Nelson Evening Mail - Monday, April 8, 1895

London, April 6.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested.

Oscar Wilde publishes a letter stating that he abandoned the case in order to avoid placing Lord Douglas in the witness box. After a warrant had been issued for Wilde's arrest, the police detained three essential witnesses; Lord Douglas and two men remained in conference with Wilde at the Viaduct Hotel for several hours after the trial, and lunched together in a private room. Subsequently they drove to a bank, where Wilde withdrew a large sum of money. He was then lost sight of until arrested in the evening at an hotel in Sloane-street. Lord Douglas was much distressed when he found he was unable to bail him out. After the trial the Marquis of Queensberry sent Oscar Wilde a message stating that he would shoot him if he took his son abroad. Taylor has also been arrested, and will be charged in conjunction with Wilde. The latter's name has been withdrawn from the playbills of the London and American theatres.

[Special.]

April 4.

In the course of his evidence, Oscar 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 Wilde, to which the latter responded with "You are the most infamous brute in London!"

The Otago Daily Times - Friday, April 5, 1895

London, April 3

Immense crowds attended 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 his old clothes when given away. The defence is based on the revelations in these letters.

April 4.

Oscar Wilde was subjected to a stringent cross-examination with a view to showing that "Dorian Gray" and some articles in the magazine "Chameleon," with which he is connected, are of an immoral tendency. Wilde insisted they are merely expressions of artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Douglas he said were prose poems, extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. He admitted he gave one of his alleged black-mailers L21, and lunched with him in a private room afterwards. The case is adjourned. Defendant was admitted to bail.

Special—By Telegraph—Copyright.

London, April 4.

Oscar 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 Wilde, to which that gentleman responded, "You are the most infamous brute in London."

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