South Canterbury Times - Thursday, April 4, 1895

THE QUEENSBERRY-WILDE CASE.

LONDON,APRIL 3.

Immense crowds attend the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on a charge of libelling Oscar Wilde. The evidence adduced to-day showed that wilde had paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis's son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes when given away. The defence is based on the revelations in these letters.

The Lyttelton Times - Friday, April 5, 1895

LONDON, April 2.

Immense crowds attend the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on the charge of libelling Oscar Wilde. Evidence adduced to-day showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis' son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes when given away. The defence is based on revelations in these letters.

Mr Wilde explained the effusive language of the letters addressed to Lord Douglas as the natural expression of an artist attracted by a beautiful personality. The Marquis of Queensberry visited his residence and threatened Mr Wilde, to which that gentleman responded with, "You are the most infamous brute in London."

April 4.

Mr Wilde was subjected to a stringent cross-examination with a view to showing that "Dorian Grey" and some articles in the magazine Chameleon with which he is connected are of an immoral tendency. Mr Wilde insisted that they are merely an expression of the artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Douglas were prose poems, extraordinary, perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers twenty-one pounds and lunched with him in private rooms afterwards.

The case has been adjourned. The defendant has been admitted to bail.

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