Quebec Morning Chronicle - Friday, April 5, 1895

London , April 4 — The trial of the action of Mr. Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for libel was resumed to day in the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, with the complainant in the witness box, Mr. Carson examining. Mr. Wilde, in answer to a question by Mr. Carson, said he had been introduced to the man Wood by a man named Taylor. He had frequently been to Taylor’s house to attend afternoon tea parties. Taylor, he said, had a habit of burning perfumes in the room, but candles or gas were not lighted upon every occasion of his visits at Taylor’s house. He had met a youth named Mavaria, who had since disappeared. Mr. Wilde said he was aware he had been arrested, but he did not know that Taylor had made himself notorious by his practice of introducing young men to older ones. Taylor, he admitted, however, had introduced him to five young men. None of these young men had any trade, profession or employment as far as he knew. He had made them presents of money for the reason that they were poor. Mr. Wilde was questioned in regard to his acquaintance with two brothers named Parker. He replied that he knew them and had dined with them He was not aware that one of them was a valet and the other a groom, both of them out of employment. He had given one of them money on the occasion of his taking tea with him (Wilde)in the latter’s private rooms in St. James street. His behavior was in no way improper. When Taylor and one of the Parkers were arrested they were in women’s clothes. They were charged with felonious practices.

Mr. Carson — "When you read of Taylor’s arrest did it make any difference in your friendship for him ?"

Mr. Wilde— "I was aware that Taylor had been arrested, but did not know that he had made himself notorious. I was greatly distressed and wrote to him that his arrest did not affect my friendship. Mr. Wilde admitted his acquaintanceship with a man named Atkins who was employed by a bookmaker. He first met Atkins at the rooms of a gentleman whose name he declined to give, but which he handed up to the Judge. The name was not made known by the Court. Mr. Wilde said he had called Atkins by his Christian name. Atkins went to Paris with him and they stopped together there. Wilde paid the fares, but he declared that it would be an infamous lie to say that they had been guilty of any misconduct. He had given Atkins £3 upon one occasion and £15 on another, besides he had given him presents of various articles. A youth named Maher had stopped with him in a hotel in London. Mr. Wilde said that he was a nice, charming young fellow. He gave Maber a cigarette case worth £4. He knew also a youth named Grainger, who was a servant to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry.

Mr. Carson asked Mr. Wilde it he had ever kissed Grainger.

Mr. Wilde, who has succeeded remarkably hitherto in maintaining his composure, began to lose his temper. He declared that he had never kissed Grainger and denounced the insolence of Mr. Carson in pursuing the line of questioning he had followed. Mr. Carson, he said, had insulted him throughout the cross examination. In answer to a new line of questioning, Mr. Wilde said that a masseur had attended him at the Savoy Hotel, but denied that that person had ever seen him in a compromising situation. All of the young men who visited him at his rooms did so as his guests.

This ended the cross examination. It was noticed that during Mr. Carson’s questioning several names were written on slips of paper and handed up to the Court. Those names were not made public.

Sir Edward Clarke then questioned the witness in re-direct examination. He began by reading a number of letters written by the Marquis of Queensberry to his son. Lord Douglas, in which the Marquis condemned his son for his conduct with Mr. Wilde. He also read a letter written by the Marquis reviling Lord Roseberry, Mr. Gladstone and the Queen because of the appointment of his son to the Peerage of Drumlanrig. In one of the letters the Marquis declared that Lord Alfred Douglas was not his son.

Before leaving the witness stand, Mr. Wilde explained his fondness for the such type of males in their youth, by saying that he disliked the old and senile, while the company of the young, happy, careless and original had a wonderful charm. The mere fact of their youth was amazing.

At the conclusion of Mr. Wilde’s re-direct examination, the case for the prosecution was closed.

Mr. Carson, in opening the case for the defence, declared that all that the Marquis of Queensberry had said and done he stood by, withdrawing nothing. His sole object in all the steps he had taken was to save his son from the influence of Mr. Wilde, who, according to his own admissions, was a friend of a person who was known to be a procurer of boys for vicious purposes. Proof would be adduced that Mr. Wilde had carried on a criminal intercourse with the man Wood, who had now returned to England and who would give the true version of the negotiations carried on between himself and Wilde for the return to the latter of a letter written by Mr. Wilde. Mr. Carson referred to the letter from Mr. Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas as showing that Mr. Wilde had conceived for him an abominable passion. The Court here adjourned.

The San Francisco Examiner - Friday, April 5, 1895

LONDON, April 4. - There was unabated interest to-day at the Old Bailey in taking testimony on the second day of the trial of the suit for libel brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry. The audience was largely composed of lawyers and reporters. There were few notable persons present. The plaintiff arrived at an early hour and took a seat at the table reserved for solicitors. He brushed back his hair in his usual fashion and struck an attitude for effect. The Marquis of Queensberry entered a few minutes later looking jaunty and confident. Several of his friends rushed forward and shook the defendant's hand as he entered the dock.

Oscar Wilde, upon resuming his place on the witness-stand, admitted that he had attended tea parties in the rooms of a man named Taylor, which were artistically furnished, and in which perfumes were burning. and in which perfumes were burning. He denied, however, that he had seen Taylor in woman's costume. Upon every occasion of his visiting Taylor's house he had met a man named Mavori, who had since disappeared. Wilde said he was aware Taylor had been arrested.

Mr. Carson asked: "When you read of Taylor's arrest did it make any difference in your friendship for him?"

"I was greatly distressed, and wrote to him. His arrest did not affect my friendship," said Wilde. Wilde admitted his acquaintanceship with a man of the name of Atkins, who was employed by a bookmaker. He first met Atkins at the rooms of a gentleman whose name he declined to give, but which he handed up to the Judge. The name was not made known by the court. Atkins went to Paris with him. Wilde paid the fares, and had given Atkins £3 upon one occasion and £15 on another. Besides this he had given him presents of various articles.

Sir Edward Clarke, formerly Solicitor-General, leading counsel for Oscar Wilde, then began his re-direct examination of his client by putting in certain letters of the Marquis of Queensberry in which he called upon his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, to cease his intimacy with the plaintiff, saying that his "blood turned cold at the sight of their faces." He added: "I hear that Wilde's wife will petition for a divorce. If you do not cease to let him disgrace us I shall feel justified in shooting him on sight."

To this letter Lord Alfred Douglas replied by telegraph to his father, saying: "What a funny little man you are."

After the afternoon session Mr. Carson began his speech for the defense. It was terribly denunciatory of Wilde, who left the courtroom as soon as counsel for the defendant began to speak. Lord Alfred Douglas was present in court for a short time during the morning, but he did not return in the afternoon.

Mr. Carson carefully reviewed the evidence, scathingly denounced Wilde and said the witnesses he would produce would prove to the jury beyond any doubt the guilt of the plaintiff. During the course of his remarks Mr. Carson alluded in complimentary terms to the course of Mr. Beerbohm Tree in forwarding to plaintiff a copy of the anonymous letter handed to the English actor, whereupon Justice Collins said: "There is no occasion to mention the name of Mr. Beerbohm Tree."

Mr. Carson, in reply, remarked: "Nor should I do so, my Lord, had it not been that I received a cable message from Mr. Beerbohm Tree to-day asking that his connection be fully explained."

Most of the newspapers are printing the testimony in the suit almost verbatim, but its character is such to-day that the St. James Gazette says: "The nature of the evidence, and the whole circumstances of the case have come to be of such a character that we cannot report it.

Highlighted DifferencesNot significantly similar