The Cork Examiner - Saturday, April 6, 1895

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.

The Galveston Daily News - Saturday, April 6, 1895

London, April 5. -- The suit of Oscar Wilde against the marquis of Queensberry came to a sudden and unexpected termination shortly after the third day's proceedings were begun in the Old Bailey before Justice Collins.

Sir Edward Clarke, the leading counsel for the plaintiff, asked permission on behalf of his client to withdraw the suit and submit to a verdict of not guilty in regard to the words "posing as a --," written by the marquis of Queensberry on the card left by the marquis at the Albemarle club for Wilde on February 18, and which card formed the outward basis of the suit. The jury, under instructions from Justice Collins, returned a verdict of not guilty, coupled with the statement that the justification set up as a defense by the marquis of Queensberry was true in substance and in fact and that the statement complained of was published for the public good.

The verdict was received with applause which was not checked by the presiding judge, and the marquis of Queensberry was discharged from custody and left the court triumphantly smiling and surrounded by his friends. Shortly afterward it was announced that a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde was to be applied for, all the papers in the case having been submitted to the prosecutor.

Before 10 o'clock this morning every available foot of space in the court room was filled with spectators who were armed with newspapers and packages of sandwiches and were otherwise ready to spend the day in court in the happiest and most comfortable manner possible.

The marquis of Queensberry at 10:25 entered the court looking calm and confident. Promptly at 10:30 a.m. Justice Collins entered and the court was opened. Oscar Wilde, however, was absent.

Mr. Edward M. Carson, Q. C., leading counsel for the defense, resumed his speech, which was not yet completed when the court adjourned. He said the marquis was justified in bringing to a climax in the way he did the case between his son and Wilde. Continuing, counsel said he approached a more painful duty. It would be his task to call several young men who would tell their own tales and who would show that the man, Taylor, frequently referred to during the proceedings, was Wilde's procurer. It was no wonder that the marquis of Queensberry protested against the intimacy between his son and Wilde. The wonder is, the counsel said, that this man had been so long tolerated in London society. His conduct in regard to the boy at Worthing, continued Mr. Carson, was an evidence of his disgusting audacity. He picked up this boy on a pier and introduced him to his family, dressed him up as a gentleman and put public school colors upon his hat.

Mr. Carson was continuing his terrible denunciation of Oscar Wilde when Sir Edward Clarke and others of Wilde's counsel left the court. They soon returned and Sir Edward asked for permission to interrupt the proceedings. Then, amidst a most impressive silence, the leading counsel for the plaintiff announced the withdrawal of the case on behalf of the client. The chief concern of Sir Edward Clarke seemed to be his desire to justify himself in undertaking the case for Wilde.

He said that after consulting with his client, who, by the way, was in the room, and who left the building hurriedly when Sir Edward Clarke began his statement, he asked to withdraw the suit and on Wilde's behalf to submit to a verdict for the marquis of not guilty in regard to the words "Posing as a --" in view of the extracts which had been read in court from Wilde's novel of "Modern Social Life," "Dorian Gray" and from the magazine, the Chameleon.

Justice Collins said that the words "Posing as a --" were either justified or not justified. If the jury consented to the course suggested and were to return a verdict of not guilty they were also to find that the justification set up by the defendant was true in substance and in fact, and that the words complained of were published for the public benefit.

The jurymen consulted together for a moment, and then without leaving their seats they returned a verdict as directed by Justice Collins, namely, that the marquis of Queensberry was not guilty of libel and that the words he had written on the card which formed the basis of the suit were published in the interests of the public.

The verdict was received with loud applause in court and Justice Collins made no attempt to check it.

The marquis of Queensberry was then discharged from custody and left the court triumphant and surrounded by his friends.

The defense, it appears, had a long array of witnesses on hand, including waiters employed in hotels of Paris, London and other cities which Wilde had frequented.

Oscar Wilde has just written a letter to the newspapers, in which he says: "It was impossible to prove my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. Lord Alfred was anxious to go into the box, but I would not allow it. Rather than put him in such a painful position I determined to retire and let fall upon my shoulders whatever shame and ignominy that might result from not prosecuting the marquis of Queensberry.

An application was made for the arrest of Wilde and the application was granted.

Officials of the treasury department, under which brand of the government public prosecutors are directed, visited Bow street police court several times this afternoon previous to the granting of the warrant for Wilde's arrest. Upon the occasion of their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and by two boys. After a short consultation between the treasury officials and Sir John Bridge, during which several questions were addressed to the detective and to the boys, magistrate issued the warrant.

Wilde spent several hours in company with Lord Alfred Douglas at a hotel in Holborn. His brougham was waiting in front of the hotel. Early in the afternoon Lord Alfred drove to a bank, cashed a check and returned to the hotel. Soon afterward both Wilde and Lord Alfred drove away.

Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan hotel, Sloan street, and taken in a cab by two detectives to Scotland Yard.

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