Los Angeles Herald - Sunday, April 7, 1895

LONDON, April 6. - The woman previously referred to as having entered the courtroom early this morning was the next witness. She gave the name of Mrs. Grant and said she let rooms to Taylor when he was visited by young men. Mrs. Grant was asked to state the ages of the young men. She replied that they were 15 and upwards. Mrs. Grant was then asked if she could identify Wilde as visiting Taylor’s rooms. She replied she could not. Thereupon Sir John Bridges said quietly: "Wilde, stand up." Wilde arose, but the witness was unable to recognize him, but replying to counsel’s questions, said she remembered Taylor addressed one of the visitors as "Oscar." Mrs. Grant said Taylor’s rooms were furnished well and highly perfumed. Taylor, she added, dressed effeminately. The witness also said the boys stayed all night with him. Before Taylor left Mrs. Grant’s room, the sergeant of police went to his apartment and secretly watched Taylor's proceedings. Sir John Bridges asked Taylor if he desired to ask witness any questions. The prisoner replied, "Not yet."

Alfred Woods, a nice looking young man, was then called to the stand. He testified that Taylor introduced him to Wilde in 1890, and he committed indecencies at Wilde’s own home while the latters family was away. The witness added that he was intoxicated at the time as Wilde had previously given him champagne and whiskey. Continuing, Woods said Wilde afterwards gave him a great deal of money and a watch and chain. The witness also said that soon after he told Taylor he wanted to get away from Wilde and people like him. Counsel interrupted and said: "Let us deal with the case of Wilde, but I believe there were other people at the gatherings."

Sir Archibald Douglass, brother of the Marquis of Queensbury, has written a letter saying that the statement credited to Lord Douglas of Hawick, eldest son of the Marquis, published in an interview in the Leader today to the effect that every member of the family of the Marquis of Queensberry, except the latter, disbelieve absolutely and entirely all the charges made against Wilde, is unauthorized by his mother, his sister or himself. Sir Archibald Douglas adds:

"We certainly believe the charges made against Wilde."

Taylor was arrested today and preserved his cheerful demeanor, and asked the detective who took him into custody what the sentence was likely to be.

The Sun of this city says that another sensational arrest is possible before Thursday next, the day when Oscar Wilde will be brought to Bow street police court on remand.

The Marquis of Queensberry has authorized the Globe to deny that there is any truth in the story cabled to the United Press that he had written to Oscar Wilde after the trial, saying:

"If the country allows you to leave all the better for the country; but if you take my son with you I shall follow you wherever you go and shoot you."

Naturally the Wilde disclosures continued to be the absorbing topic of conversation at the clubs, etc. The stand taken by the St. James Gazette in refusing to print the details of the case is attracting much attention and the paper has been deluged with letters of approbation. The action of the St. James Gazette is likely to prove a good stroke of business for the proprietors of that publication.

On Thursday last, the second day of the trial , in place of the usual news placards which all newsboys display, the placard of the St. James Gazette was:

"The only paper in London with no details of the Wilde case."

Mr. Edward M. Larson, Q.C., M. P., who so ably and relentlessly conducted the case for the Marquis of Queensberry, was a classmate of Oscar Wilde at Trinity College, Dublin. The presiding judge, Justice Collins, is an Irishman.

Wilde has been making immense sums of money lately out of his plays and books. His plays are now running at two London theatres and many companies are playing them in the provinces. Of course in the future no one will accept his plays.

Mr. George Alexander, proprietor and manager of the St. James Theatre, stated last night that if it were not for the fact that the withdrawal of Wilde's play, The Importance of Being Earnest, would throw 120 persons out of employment, he would at once stop it. Therefore, unless the theater-going public manifests its displeasure of the author by refusing to witness his works, the play at the St. James will be continued as usual. Another of Wilde’s plays, which is now running at the Haymarket theatre, will after this week be transferred to the Criterion. The author’s name, in both cases, will be omitted from the bills and advertisements in future.

The Boston Daily Advertiser - Saturday, April 6, 1895

London, Apr. 3. -- 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.

The Old Bailey court room was crowded almost to suffocation this morning when Mr. Carson resumed his speech in behalf of the Marquis of Queensbery.

The judge interposed and said if the jury were justified in agreeing upon a verdict in one part of the case they must return a verdict of guilty or not guilty as regards the entire case.

The jury then returned a verdict of not guilty 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.

At 3:30 P.M. a solicitor applied at the Bow st. police court and obtained a warrant against Wilde for immediate execution.

In an interview, the Marquis of Queensberry said: "I have sent this message to Wilde: "If the country allows you to leave all the beter for the country; but if you take my son with you I will follow you wherever you go and shoot you.'"

Sworn informations have been lodged against several persons mentioned in the trial, some of whose names were not made public, and the civil officers are only waiting the authority of the treasury department to make arrests.

Oscar Wildo was subsequently found by the detectives, who arrested him and took him to Scotland Yard.

Explanation by Wilde.

London, Apr. 5. -- The Evening News has received this letter from Oscar Wilde: "It would have been impossible to have proved my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. He was extremely anxious to go, but I would not let him. I determined to withdraw from the case and bear upon my own shoulders whatever ignominy and shame might result from my prosecution of the Marquis of Queensberry.

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