Manitoba Morning Free Press - Monday, April 8, 1895

London, April 6. — Wilde’s friend Taylor was arrested to-day. Wilde was arraigned this morning, charged with inciting young men to commit foul crime; also having committed the crime himself.

When Wilde was arraigned at the Bow street this morning Alfred Taylor was also placed in the prisoners’ dock, charged with bring accessory to Wilde’s crimes. Wilde greeted Taylor smilingly.

A young man named Parker was the last witness examined. He testified to his introduction to Wilde by Taylor and the meetings between witness and Wilde, their conversations and conduct at the meetings. He also swore he received money presents from Wilde. Parker’s story, if true, proves a case against Wilde. Counsel for the defendants reserved the right to cross-examine Parker.

Wilde and Taylor were both remanded and bail refused.

The charge against Wilde is being prosecuted under the criminal Law Amendment act, which classes his offence as a misdemeanor, the maximum penalty for which is two years imprisonment for each conviction.

Although Oscar Wilde is languishing in jail as a criminal without bail on a heinous charge, he still has a number of influential friends who are zealous of his defense, notwithstanding that they are intimate enough with him to know most of the secrets of his private life. Lord Douglas of Hawick, second and eldest living son of the Marquis of Queensberry, is one of these. He is altogether the manliest looking of the family. Before the death of his eldest Brother, Viscount Drumlanrig, he was well and favorably known as plain Percy Douglas. He has unsmirched reputation and entirely differs in every respect from the effeminate next younger brother, Lord Alfred Douglas. Since his return from Australia last fall Lord Douglas of Hawick, has been an almost constant associate of Oscar Wilde. In an interview yesterday he said that every one in his family, excepting his father has refused to believe the accusations against Wilde. He himself, he said, was willing at any time to go upon the witness stand in Wilde’s behalf, and he was vehement in his denunciation of Wilde’s counsel for having withdrawn the suit. One thing is certain that no matter what may be the outcome of the case, whether Wilde goes free or is sent to prison, the death knell of Wildeism has been rung and the corpse is prepared for burial. The Prurient plays of Wilde and cognats productions, "The Second Mrs. Tanqueray," and "The notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith," which are now called "Binerotie," are doomed and there is a strong reaction towards a healthier treatment of stage representations, while the current decadent literature will also get a set back. Archibald Edward Douglas, brother of the Marquis of Queensberry, has written a letter repudiating the statement made yesterday in the course of an interview by Lord Douglas of Hawick, eldest living son of the marquis, to the effect that no member of the family except his father believes the charges against Wilde. In refutation to his statement, the writer of the letter says: "My mother, my sister and myself believe the allegations made against Oscar Wilde."

London, April 6. — The Daily Telegraph says in a letter on Wilde’s case: "It was a just verdict and must be held to include with Wilde the tendency of his peculiar career. The meaning and the influence of his teachings, and all the shallow and specious arts by which he attempted to establish a cult and even set up few schools of literature and social thought."

The Daily Chronicle has a long letter on the Oscar Wilde case. It says: "Either Mr. Carson’s brief contained a series of wicked slanders of the prosecutor perjured himself unspeakably."

The Westminster Gazette, commenting on the Wilde case says: The case proves that it is untrue to say art has nothing to do with morality. Wilde art rests on a basis of rottenness and corruption.

The Gazette - Saturday, April 6, 1895

LONDON, April 5.— Oscar Wilde Is spending to-night behind the bars of the Bow Street Police station. He was arrested this afternoon by Scotland Yard detectives on a charge founded upon his evidence in his case against the Marquis of Queensberry for libel. This case 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 on 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 be would produce overwhelming evidence of the abominable immorality of this man Wilde.

Oscar Caves In.

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 bad 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, viz : That Wilde was posing as a devotee of unnatural practices. 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 on one part of the case, they must return a verdict of guilty or not guilty as regards the entire case. The jury then rendered a verdict of not guilty, to which Sir Edward Clarke assented. The jury 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 the 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 defence.

Mr. Wilde hurriedly left the building during Sir Edward Clarke's statement, Wilde and a companion drove from the Old Bailey to the Holborn hotel, where they were joined soon afterwards by Lord Alfred Douglas and a companion. The four took luncheon together in a private room, Wilde's carriage remaining in front of the hotel.

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.

Wilde is Arrested.

The Marquis of Queensberry's solicitor sent to the public prosecutor a copy of the statements of the witnesses which the defendant called to the stand, together with a full shorthand report of the trial as far as it had gone. The result of the receipt of this evidence was that this afternoon, Mr. Lewis, solicitor of the treasury, applied for a warrant to the Bow street police magistrates. It was granted and Wilde was soon afterwards arrested by the Scotland Yard men and brought to the Bow street police station.

Before Wilde was taken to his cell the charge indicated by his testimony in court was read to him. He stood with his hands in his pockets silent and apparently unconcerned.

In an interview this afternoon the Marquis of Queensberry said:—- "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 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 waiting the authority of the Treasury department to make the arrests.

Has Damned His Plays.

This afternoon a United Press representative visited the Haymarket and St. James theatres, where Oscar Wilde's plays are running. Mr. Morrell, one of the managers of the Haymarket, in reply to the question how the result of the case would affect future business, said he would rather not express an opinion. He would say, however, Mr. Wilde's name bad been taken out of the bills and advertisements of "An Ideal Husband," and from this the public could form its own conclusions.

Mr. George Alexander, manager of the St. James theatre, where Oscar Wilde's play "The Importance of Being Earnest." is running, said:—- " When the scandal was first rumored, business here was slightly affected, but it is now normal. Mr. Wilde's name has been withdrawn from the bills and advertisements of his comedy, which is the most innocent play in the world. It does not contain a line that could hurt the most tender susceptibilities. Whether the trial will cause a change in the business of the future remains to be seen."

In his interview this afternoon Mr. Alexander said also that "The Importance of Being Earnest" would be kept on the stage pending the public verdict. If he should be compelled to withdraw it some 150 persons would be thrown out of work as he bad nothing ready to replace it.

It is reported that the Criterion, to which "An Ideal Husband" was to be transferred from the Haymarket, has declined to put the play on the stage.

The audiences at the Haymarket and St. James theatres, where Mr. Wilde's plays are being given, were rather small this evening, but they made no hostile demonstrations. At the St. James there were few persons except those who had bought their tickets in advance. The gallery was somewhat critical and two or three audible comments confused the players slightly.

A Strong Press Condemnation.

LONDON, April 5.— The Daily Telegraph will say to-morrow, in a leader on Wilde's case: "It was a just verdict and must be held to include with Wilde the tendency of his peculiar career, the meaning and the influence of his teachings, and all the shallow and specious arts by which he attempted to establish a suite, and even set up new schools of literary and social thought."

His Plays in America.

DETROIT, April 5.— Mr. Leslie, the manager of Rose Coghlan, who has been playing Oscar Wilde's "A Woman of No Importance" here this week, was asked this evening by a representative of the United Press if the play would be shelved because of the scandal affecting Wilde. He said it would be impossible under the contract to take Wilde's name off the play bills and out of the advertisements of "A Woman of No Importance," and, therefore, it had been decided that the play should be taken out of Miss Coghlan's repertoire.

NEW YORK, April 5.— Mr. Frohman, of the Lyceum theatre, where Oscar Wilde's play, "An Ideal Husband" is now running, has derided on account of the termination of the suit against Wilde, to have the playwright's name erased from all the bills and programmes of the theatre after to-morrow. All the printing contracts have also been cancelled in order to admit of the changes being made in the advertisements also. No change will be made in the play itself, however, as the management of the Lyceum hold that it is a wholesome production.

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