SOCIETY SENSATION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10318, 29 January 1927, Page 7

SOCIETY SENSATION

AUTHOR BRINGS ACTION FOR ALLEGED LIBEL,

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST W. E. GLADSTONE. SUPPOSED MISTRESS OF GREAT STATESAIAN. “A GROSS*”SENSUALIST.” (United Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON Jan. 27. Prominent social and political people thronged to Air. Justice Avory’s Court for the opening of Captain Peter Wright’s action for libel against Viscount Gladstone, the outcome of the former’s letter to the Bath Club in July last concerning Wright’s “Portraits and Criticisms, ' which was given wide prominence. Wright gave evidence that lie believed when he wrote, and still believed the statement about W. E. Gladstone to be true. When a 17-year-old boy at Harrow a friend of the family, since dead, told him that Lily Langtry had been Gladstone’s mistress. When he was 21 Dr. Greatorex, a prominent London physician, since dead, told him that some of his women patients had informed him that Gladstone tried to make tlieir acquaintance in the streets. Ten years ago Walter Alorrison mentioned as a fact that Olga Novikolf, a beautiful Russian, was sent from the Tsarist Government in the seventies especially to. fascinate Gladstone, and' became Gladstone's mistess.

Wright added that the present Lord Malmesbury told him a similar story about the Russian 12 years ago. The late Lord Milner in the course of a conversation while the supreme War Council was sitting in Paris attributed Turkey's changed attitude towards Britain to Gladstone’s passion for the other sex. A feature of the opening day of the case against Wright was the astonishing evidence. Under cross-examination Wright unblushingly justified the worst accusations

“I was told,”, he said, “twentysix years ago by Jean Bertrand, of Gladstone’s intrigue with the French actress, Brassine, during a visit to London.’ A well-known steeplechase rider, Charlie Thompson, who is still alive, told him that Gladstone tried to make the acquaintance of a lady' whom Thompson left for a few moments. When he returned Gladstone lied. The lady told him that Gladstone had been making overtures to her. Several times he had heard of Gladstone’s liaison with Laura Ball.

Fourteen years ago, at Eastbourne, he saw a man named Cecil Gladstone, whose resemblance to the statesman was unmistakable. “I was told he was the illegitimate son of Gladstone,” he said, ‘hut I do not remember the name of my informant.”

Wright said that when he was 18 he saw a book called ‘Parson and Painter,” by the Rev. Joseph Slapkins, which gave a pictore of 'London’s underworld in 1890, in which was a chapter headed, “We visit Airs Langtry.” The book contained a Phil Alay illustration depicting a man standing at the stage door of a theatre carrying a bunch of primroses, and a very amorous air. The gentleman certainly' was meant for Air. Gladstone.

The Judge: Do you seriously say that when you saw that you believed Lily Langtry was Air. Gladstone’s mistress P Wright insisted that Gladstone was a gross sensualist, though many worse charges had been made against innumerable great men. He admitted that Viscount Alorlev had described Gladstone’s as an ideal married life, but Wright pointed out that a lot of immoral men were happy with their wives.—A. and N.Z. Cable Assn.

SCENES IN THE COURT. PEN PICTURE OF PRINCIPAL ACTORS. INTENSE INTEREST OF PUBLIC. (Received Jan. 28, 9 p.m.) * LONDON, Jan. 28. Wright, tlie plaintiff, is of medium height, with hair turning grey, and with deep-set tired eyes and a monocle with which lie never ceased t > fidget while in the box. V iscount Gladstone, sitting a few feet below, fixed Wright steadily through his horn-rimmed spectacles with a mild penetrating gaze, which hardly wavered. At least fifty bewigged counsel arc in Court apart' from those engaged in the case, while the throng of the public seeking admittance showed the general belief among the public, that the true principle involved in- the case was the reputation of the “Grand Old Man,” who was buried twenty-nine years ago. The crowded Court was hushed as Wright reeled off famous names, such as Lily Langtry, Mrs. O’Shea and Olga Novikoff.-—A. and N.Z.C.A.

Captain Peter Wright is the author of a book, ‘Portraits and Criticisms,' in which there are many references to the late W. E. Gladstone, to which Viscount Gladstone took the strongest exception. Jn July, 1925, prominence was given to passages in the hook, which Viscount Gladstone described as “garbage,” and the writer he termed ‘a liar, a coward, and a fool.’ When Wright refused to bring a libel action, Viscount Gladstone wrote to the committee of the Bath Club, and Wright, was expelled. He then brought an .action against the club for wrongful expulsion, the action being commenced in July of last year.