The Evening Journal - Saturday, April 6, 1895

London, April 5.- Oscar Wilde, who bore himself so superciliously and with such an air of superiority and effrontery in court during the hearing of his action against the Marquis of Queensberry, is a prisoner at Scotland Yard, and treated there like any other common person who has offended against the laws of England. He was arrested this afternoon on a Bow street warrant, charged with misdemeanor. The revelations of the practices he is universally admitted to have been guilty of, and to have introduced among a certain set here, and which previously were unknown among the youth of England, though common […] generations across the channel, have caused an indescribable sensation and horror more particularly among the fathers and mothers of the young nobility who have been the chief victims.

Black Infamy.

New York, April 6.- A London special to the Sun says, the career of Oscar Wilde has ended in the blackest infamy. All London is saying it is a pity that the miserable creature had not sufficient pluck to blow out his brains before the police seised him and put him behind bolts and bars to await the punishment for the crimes of which he is already proved guilty. The charge against Wilde for some reason not explained, is not felony but misdemeanor and the maximum penalty is two years at hard labor but the grand jury may change the indictment to more serious offence. He must remain in jail until the trial takes place in May, for the magistrate is certain to refuse to accept fail.

The Cur's Demeanor Under Arrest.

The cynical and supercilious bravador which Wilde manifested during the trial changed when he found himself in custody. He listened in silence to the reading of the warrant. He had been await for an hour or two that escape was impossible, for detectives had been closely following him. He refused to say a word to the officers or to others. He asked at the police station for a separate cell, and that his valet be allowed to bring him his portmeateau. The police refused all requests and locked him up like an ordinary prisoner.

Far-Reaching Effects.

It is impossible to describe the sensation which the case has created in London. The effect of the exposure and of the exemplary punishment which is sure to follow in Wilde's case will be far-reaching. It comes non too soon. The growth of this evil among certain classes of this country is appalling. The police and others are prepared to make fearful revelations as soon as it becomes evident that no other means will suffice to check and destroy the vice which undermined the civilization of the ancient Romans.

The Herald's London special says: Detectives have been scouring the city in search of the man Taylor, for whom a warrant ha already been signed. He has been under police surveillance for some time, but he was unluckily allowed to slip away one morning and has not been seen since. It is not expected, however, that he has left the city.

Queensberry's Wrath.

The Marquis of Queensberry is receiving hundreds of congratulatory telegrams and letters. In an Interview he said: "I think I have done my duty, not only to my family and myself, but also to the community. It has coat me £1,200, and now if the law of England don't step in I must make my own law. I have sent a message to this creature Wilde to the effect that if he chooses to leave the country. I, for one, shall not life a finger to stay him. But he must distinctly understand that if he takes my son with him I shall follow him and shoot him like a dog. But I think he ought not to be allowed to leave the country.

"I think he ought to be placed where he can ruin no more young men. For the part I have taken myself in this matter, I can only say that I have acted absolutely and entirely from a sense of duty. Many of my friend said, as many of these telegrams received also say, that l am to be commended for my pluck. I do not see that pluck had anything to do with it. I do not see that I could have acted otherwise than I have done. I have preserved my self-respect. I may tell you that the full measure of this man's baseness was not revealed to me until after my own arrest at his instance Then the evidence which accumulated and the voluntary confessions which were made to us showed us a depth of immorality which is almost incredible."

Taylor Caught, Too.

Latar - Oscar Wilde's friend Taylor was arrested and taken to the Bow st. police station this morning.

Oscar Wilde was arraigned before a magistrate this morning and charged with enticing young men to commit a foul crime and also with having actually committed the crime himself.

Proceedings in Court.

When Wilde was arraigned in the Bow street police court this morning Alfred Taylor was also placed in the prisoner’s dock, charged with being an accessory to Wilde's crimes. As Taylor stepped into the dock Wilde smilingly recognized him. Taylor is a man of medium size, with sharp features and a fair complexion.

Chas. Parker, 19 years of age, was the first witness examined. He gave in detail the particulars of his introduction to Wilde by Taylor, and stated that the latter said Wilde was "good for money." Parker testified that he had frequently dined with Wilde at various restaurants and related the conversation between them on those occasions. He also told of visits to the Savoy hotel with Wilde and of meeting Wilde at his chambers in St. James Place. He made frequent visits to the latter place. Parker described the conduct of himself and Wilde at these meetings, and swore that he had received money and other presents upon almost every occasion.

The story told by Parker, if true, proves the case of the treasury against Wilde. Counsel for Wilde and Taylor reserved the right to cross-examine Parker.

The Washington Post - Sunday, April 7, 1895

London, April 6.—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 in his defense, notwithstanding that they are intimate enough with him to know most of the secrets of his private life. Lord Douglas, of Hawaick, 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 elder brother, Viscount Drumlaneyg, he was well and favorably known as plain Percy Douglas. He has an unsmirched reputation and entirely differs in every respect from his effeminate next young brother, Lord Alfred Douglass.

Since his return from Australia last fall Lord Douglas, of Hawaick, has been an almost constant associate of Oscar Wilde. In an interview this afternoon 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, however, 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 the cognate productions, "The Second Ms. Tanqueray" and "The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith," which are now called "Pinerotic," are doomed and there is a strong reaction toward a healthier treatment of stage representation, while the current decadent literature will also get a setback.

Archibald Edward Douglas, brother of the Marquis of Queensberry, has written a letter repudiating the statement made to-day in the course of an interview, by Lord Douglas, of Hawaick, 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 of this statement, the writer of the letter says:"My mother, my sister, and myself believe the allegations made against Oscar Wilde."

The charge against Wilde in the meantime is being prosecuted under the criminal law amendment act, under which his offense is a misdemeanor, the maximum penalty being two years for each conviction.

Oscar Wilde’s Arraignment.

Oscar Wilde’s friend, Taylor, was arrested and taken to the Bow street police station this morning.

Oscar Wilde was arraigned before a magistrate this morning, charged with inciting young men to commit a foul crime, and also with having actually committed the crime himself.

When Wilde was arraigned in the Bow street police court this morning Alfred Taylor was also placed in the prisoners’ dock, charged with being accessory to Wilde’s crimes. As Taylor stepped into the dock Wilde smilingly recognized him. Taylor is a man of medium size, with sharp features, and a fair complexion. Charles Parker, 19 years of age, was the first witness examined. He gave in detail the particulars of his introduction to Wilde by Taylor, and stated that the latter said Wilde was "good for money." Parker testified that he had frequently dined with Wilde at various restaurants, and detailed the conversation between them on these occasions.

He also told of visits to the Savoy Hotel with Wilde, and of meeting Wilde at his chambers in St. James’ place. He made frequent visits to the latter place. Parker described the conduct of himself and Wilde at these meetings, and swore that he had received money and other presents upon almost every occasion. The story told by Parker, if true, proves the case of the treasury against Wilde.

William Parker, a brother of the first witness, called, was placed on the stand and confirmed the story of the first meeting between his brother and Wilde in March, 1893, Charles Parker was bound over in the sum of £85 to give evidence in the Old Bailey proceedings.

The landlady of the house in which Taylor lodged, was next examined, and gave testimony regarding the youths who attended the tea parties given by Taylor. She said she had heard Taylor address somebody as Oscar, but did not recognize Wilde as having been one of her lodger’s visitors.

Wood’s Relations with the Poet.

Alfred Wood, the man whose passage to America was paid by Wilde, upon being sworn, testified that he met Wilde at the Cafe Royal, in January, 1893. He went to Wilde’s house, No. 16 Tite street, Chelsea southwest, where he remained with Wilde in a bedroom for three hours. WItness described in detail what occurred during this time. He said he was drunk at the time of this visit. He also stated that Wilde had often given him money and had visited him at his lodgings, but strenuously denied that any wrong doing had occurred during these visits.

In regard to this point the witness was strongly pressed by the magistrate, but reiterated his denials of misconduct, saying that Wilde had simply called upon him. Continuing, the witness said Wilde had given him altogether £35, upon the receipt of which sum he had handed over to Wilde a number of letters written by him. Subsequently, he went to America, remaining abroad fourteen months. He desired to go to America, he said, to get away from Wilde and certain other persons who are now absent from England.

The next witness was a youth named Mayor, who absolutely denied that he had been guilty of any misconduct with Wilde and also denied positively that he had admitted to the Marquis of Queensberry or the latter’s solicitor, that there had been anything wrong in his relations with Wilde.

Wilde and Taylor were remanded in custody. A request was made that the prisoners be admitted to bail, but bail was refused.

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

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