECIL LIBEL CASE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13325, 3 November 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE CECIL LIBEL CASE.

—: — — . "CLERGYMAN'S WIFE SENTENCED. •' Before the Common Serjeant (Mr. Bosanquet, K.C.), on September 18, Matilda La r vinia Stanley indicted for publishing a libel on Lady Gwendolen Cecil, a'daughter 4of the late Marquis of Salisbury. . Before the case opened Lady Gwendolen ••■: Cecil, Lord Robert Cecil, and the Rev. Lord ■: : . William ; Cecil, I rector of Hatfield, were in court, and during the hearing Lady Gwen- " dolen stared at Mrs. Stanley, in the dock, "".'- through 5 pince-nez. ~. . ; "^ •'-*■ Mrs. Stanley, a little woman dressed in a ; v : black satin dress spangled with sequins, with lace-frills at the sleeves, and wearing grey ? - kid gloves, stood in the dock, leaning with •' one elbow on the rail, scanning the pencilled notes of her address to, the jury. No counV .'.'**sel appeared for her, but she was advised by a solicitor, who stood near her. i Defendant said, "I have published the *■ libel, and I plead justification" The Common' Serjeant explained that if she persisted -ft. in her plea of justification she ..must prove < V that the imputations she made|were truenot merely that she believed them to be "•true. Defendant: I should never have pub- ■ lished the libel, my lord, if I had not been ','•■ sure of my facts. > I plead the fullest justi:'•'.•■."?fication. - "'""-'., ; . •', .-■--." The libel complained of was contained in -a " pamphlet called The Hatfield Business, *-or Cecil Plot. Letters and Overtures: As- " tounding Revelations," and it contained this passage" "A scandal arose between the chaplain of Hatfield House iand a lady of the \ household, who is a member of the Cecil familv-. «It appears that in"'"the year 1890 • this lady gave birth to a child, of which the ■ chaplain was the father, and in order to . shield this lady the parentage of this child r lias been infamously attributed to me, and 'the necessary tradesmen's bills have actually '-been made out in my name." • "."vThis pamphlet-. was followed by a leaflet, •• in which, "in response to innumerable requests." the name of the lady was given as Lady Gwendolen Cecil, and the writer went on to say::."ln 1 consequence «of the distinct information I have received I demand that Lady Gwendolen Ce:il shall submit herself to a"jury of matrons, that she publicly produre her child born hi the year 1890, which sh* has infamously attributed to me." .- " ".. '::"'. The ; libels, Mr. Gill * for the ! prosecution, were ; the: culmination of a series \of 3.wild statements that Mrs. Stanley had cir'',',;,:'■cuMed about all sorts of people, extending • over a, number of years. Mrs. Stanley's maiden name was Sheehan, and she belong- • ed to a most respectable Hatfield family. For some time she had acted as organist , at Hatfield House Chapel. In 1889 her I health .broke down,- and Lord Salisbury's v fatally sent.* her away for a complete 'rest. - Shortly afterwards she "commenced writing to the. marquis.. = ',".;•, c* ■ - ■■ ■ Among her letters were many referring to * a Rev. . Mr. Stanlev, for whom she was anxious to obtain a. living through the marquis' influence. 1n'1893 she married Mr. • "Stanley at* Hatfield, and a present was sent ' to her by the Cecil family, which she acknowledged in a grateful letter. Then, 1 in ; -1894, came the first suggestion of any plot or conspiracy. She wrote: "We have strong grounds for, assuming ? that letters have been sent in my name of which I have no knowledge."- She went on to say that ; she was overcome with calumny, heaped upon her at Hatfield House, and that in. conse- '- quence the school which she had opened was a failure. : -"'. ; ''' : '\-.;-:' ■■ ,'.v. ■-■>.. '.■■'.■:i r .\-,, ?: ; In 1895, when'a " testimonial" was sent to '~ her at "request stating that "she bore an " excellent character," she wrote back say- '' ' ing:— .'* , .-,-.-•' .■'■'■• '- " It is ambiguous and unsatisfactory, and in; no way meets the case. This life of per- • secution, "degradation, and torture must cease. e , As, you have ignored all my claims a I must look elsewhere, and shall not cease until the : matter has had the fullest investigation and publicity." ' •. ■ , ,' A request for the loan of £300 followed, arid Jfas refused. At the beginning of Aug- | ust of this year, continued counsel, Mrs. /:-" -''Stanley was seen in town and was driven " about London distributing pamphlets from a carriage. In her possession when arrested •- by Inspector Drew were found thousands of copies of the libel and leaflets with copies :• of a letter addressed to the King containing . this . statement: —" For over 10 years we have been deprived of our home, our liveli- ; hood, our character, our friends, our liber- : ty, our freedom, reduced to starvation, and then to,living martyrdom, hunted from place ■; to'place. Our consequent ruin and degradar'tiori are too shocking to narrate here. . . v :Such are and have been the tactics of the '.'Cecil family, j and for 10 years , the ; slow, creeping, torturous, rnurderous persecution . has been earned out." -"' : Mr. Gill said he had read.this only v to I show what outrageous nonsense it all was, but there* were people sufficiently ignorant ta believe that there was " something in it." ! ..'.'■: Evidence of arrest was given by Detective--1 Inspector Drew. He went to Brighton on August 14, and found Mrs. Stanley on the platform of the station, about to leave for -":/;•'■'; London.- *--'-- ~ ' " - :; '-'- — , •• •* LADY ' GWENDOLEN"- CECIL'S EVIDENCE. Lady Gwendolen Cecil was called, and . < said since Mrs. Stanley left Hatfield she had . had no communication with her at all. Mr. Gill: I have to ask you formally if there is any truth in the statements con- • : tained in the pamphlets?— None whatever. Mrs. Stanley: Do you know the Rev. J. J. Edwards, who was chaplain at Hatfield , - House, in 1892?— Yes, he was chaplain to >.... . father. ;; : ' ""V ;".'■■ :! ; '.-.;, '■■'"'■ .':•>"' .'-".: : "' ;" .-.- Were you not on terms of intimacy with - him?—^No, I only knew him as I knew other gentlemen-who had served my father in the ."' : same way. • ','.■ .; -\ ■ • Do you deny that you ever had a child?— - ; -''.Yes'.; "". : ■ ' . • - ■. ■' --V " Will you deny it before a jury of matrons? .; —I will. . , - -- ■ - ■*\"Are there not two warrants out for the -arrest' of Mr.. Edwards?—l know nothing about it.*- ••---- -; -■.: - i. Do* you know. Mrs. -Beer?l saw her . once. ... ■• . ' ?" , .Did you. or anybody in your knowledge, . ... authorise Mrs. Beer to offer £1000 a year to settle some accusation?— ■ "Do you know, then," asked Mrs. Stanley, turning to Lady Gwendolen again, " whether a>proposal was made that my : " husband should have £-300 a year for ser- ' vices I had rendered?"l have never heard anything about it." ; ; You deny that you ever admitted your ? guilt to Mrs. Beer?— Entirely, A,i;. Mis. Stanley:! Will you submit to an examination of a jury of matrons? " "f',, > The Common Serjeant: I cannot allow .* such a question. No jury of matrons could / , be empanelled for such a purpose. ' " ! ''■'■■••;■ "iMr. R. T.'Guriton, private secretary to ! v the late Marquis of Salisbury; produced a number of letters sent to Hatfield House by ; . .';*"Mrs. Stanley, asking for pecuni. assistance. In cross-examination he said he knew that warrants were ouT for the arrest of Mr. 'Edwards in the year 1892, but he did not know why they were riot executed. "'" I 'Did Edwards escape?—l cannot tell you what he did. He was accused of felony?—l have lizard "■' ,' ..' ■ so. ... .. ■':■■. if '-■■:■' ■ ..,.-■:', _ ,i ..Mr. Gunton;described an interview which , took, place between himself and Mrs. . Stanley at, Arlington-street after she left-Hat-field : House. His instructions from Lady < . Salisbury were to say, that Lady Salisbury could advance no money until Miss Sheehan's (as she was then) pecuniary difficulties were settled. If this were done he was to ask whether she- would like to go to Ger- | ? many and perfect her music, go to the '. colonies for the sake of her health, or go to •'. . & ladies' home where she could create a musical connection. : ; The interview, said Mr. Gunton, was -without result, as Miss . Sheehan .would not agree to settle her aftairs—a matter of £300. , - - JIBS. STANLEY ADDRESSES THE JURY. ; ''."'';V;'Mrs. Stanley, before stating., her ; case,; asked that all the pamphlets and letters should be put before the jury. Then she made 'a long statement, declaiming in •' a . - aigh-pitched voice with dramatic inflections, ; i and sipping now 'and; again at ; a glass of ?•;what looked like claret.and water. " ,' - " At the outset," she began, "I desire to record my absolute conviction of the truth i of every word I have published. In the I year 1889 I was ordered a'l long rest and change. I went . away for a month, and I > ■ . got a. letter saying my services were dispensed with. It is quite true that in. 1891 } appealed "< to Lady, Salisbury for help. I had been helping my father with money, and was in financial difficulties. |!,HSpi;|":;:l ; n"v ( K •';;/-;';'';;■'--,";.;; ';"/■■.'":■. r>.,-■:-;>:-\ ;.;:•;>;: -'■: -' '~.-:-->. . -':,-v : • c •-■' • ■ : - ' ■ ;y.-':'.-'..;■">:■::-;■.'-.•■- ■■ ■-' ,; ■■-..-- .•-•;":'..-.... -'-'.■;■- ■':■■:•: ■■'•':t "..'.:'.:... ,':.■.■ '■'':■■. ~ • -

5 "In I July, 1902, i I received < a letter from Superintendent Parish, of the Hertfordshire Constabulary, saying".* that. I was ; seen in company with Mr. Edwards, who was flying from justice! I then heard of these allegations. ;; My mother told them to me.. I was charged with being the mother of Edwards' illegitimate child. I can prove that the Cecil family has disgracefully connected my name with Edwards, &■ I will prove to the jury that Lady - Gwendolen is really guilty. ," Mrs. Beer is • a member [of the_ Sassoon family, and she told me that she was asked on behalf of the Cecils to say that they were sorry that I had been ruined by their slander. She-suggested i a;, settlement, and I thought it was compensation for my wrongs. Mv husband was to have a living of £750 "a. year, and the Hatfield'people offered me £300 a year. ~ ' '. "But'l found that I was to. apologise for something I had never done.. I was to say that I was sorry for being a guilty, woman. I would not live a living lie, or take an abominable libel on my shoulders. From 1896 to 1906 I have been hounded from place* to place. . I have had no fewer than 30 lodgings of two little rooms. As for my committee, I was obliged to be backed up, for no one would believe my word alone. -In 1906 I £1000 to bring my case into court. 1 know for a fact that attempts were made to put me away for delusions; . " I am," concluded Mrs. Stanley, worse than the slaves in Africa., I have no home, no friends. I have been living on the charity of my friends for 10 years. In all England I have only found one person who has the courage to help me in this case. pointing to her solicitor--", should be called the Labori of England." "■ Mr.- James Parish, ex-superintendent of the Herts police, was called by Mrs. Stanley, who inquired whether her name had not been connected with that of Mr. Edwards. The judge, held that the question 'was inadmissible, as it had nothing to do with the libel. " ,Mr. Gill The defendant does not seem to appreciate the issues before the jury. The libels are that Lady Gwendolen had given birth ■ to a child, and that she had passed that child off as belonging to her (Mrs. Stanley);" Colonel- Smith Daniels, chief constable of Herts, produced a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Edwards. He said it was not true that he warned Mr. Edwards to escape. The Common Serjeant: Had Lady Gwendolen anything to do with the arrest or nonarrest of, Edwards?— Nothing whatever. The Dean of St. Albanir was next called, and denied having had any conversation with Mr. Edwards before his escape. The judge had to interpose and tell Mrs. Stanley that she was asking a number of irrelevant, questions. He could not allow the time of the court to be wasted. } "Is not my liberty," asked Mrs. Stanley, "more material than the wasting of the court's time?" . Do you wish to 1 ask Lord -William Cecil any question with regard to the case we have to try?—"l want to prove," insisted Mrs. Stanley, "my own good name."'-" We are not trying your own name," retorted "Mr. Bosanquet. " O —!" gasped Mrs. .Stanley, * in apparent astonishment. "It's the very reason I'm here." ' -' "■ When further questions were being ob jected to by Mr. Bosanquet, Mrs. Stanley said wearily: \ " I think I'd better withdraw. There's no opportunity of proving my good name here." 'Mrs. Rachel Beer, Mrs. St. Hill, and the Bishop of Chichester were • called, but did noi answer to. their names. -. ■ "Oh!" -cried Mrs.- Stanley in. dismay. " I must have Mrs. Beer. I must ask your lordship to insist on her coming." ,»'• Mrs. Stanley next called Lord William Cecil, rector of Hatfield, and asked him .- Do you know that your sister i confessed to Mrs. Beer her guilt' as to this child?—No, certainly not. The idea is preposterous. - The Archdeacon of Lewes was called, and was asked whether, in consequence of the scandal, he had not refused to allow Mr. Stanley.to work in his parish for 10 years, but the judge declined to permit the question. _■:".- " How much money do you owe Mis. Bray?" asked Mr. Gill. Mrs. Stanley admitted it was over £200, and that Mrs. Bray, who kept a laundry, was one.of the persons who had suffered in the case. Mr. Gill: And those are the people whom you call "the saints of old" in your pamphlet?— they are. (Laughter.) Mr. Bosanquet wanted to know what this had to do with the case. "That's just what 1 want to know," cried Mrs. Stanley, in triumph. "What's it got to do with Lady Gwendolen?",. Summing up briefly Mr. Bosanquet said that the defendant had to prove that the imputation was true in fact; and she had offered no proof of the fact.. .After a deliberation of about three minutes' the jury found her "Guilty," and that her plea of. justification was not proved.' The Common Serjeant ordered her to be imprisoned for ': six months. He directed that the document's in the case be impounded and sent, together with part of the evidence, to the Public Prosecutor in order that he might consider whether those who had acted with her ought not to be proceeded against. After sentence had been passed Mrs. Stanley endeavoured to attract Mr. Bosanquet's attention. "My lord,"shebegan," I wish—." A policeman tapped her on the shoulder. "All right," she said to him; "don't be in a hurry." But finding that she would not be allowed to make any further speeches she turned and left the dock, accompanied by a wardress and a policeman. It; was announced on September 19 that Lady Gwendolen Cecil is going to South Africa on a visit to her brother-in-law and I sister, the Earl and Countess of Selbome.