The Toronto World - Saturday, April 6, 1895

London, April 5.—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.

Sir Edward Clarke, Wilde’s counsel, interrupted with the statement that he had come to the painful conclusion that, in view of Wilde’s literature, he could not expect the jury to find the Marquis of Queensberry guilty of libel on the actual words used by the defendant.

The jury then rendered a verdict of not guilty, to which Sir Edward Clarke ascented, 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 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. Wilde was not in court. The Marquis of Queensberry’s solicitor sent to the public prosecutor a copy of the statements of all the witnesses which the defence intended to call to the stand, together with a full report of the trial as far as it had gone.

Mr. Lewis, Solicitor of the Treasury, applied at the Bow-street Police Court for a warrant for immediate execution, and Oscar Wilde was promptly arrested and taken to Scotland Yard. Two of his plays are now running at London theatres, but his name has been withdrawn from the bills.

Quebec Morning Chronicle - Saturday, April 6, 1895

London, April 5 — The Old Bailey Courtroom 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 22 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 of the abominable immorality of this man Wilde.

Sir Edward Clarke interrupted Mr. Carson and said he had undertaken a great responsibility in defending Mr. Wilde against the charges made against him by the Marquis of Queensberry. In regard to the literature which Mr. Wilde had published and upon which Mr. Carson had questioned him, he (Sir Edward) had come to the painful conclusion that it would not be expected that the jury would find a verdict of guilty on the actual words used by the defendant, viz., that Mr. Wilde was posing as a devotee of unnatural practices. He had consulted with Mr. 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 Mr. 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, but supplemented their verdict its the declaration that the charges made by the defendant against Mr. 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 Mr. Wilde to pay the costs of the defence.

Mr. Wilde and a companion drove from the Old Bailey to the Holborn Hotel, where they were joined soon afterwards by Lord Douglas together in a private room, Wilde’s carriage remaining in front of the Hotel.

The Evening News received the following letter from Oscar Wilde, written upon note paper of the Holborn 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 hear upon my own shoulders whatever ignominy and shame might result from the prosecution of the Marquis of Queensberry. (Signed) Oscar Wilde."

At 3.30 o’clock this afternoon a solicitor, whose name is not given, applied at the Bow Street Police Court and obtained a warrant for immediate execution.

It was learned this afternoon that the warrant issued was granted against Wilde.

In an interview this afternoon the Marquis of Queensberry said:— "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 and some of those whose names were not made public and the civil officers are waiting the authority of the Treasury Department to make the arrests.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested and taken to the Scotland Yard Station. It is learned that the solicitor who applied at the Bow Street Police Court for the warrant for immediate execution was Mr. Lewis, Solicitor of the Treasury.

Before Mr. Wilde was taken to his cell, the charge incited 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 Mr. Alexander, of St. James theatre, said 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 had 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 Daily Chronicle will have a long leader to morrow on the Oscar Wilde case. It will say:— "Either Mr. Carson’s brief contained a series of the wickedest slanders, or the prosecutor perjured himself unspeakably."

The Daily Telegraph will say tomorrow 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 cult and even set up new schools of literature and social thought."

Highlighted DifferencesNot significantly similar