Compare Documents

The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on a charge of libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde, the well-known dramatist and litterateur, was commenced this morning. The proceedings excited great popular interest, and not only was the Court filled to overflowing, but immense crowds thronged the passages, for whom accommodation could not be found.

After the case had been opened by the formal proof of the alleged libel, evidence was called on behalf of the defendant. It was represented that Mr. Oscar Wilde had levied heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis. Some of these letters had been found in old clothes which had been given away.

The defence relies upon the revelations of these letters, which it is alleged warranted the writing by the Marquis of the letter upon which the charge against him is based.

London, April 3.

The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry for libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde, the well-known litterateur and dramatist, was continued to-day.

Mr. Oscar Wilde, the plaintiff in the case, was submitted to a stringent cross-examination by counsel for the defence, with a view of showing that the book entitled "The Picture of Dorian Gray" - which was originally published in Lippincott's Magazine, and afterwards republished in book form — and other articles, which counsel for the defence connected with the plaintiff, inspired criminal practices.

The plaintiff, however, insisted that the true interpretation of the book and articles referred to were merely an expression of artistic faculty.

The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas which were produced, and the prose and poems, of which it was alleged that he was the author, might perhaps be characterised as extraordinary, but they did not justify an immoral interpretation.

He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers a sum of money amounting to £21, and afterwards had lunch with him in his private room.

It was also elicited in cross-examination that the plaintiff admitted to terms of intimacy two lads who were not his social equals, and that he had given them expensive presents and considerable amounts of money at various times. The plaintiff's plea was that he did so simply on the ground that he liked them.

During the examination of Mr. Oscar Wilde his extravagant gestures and postures, and his epigramatic and paradoxical style of replying to counsel caused a vast amount of amusement in the Court.

At the end of the day the Court adjourned, the Judge granting bail to the defendant for his subsequent appearance.

London, April 4.

The plaintiff's cross-examination was continued this morning. He said he was acquainted with three men named respectively Parker, Atkins, and Taylor. Taylor had introduced five young men to him on separate occasions to whom the witness had given money. He was unaware if any of them were gentlemen's servants. It was one of his pleasures to indulge in the company of bright happy people.

The plaintiff also said that he had frequently visited Taylor's rooms, and he was aware that Taylor and Parker had on one occasion been arrested, but he still continued his friendship with them.

Wilde admitted that on one occasion Atkins had accompanied him to Paris. Taylor had introduced to him a youth named Ernest Scarp, who subsequently became acquainted with Lord Alfred Douglas whilst travelling to Australia. Wilde acknowledged that he had made presents to Scarp and also to a youth named Mabor, and when pressed to give his reasons said he supposed it was "because he liked them."

Counsel for the defendant read certain letters from youths, whose names had already transpired in connection with the case, which showed the writers to be in a poverty-stricken condition; some of the letters implored assistance, and begged for employment.

Other correspondence read in Court showed that the Marquis of Queensberry had endeavoured to stop his son from visiting Oscar Wilde. In reply Lord A. Douglas telegraphed to his father that "he was a funny little man." The Marquis then called at Wilde's house, when a furious scene occurred. Wilde denied the charges laid by the Marquis, and showed him to the door.

The Marquis then wrote to his wife complaining that she was encouraging their son's intimacy with Wilde. Not withstanding all this, however, the friendship of Lady Queensberry and her son with the plaintiff remained unbroken.

London, April 4.

Mr. Oscar Wilde was further cross-examined to-day during the hearing of his charge against the Marquis of Queensberry for criminal libel.

Mr. Wilde admitted a close companionship with the young men introduced by Taylor. He had dined with them in fashionable cafés, and several had stayed for the night as his guests at his hotels; but he denied that there was anything objectionable in the proceedings. He was regardless of the circumstances of social inferiority in his guests provided that they amused him.

The letters which Mr. Wilde had written to Lord Alfred Douglas were read, showing that the writer had threatened to shoot the Marquis if his Lordship attempted to thrash him. In the letters of the Marquis there were references to eminent statesmen, but they were only of a political nature.

Mr. Oscar Wilde's case was then closed.

Mr. Carson, Q.C., in opening the case for the defence, declared that Mr. Oscar Wilde's protégés were among the most undesirable characters in London. The learned counsel commented on the omission of the prosecution to call Taylor, and affirmed that Mr. Wilde's companionships were absolutely irreconcileable with his claims to be an exponent of culture. The literature of the prosecutor alone justified the defendant in the extreme course he had adopted. More than that, Wood, the chief blackmailer, would prove the case for the defence up to the hilt.

LONDON, 3rd April.

The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry, on a charge of having criminally libelled Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, was commenced to-day. An immense crowd assembled in the court and its vicinity. The defendant pleaded justification, and that the words of the alleged libel were written for the public good.

Evidence was given to the effort that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when they were given away.

The defence is based on revelations continued in these letters.

The prosecutor was stringently cross-examined with the view of showing that his novel, "Dorian Grey," a story of an artist and his model, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine, his articles in other magazines, and the Chameleon, with which he is connected, inspired to criminal practices. Oscar Wilde insisted that the articles were merely the expression of an artistic faculty. The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were "prose poems," "extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation." He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and afterwards entertained him at Inncheon in a private room. Wilde also admitted having been on terms of intimacy with two lads not his social equals, and that he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive parents. He did this because he "liked them."

Oscar Wilde's epigrams, paradoxes, and extravagance caused much amusement in court.

The case was not concluded when the Court adjourned.

The Marquis of Queensberry was admitted to bail.

LONDON, 4th April.

In cross-examination the prosecutor admitted that he was acquainted with three men named Taylor, Parker, and Atkins. Taylor introduced five young men to him on separate occasions, and Wilde had given them money. He was not aware that any of them were gentlemen's servants. He said that he took pleasure in being in the company of bright and happy people. He had visited Taylor's rooms frequently. He was aware that Taylor and Parker had once been arrested, but he had, notwithstanding this fact, continued his friendship with them. He once took Atkins to Paris. Taylor introduced to him a youth named Soarp, who afterwards became acquainted with Lord Alfred Douglas, while on the voyage to Australia. He (Wilde) had made presents to Soarp and another young man named Mabor, because he liked them.

Certain letters were read in court from some of the youths already named, showing that the writers were poverty-stricken, and implored assistance from Wilde in obtaining employment.

Other letters were read indicating that the Marquis of Queensberry had endeavoured to stop his son from visiting Wilde. On one occasion Lord Alfred Douglas telegraphed to his father that "he was a funny little man."

Further evidence was given, showing that the Marquis of Queensberry afterwards called at Wilde's house, and a furious scene ensued. Wilde denied the charge made against him by the Marquis and showed him the door.

The Marquis also wrote, complaining that his wife encouraged his son in his friendship for Wilde. The friendship between Lady Queensberry and her sons remained unbroken.

Oscar Wilde admitted close intimacy with young men who had been introduced to him by Taylor. He had entertained them at dinner at fashionable cafes... Several had spent the night as his guests at his hotel, but nothing improper occurred. He was regardless of the social inferiority of his guests if they were amusing.

Letters written by Lord Alfred Douglas were read, in which he threatened to shoot his father if he attempted to thrash him. Some letters of the Marquis of Queensberry were read, containing statements referring to eminent statesmen, but the references to them were only of a political nature.

The case for the prosecution having closed.

Mr. E.H. Carson, Q.C., M.P., in opening the case for the defence, declared that Wilde's protégés were among the most immoral men in London. He commented strongly on the fact that the prosecutor had not called Taylor as a witness. Wilde's intimacies were absolutely irreconcilable with his claim as an exponent of culture, and his literature alone justified the action of the Marquis. Mr. Carson said that among other witnesses he would call Wood, the chief blackmailer, and would prove his case up to the hilt.

5th April.

Counsel for the prosecutor has withdrawn from the case.

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and considered that the charges made by the Marquis of Queensberry were for the public benefit.

It is expected that Oscar Wilde will be arrested.

LONDON, 5th April.

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 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.

LONDON, 6th April.

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 Holburn 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 is 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 the 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.

7th April.

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.

LONDON, 8th April.

Since he has been remanded, the man Taylor, the associate of Oscar Wilde, has made statements which are likely to lead to many arrests. Taylor's lodgings were widely known, and were used regularly by four of the witnesses who gave evidence at the Bow-street Police Court on Saturday last. There were also many other visitors to the place.

LONDON, 10th April.

Several free libraries in the United States have destroyed Oscar Wilde's works.