LIBEL ON THE KING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1042, 3 February 1911, Page 5

LIBEL ON THE KING.

MYLIUS FOUND GUILTY. IMPRISONMENT FOR TWELVE MONTHS. KING'S ACTION UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. B>- Tclotraph-Press Assoclalion-Copyrielit ,„. London, February 1. /ho trial of Edward Jfylius, charged with selling a paper called the "Liber, ntpr, containing a libellous statement on ivmg George, took place to-day. .Tho prisoner conducted his own defence: Lord Alverstone, the Lord Chief Jusice,, refused tho request of tho accused w call the King as a witness. Iho Attorney-Ueneral, Kir Kufus Isaacs opened for the prosecution. '-'The charge," ho said, "is ono of seditious liboi, which consisted in a statement to the effect that Jving Georgo married u daughter of Admiral Sir Michael Culmo Seymour, in 1800, and that his wife and offspring born of the union had been foully abandonod in order that ho could contract a bigamous marriage with Queen Mary." Continuing, Sir linfus I fnacs stated that the publisher of tho "Liberator" wrote to Hie prisoner, proposing that a. special bigamy Coronation number of the paper should be. issued.

Admiral Seymour gave evidence, that his younger daughter, Laura, died in 1895, aged 22, unmarried. She had never spoken to the King, who was never at Malta while his daughter was there. ■ Mrs. Napier, elder. daughter of the Admiral, also gave evidence, denying the libel. . ... Sir Arthur Bigge, Private Secretary to the King, gave a similar denial. Jlylins was found guilty on three counts of the indictment, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. STATEMENT BY THE ATTORNEYGENERAL. AUTHORISED BY THE KING. London, February 1. Tho Attorney-General, at the conclusion of the case, said ho was authorised by tho King to state publicly that he was never married, except to tho Queen, and that ho would have-, given evidence to this effect, but tho taw Officers of the Crown had advised that such a course w-as unconstitutional. Jlr. JanieV proprietor of the Liberator, is a nephew of Henry James, tho American novelist. ''Tile Time?," referring to Mylius's application that the King should bo called to give evidence, states it is constitutionally impossible' that tho King, in whose name tho proceedings were conducted, should be cited as n witness in his own courts.

UNANIMOUS VERDICT. ■' ■ ■ ' ' SEVERE REMARKS BY , THE .JUDGE. (i(ec. February 2, 9.15 p.m.) London, February 2. The article in the- "Liberator" was headed "Sanctified Bigamy." It stated that the facts offer a spectacle of tho immorality of monarchy in all its sickening J moustrosity. King had been committed with.the aid of'and authority of Anglican prelates. A Christian King and defender of the Church has' a "plurality of wives like a ! Mohammedan sultan." ■ '

A ; careful search of the Malta register revealed nothing.

i Mylius" demanded the King's presence on tho ground that an accused person ought to bo confronted.with his accuser. He quoted nuthorities as to procedure. The judge over-ruled this contention, stating that the Attorney-General had adopted tho ouly possible-course. * ■.Mylius refused to proceed without the King's presence, ah'd ; lqft, the .case to the jury. ■ A unanimous verdict was returned: The judge* in sentencing the accused, stated that apparently defendant had published tho libel in advocating a cause opposed to the Constitution. Tho judge added:, "Every honourable man and woman in the civilised world, would recoil with shamo from the use of such weaponsagainst anyone, especially tho King,. to whom the Empiro was devotedly attached. The .sentence was wholly inadequate, but it -was tho maximum in his power." Mylius became associated with Mr. James through Krishnavarna, the 'Indian Nationalist journalist . ':

SCRUPULOUS FAIRNESS. ■■ DEFENDANT GIVEN EVERY '- ' '■-■ ' : CHANCE. -:' (Rec. February 3, 1.8 aim.) ..-:''. . . London, February 2. The newspapers nre unanimous; ia rejoicing over the King's courageous determination to vindicate his personal honour. Mylius, who is about thirty years of age, is described as being of uncertain nationality, under medium height, with small features. He speaks English with an accent.. ■ ■' -. AH the newspapers emphasise tho scrupulous fairness of tho procedure. Instead of the charge of. seditious libel,, which would prevent a plea of justification, a charge of criminal libel was preferred, in order to give tho defendant every chnnco and enable the slander to be annihilated by sworn testimony. The correspondened' read showed that James's jjanor is a Republican sheet, intended to discredit a monarchy whereever it is found, especially in England. James wrote to Mylius in October in reference to yesterday's libel, stating: "I will publish the facts immediately, without awaiting further verification." Ho also, wrote: "The only way to deal with British monarchy is to cut away respect for it. As soon as the people cease to respect it the monarchy will be done for." James. scut parcels of tho "Liberator" to Mylius, in London, who posted them (o army officers.!and others. The newspapers denounce James as ' a slanderous abettor, skulking in Paris. The case of a groundless clmrge against Charlcs'll; in a declaration at Whitehall on June 0, IGSO, is quoted in connection with the, present case, and tho punishments of John Udall and Alexander Loightoh are recalled and contrasted with the leniency of. tho present sentence. John Udr.ll died in the Marshalsca prison in 1562. Ho was one of the writers for Hie MnVpicliite pro*>. Ho printed a work called "A Demonstration of tho Truth of that Discipline which . Christ linl'h Prescribed." This book was declared sedition?, unci he was sentenced to death in February, 1591. Efforts were made by Sir Walter Balcigh for his release, and, though they were not successful, lie was left in prison, where he died. Alexander T.eighton was a Scottish physician and divine. He was fined, mutilated, and imprisoned (1630-1610) for his attack upon episcopnc.y and the Queen, mid wat released and recompensed with a gift of £0000 by the Long Parliament,' J^