Compare Documents

In consequence of the evidence tendered being totally unexpected by the counsel for the plaintiff, that gentleman intimated to the Court that he would withdraw from the case.

The Jury brought in a verdict of not guilty, adding that they considered that the Marquis of Queensberry in publishing the alleged libel had acted in the interests of public morality.

In consequence of the verdict it is expected that Oscar Wilde will be arrested and charged with committing the crimes which have been alleged against him.

Wilde hurriedly left the Court while counsel for the defence was explaining that his literature and letters thoroughly justified the Marquis of Queensberry's plea that Wilde had posed as an immoral person. The learned gentleman declared that the plaintiff had withdrawn because he was afraid to face the appalling evidence which he had indicated would be forthcoming on his client's behalf. Counsel's remark was received with loud cheers.

No warrant for the arrest of Wilde has as yet been applied for, but Mr. Russell, the solicitor to the Marquis of Queensberry, has forwarded the statements of witnesses and notes of the evidence to the Public Prosecutor in order that there may be no miscarriage of justice.

Oscar Wilde has written a letter to the Press, which has been published this morning, in which he states that he was forced to abandon his charges against the Marquis of Queensberry in order to avoid putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box.

The police, acting upon the instructions of the Public Prosecutor, have detained three of the most essential witnesses in the case.

In consequence of the disclosures in the recent libel action by Mr. Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry, and upon the representations made by Mr. Russell to the Public Prosecutor, that functionary has issued a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested, and will appear at Guildhall to answer the charges preferred at the instance of the Public Prosecutor.

Several hours after the termination of the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry, Oscar Wilde, who was accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas and two other men, was observed having his luncheon in a private room at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel. Afterwards Wilde drove to his Bank, whence he withdrew a large sum of money. The detectives, who were closely following his movements, then lost sight of him.

Later in the evening the detectives recovered his trail, and effected his capture at an hotel in Sloane-street.

Lord Alfred Douglas was very greatly distressed at the news of his capture and at his inability to obtain bail for his friend.

The Marquis of Queensberry sent a message to Oscar Wilde at the conclusion of the trial for libel, in which he threatened that he would shoot him if he attempted to take Lord Alfred Douglas abroad.

Taylor, the man whose name was so frequently referred to in the libel trial, was arrested to-day, and, with Oscar Wilde, appeared at Bow-street to answer the criminal charges laid against them by the Public Prosecutor.

Several witnesses were called who proved up to the hilt the case for the Crown, the witnesses citing many occasions on which meetings had occurred at hotels and at Taylor's rooms, Taylor, it was said, having acted as an intermediary for Wilde.

Sir John Bridge eventually, at the request of the authorities, remanded the prisoners until Thursday, refusing to grant bail.

Wilde's name has been withdrawn from the playbills of the theatres of London and the United States, where his comedies of "The Ideal Husband" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" are being played.

Parisian society, among whom Wilde had his own select coterie, is petrified at the facts that are now becoming public.

London, April 8.

Since the remand of Oscar Wilde and Taylor the latter has made statements of a very compromising character, and it is probable that these will lead to many further arrests.

It appears that Taylor's lodgings were widely known, and were resorted to regularly for improper purposes by four of the witnesses examined at Bow-street Police Court on Saturday, and by many other visitors.

LONDON, April 5.

Oscar Wilde hurriedly left the court while counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry was explaining that the prosecutor's literature and letters justified the plea that Wilde posed as an immoral person. Wilde withdrew in order to avoid the appalling evidence that he feared would be brought against him by the witnesses for the defence.

The verdict of Not guilty was received in court with loud cheers.

No warrant against Oscar Wilde was applied for, but Mr. Russell, solicitor for the Marquis of Queensberry, sent to the Public Prosecutor a statement of the witnesses and notes of the evidence with the object of preventing a miscarriage of justice.

After the trial Oscar Wilde published a letter in which he stated that his reason for abandoning the case was to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Wilde, and the police have detained three essential witnesses in connection with the proceedings which are to be instituted against him.

LATER.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested.

APRIL 6.

Lord Alfred Douglas and two men remained in conference with Oscar Wilde for several hours after the trial. They lunched in a private room at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel, after which Lord Alfred Douglas and Wilde drove to one of the banks. Wilde drew out a large sum of money, and was afterwards lost sight of until he was arrested the same evening in an hotel in Sloane-street.

Lord Alfred Douglas was much distressed at the result of the trial. He is unable to provide bail for Wilde's release.

The Marquis of Queensberry sent Oscar Wilde a message after the trial stating that he would shoot him if he attempted to take Lord Alfred Douglas abroad.

The man Taylor, who introduced to Oscar Wilde the young men mentioned during the trial, was arrested to-day.

Both Oscar Wilde and Taylor were brought up at Bow-street Police Court to-day. Several witnesses gave evidence which went to show that the charge now preferred against Wilde can be proved up to tho hilt. It was also shown that Taylor acted as an intermediary for Wilde.

Oscar Wilde's name has been withdrawn from the playbills at the London and American theatres, where Wilde's dramas, "An Ideal Husband" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" are being played.

APRIL 7.

Paris is petrified in consequence of the exposures in the Oscar Wilde case.

Oscar Wilde has been remanded until Thursday. He has not yet been bailed out.