Daily World - Monday, April 8, 1895

London, April 8.- The Sun, speaking of the Oscar Wilde case says that another sensational arrest is possible before Thursday, the day when Wilde's hearing will be resumed in the Bow street police court.

The Marquis of Queensberry has authorized the Globe to deny that there is any truth in the story cabled to the United Press that he had written to Oscar Wilde after the trial, saying: "If the country allows you to leave all the better for the country; but if you take my son with you, I shall follow you wherever you go and shoot you."

Naturally, the Wilde disclosures continue to be the absorbing topic of conversation at the clubs, etc. The stand taken by the St. James Gazette in refusing to print the details of the case is attracting much attention, and the paper has been deluged with letters of approbation. The action of the St. James Gazette is likely to prove a good stroke of business for the proprietors of that publication. On Thursday last the second day of the trial, in place of the usual news placards, which all newsboys display, the placard of the St. James Gazette was: "The only paper in London with no details of the Wilde case."

Edward M. Carson, Q. C., M. P., who so ably and relentlessly conducted the case for the Marquis of Queensberry, was a classmate of Oscar Wilde at Trinity college, Dublin. The presiding judge, Justice Collins, is an Irishman.

Wilde has been making immense sums of money lately out of his plays and books. His plays are now running at two London theatres, and many companies are playing them in the provinces. Of course, in future, no one will accept his plays. George Alexander, proprietor and manager of the St. James theatre, stated that if it were not for the fact that the withdrawal of Wilde's play, The Importance of Being in Earnest, would throw 120 persons out of employment, he would at once stop it. Therefore, unless the theatre-going public manifests its displeasure of the author by refusing to witness his works, the play at the St. James will be continued as usual.

The Boston Globe - Friday, April 5, 1895

LONDON, April 5 - The case of Oscar Wilde against the marquis of Queensberry for libel was brought to a close this morning in a verdict in favor of the defendant.

The jury found not only that the defendant was not guilty of libel, but in a subsidiary verdict declared that the marquis of Queensberry’s charges were true and had been made for the public good.

The Old Bailey court room was crowded almost to suffocation this morning when Mr Carson resumed his speech in behalf of the Marquis of Queensberry.

It would be his painful duty, he said, to put upon the witness stand men who would speak freely of the nature of their connection with the plaintiff, Wilde.

The ages of these men varied from 18 to 23 years. They were of the class of servants, valets, etc., not belonging to Mr Wilde’s station in life, not interested in literature or art, yet they addressed this distinguished dramatist by his Christian name, Oscar, he in turn calling them Charlie, Freddie, etc.

Mr Carson said he would produce overwhelming evidence.

Sir Edward Clarke interrupted Mr Carson and said he had undertaken a great responsibility in defending Wilde against the charges made against him by the marquis of Queensberry.

In regard to the literature which Wilde had published, and upon which Mr Carson had questioned him, he (Sir Edward) had come to the painful conclusion that it could not be expected that the jury would find a verdict of guilty on the actual words used by the defendant.

He had consulted with Wilde in the interim of the adjournment of the court, and in order to save the court the painful details connected with the rest of the case he was prepared to accept a verdict of the jury in regard to Wilde’s literature.

The judge interposed and said if the jury were justified in agreeing upon a verdict in one part of the case they must return a verdict of guilty or not guilty as regards the entire case.

The jury then returned a verdict of not guilty and supplemented their verdict with the declaration that the charges made by the defendant against Wilde, which constituted the libel complained of, were true, and that they had been made in public interest.

When the verdict was rendered the marquis of Queensberry left the dock amid loud cheers.

The judge granted an order requiring Wilde to pay the costs of the defense.

The Marquis of Queensberry’s solicitors sent to the public prosecutor a copy of the statements of all the witnesses which the defense intended to call to the stand, together with a full shorthand report of the trial as far as it had gone.

Sir Edward Clarke held his consultation with Wilde within the precincts of the court this morning.

The Westminster Gazette says: Mr Wilde hurriedly left the building during Sir Edward Clarke’s statement.

A warrant for his arrest has not yet been applied for.

The Evening News has received the following letter from Oscar Wilde, written upon the notepaper of the Holborn Viaduct hotel:

"It would have been impossible for me to have proved my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. He was extremely anxious to go into the witness box, but I would not let him. Rather than put him in so painful a position, I determined to withdraw from the case and bear upon my own shoulders whatever ignominy and shame might result from my prosecution of the marquis of Queensberry. (Signed) "Oscar Wilde."

OSCAR WILDE ARRESTED. Besides the Marquis of Queensberry Threatens to Shoot Him.

LONDON, April 5 - At 3.30 o'clock this afternoon a solicitor applied at the Bow st police court and obtained a warrant against Wilde for immediate execution.

In an interview this afternoon the marquis of Queensberry said to a representative of the United Press: "I have sent this message to Wilde: ‘If the country allows you to leave, all the better for the country; but if you take my son with you, I will follow you wherever you go, and shoot you.'"

Sworn informations have been lodged against several persons mentioned in the trial, some of whose names were not made public, and the civil officers are only awaiting the authority to make the arrests.

Oscar Wilde was subsequently found by the detectives, who arrested him and took him to Scotland yard.

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