Compare Documents

London, April 3. -- The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on a charge of criminally libelling Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, commenced at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey to-day. At the opening of the sessions on March 25 the Recorder (Sir Charles Hall) in his charge to the grand jury directed them to find a true bill.

The Marquis pleaded justification, and that what he did was for the public benefit.

An immense crowd assembled in the Old Bailey long before the proceedings commenced, and as soon as the doors of the court were opened all available space was occupied.

Evidence was given that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, oldest surviving son and heir of the Marquis, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when given away. The defence is based on the revelations contained in these letters.

The trial has not yet concluded.

[The Marquis of Queensberry was arrested at Dover on a warrant on March 2, and was at once brought before Mr. Newton at Marlborough-street Police Court, when counsel for Mr. Wilde stated that he was a husband who was living upon most affectionate terms with his wife and two sons. For the last nine or ten months, he said, the Marquis of Queensberry had persecuted Mr. Wilde with the utmost cruelty. The last act of persecution occurred on February 28, when the Marquis left Wilde, at the Albemarle Club, of which both he and Mr. Wilde are members, an open card, upon the back of which was written a vile epithet. The porter of the club, upon reading the words, enclosed the card in an envelope, so that it might not be seen by other persons than Wilde.

The detective who arrested the Marquis at Dover that morning testified that when he approached the Marquis and informed him of the complaint upon which he was arrested his lordship said: "This has been going on for two years."

Sir George Lewis, the Marquis of Queensberry's solicitor, addressing the magistrate, said that when the facts became fully known it would be found that the Marquis had been acting under the influence of great indignation, based upon abundant provocation.

The Marquis was released on heavy bail, and the case was adjourned for a week.

When the case came on again Lord Alfred Douglas, who is a young man of 25, entered the court with Oscar Wilde, but was at once ordered by the magistrate to withdraw.

Counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry created a sensation by stating they intended to show that the card was written, as a father was entitled to write -- in the interests of morality -- to try and stop Mr. Wilde's undue familiarity with Lord Alfred Douglas.

Oscar Wilde's counsel was reluctant to read certain letters, owing to the exalted names that were referred to.

After a further remand the Marquis was committed for triaL Sir George Lewis withdrew from the case after the second remand. A letter from London, of March 2, says: "It has not been a secret that the reason for the Marquis of Queeneberry's resentment was to be" found in intimate relations existing between Mr. Wilde . and Lord Alfred Douglas. Owing to the friendship existing between Wilde and Lord Alfred the latter became estranged from his father, who, feeling his position more acutely by reason of sundry reports concerning the nature of their relations -- which are also common property -- conceived a most violent antipathy to Mr. Wilde.

London, April 3.

Immense crowds attend the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on the charge of libelling Oscar Wilde.

The evidence adduced to-day showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail to recover his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis's son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes that had been given away. The defence is based on the revelations contained in these letters.

London, April 4.

Mr Wilde was subjected to a stringent cross-examination with the view of showing that "Dorian Grey," and some articles in the magazine Chameleon, with which he is connected, are of an immoral tendency.

Wilde insisted they are merely an expression of the artistic faculty. His letters to Douglas were prose poems—extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation.

He admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers £2l, and lunched with him in a private room afterwards.

The case has been adjourned, and the defendant admitted to bail.

In the course of his evidence, Mr Wilde explained the effusive language of the letters addressed to Lord Douglas as the natural expression of an artist attracted by a beautiful personality. The Marquis of Queensberry visited his residence and threatened Wilde, to which the latter responded with—

"You are the most infamous brute in London!"

During his cross-examination in the libel case, Wilde admitted that he was acquainted with young men named Taylor, Parker and Atkins, and that Taylor had on separate occasions introduced him to five young men, to whom witness had given money, but he was not aware that any of them were gentlemen's servants. He derived pleasure from being in the company of bright, happy people. Witness had frequently been in Taylor's room. He was aware that both Taylor and Parker had once been arrested, but he had continued their friendship. Once he took Atkins and a youth named Price to Paris, and introduced them to another youth named Ernest Scarp, who became acquainted with Lord Alfred Douglas when making a voyage to Australia. Witness had made presents to Scarp and Mabor because he liked them.

Letters read in Court proved that the Marquis of Queensberry was endeavouring to stop his son visiting Wilde. The son wired back to his father that Wilde was a funny little man. The Marquis subsequently called at Wilde's house, when a furious scene took place. The latter denied the charges levelled against him, and showed the Marquis the door.

Wilde said he wrote go the Marquis complaining that his wife encouraged his son's visits. Wilde's friendship with Lady Queensberry and her sons remained unbroken. Certain letters from the youths already named showed that the writers were poverty-stricken, some imploring assistance or employment.

Wilde, in his evidence, admitted close intimacy with a number of young men, but denied that there was anything improper in it. He paid no regard to social inferiority if his friends were amusing.

Lord Douglas' letters showed he threatened to shoot his father if he attempted to thrash him.

The Marquis' letter referred to an eminent stateman, but the reference was political. Wilde's case is closed.

Mr Carson, in opening the case for the defence, declared that the plaintiff's protégés were among the most immoral persons in London, and that Wilde's intimacies were absolutely irreconcilable with his claims as an exponent of culture. His literature alone justified charges against him. In conclusion, counsel claimed that defendant's witnesses, amongst whom was Wood, the chief blackmailer, would prove the case to the hilt.

The Marquis of Queensberry wrote to his son saying that he believed he was crazy, and suggesting that he should leave the country.

London, April 5.

The hearing of the charge of libel against the Marquis of Queensberry finished to-day.

A verdict of not guilty was returned, the jury considering that the charges made by the Marquis were for the public benefit.

Wilde's counsel withdrew from the case.

Wilde himself left the Court while his counsel was explaining that the plaintiff's literature and letters justified the plea of the defence that Wilde posed as an immoral person, and that he withdrew from the case so as to avoid appalling evidence which would be adduced.

The verdict was received with loud cheers.

Counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry sent to the Public Prosecutor the statements of witnesses and notes on the evidence, in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice, and Oscar Wilde has since been arrested.

London, April 6.

Oscar Wilde publishes a letter stating that he abandoned the case in order to avoid placing Lord Douglas in the witness-box.

After the warrant had been issued for Wilde's arrest the police detained three essential witnesses.

Lord Douglas and two other men remained in conference with Wilde at the Viaduct Hotel, Holborn, for several hours after the trial, and lunched together in a private room.

Subsequently they drove to a bank, where Wilde withdrew a large sum of money. He was then lost sight of until he was arrested in the evening at a hotel in Sloane street.

Lord Douglas was much distressed when he found he was unable to bail him out.

After the trial the Marquis of Queensberry sent Wilde a message stating that he would shoot him if he took his son abroad.

Taylor has also been arrested, and will be charged in conjunction with Wilde.

The latter's name has been withdrawn from the playbills of London and American theatres.

London, April 6.

The warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde was issued at the instance of the Treasury.

Although Wilde's name has been removed from the playbills, companies continue to play his pieces for the present.

Wilde, in his letter to the press explaining his reason for abandoning the case, states that he is willing to bear ignominy in order to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas to give evidence against his father, but says the son was eager and quite willing to enter the box.

Wilde has been remanded till Thursday, bail not being allowed.

Paris, April 7.

Parisian society is petrified at the Wilde exposure.