Compare Documents

London, Friday. Sir Edward Clarke, who appeared for Wilde, to-day accepted the verdict of not guilty against the Marquis of Queensberry, and the jury found the plea of justification proved. The Marquis was at once discharged.

The Press Association, on enquiring of Lord Queensberry’s solicitors (Messrs Russell and Day), is informed that it is not his lordship’s intention to take the initiative in any criminal prosecution of Oscar Wilde, but after the finding of the jury this morning in the libel action the whole of the documents with proofs of the evidence upon which the defence had intended to rely were forwarded to the public prosecutor, the Hon Hamilton Cuffe. As it was surmised Wilde was in the precencts of the Old Bailey when the speech for the defence of Lord Queensbury was resumed. It was for the purpose of holding a conference with Wilde that his leading counsel left Court at the close of the consultation in one of the waiting rooms. Wilde hailed a hansom and drove away leaving Sir E Clarke to formally withdraw from the prosecution.

The letter written by Mr Russell and accompanying the documents is as follows:—"In order that there may be no miscarriage of justice I think it my duty at once to send you a copy of all our witnesses statements, together with copy of shorthand notes of trial."

The London Evening News states that it has received four letters from Mr Oscar Wilde written on notepaper of a Holborn hotel:—"To the Editor—It would be impossible for me to prove my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. Lord Alfred Douglas was extremely anxious to go into the witness box, but I would not let him do so. Rather than put him in so painful a position I determined to retire from the case and to bear on my own shoulders whatever ignomy and shame might result from my prosecuting Lord Queensberry."

Mr. Angus Lewis of the Treasury, who was accompanied by Detective-Inspector Brockwell, attended at Bow-street this afternoon and said he would like some private conversation with Sir John Bridge. The magistrate granted the request, and it is understood that Mr Lewis intimated that an application might be made during the day with reference to an important case which is at present engaging such public attention.

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. Mr. Wilde was arrested later in the day.

The Old Bailey courtroom 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 up on the witness-stand men who would speak freely of the nature of their dealings with the plaintiff.

Sir Edward Clarke interrupted Mr. Carson, and said he had undertaken a great responsibility in defending Wilde. In regard to the literature which Wilde had published and upon which Mr. Carson had questioned him, the speaker 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 interium 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 that 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 regarded the entire case. The jury then rendered a verdict of not guilty, to which Sir Edward Clarke assented, 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 defence. Wilde was not in the courtroom this morning, but was in the building.

The Marquis of Queensberry’s solicitors promptly sent to the Public Prosecutor a copy of the statements of all the witnesses whom the defence had intended to call to the stand, together with a full shorthand report of the trial as far as it had gone. At 3:30 o'clock this afternoon Mr. Lewis, solicitor of the Treasury, obtained at the Bow Street Police Court a warrant against Wilde for immediate execution.

Wilde and a companion drove from the Old Bailey to the Holborn Hotel, where they were joined soon afterward 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. After leaving the Holborn Hotel Wilde went to the Westminster Bank, where he drew out the funds to his account. He was constantly shadowed. He returned to the hotel, accompanied only by Lord Alfred Douglas. Remaining a few minutes, they drove to Ely Place and thence to the Cadogan Hotel, where they apparently vanished. The Scotland Yard authorities at once issued descriptions of Wilde and spread them over the city. He was subsequently found by the detectives, who arrested him and lodged him in a cell in the Bow-st. 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.

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

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.'"

"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 persecution of the Marquis of Queensberry."

A United Press reporter this afternoon visited the Haymarket and St. James's theatres, where Oscar Wilde’s plays are running. Mr. Morell, 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, that Mr. Wilde's name had been taken out of the bills and advertisements of "An Ideal Husband," and from this the public could form its own conclusions.

George Alexander, manager of the St. James's 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 advertisement of this comedy, which is the most innocent play in the world." Mr. Alexander added that "The Importance of Being Earnest" would be kept on the stage, pending the public verdict. If he should be compelled to withdraw it, 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 its stage.

The reports previously cabled in regard to Beerbohm Tree's connection with the case are inaccurate. Mr. Carson explained to the Court last evening that Mr. Tree received a copy of a letter written by Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas, and thereupon sent for Wilde and handed him the copy. Mr. Carson said that Mr. Tree had cabled this information to him, and it tallied perfectly with the account given by Mr. Wilde in the witness-box. Mr. Carson added that he thought Mr. Tree had acted perfectly right in the matter. The Judge said that there was not the smallest ground for any suggestion adverse to Mr. Tree, who had acted with perfect propriety. Sir Edward Clarke agreed with Mr. Carson and the Judge that Mr. Tree could not properly have done otherwise than he did.