The Thames Advertiser - Friday, April 5, 1895

THE LIBEL CASE.

London, April 4.

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

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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