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 Philadelphia Inquirer - Saturday, April 6, 1895

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

Sir Edward Clarke, 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.

OSCAR WILDE ARRESTED.

The verdict was received with loud applause which was not checked by the presiding justice, and the Marquis of Queensberry was discharged from custody and left the court, triumphant, smiling and surrounded by his friends.

Later in the day application was made at the Bow Street Police Court before Sir John Bridge, the presiding magistrate, for a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde, and the magistrate granted the application.

Wilde was found early in the evening at the Cadogan Hotel, and was locked up at Scotland Yard. Bail was refused.

CLOSE OF THE TRIAL. A Sensational Ending Followed by the Arrest of Wilde.

LONDON, April 5 - Before 10 o'clock this morning every available foot of space in the court room was filled with spectators. The Marquis of Queensberry at 10.20 A.M. entered the court, looking calm and confident of the result. Promptly at 10.30 A.M. Justice Collins entered and the court was opened. Oscar Wilde was absent.

Mr. Carson said that he hoped he had demonstrated that the Marquis was justified in bringing to a climax in the way he did the connection between his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, and Wilde. Continuing, counsel said that he now approached a more painful duty. It would be his task to call the 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, counsel said, that this man has been so long tolerated in London society. Wilde's conduct in regard to the boy at Worthing, continued Mr. Carson, was an instance 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 a public school colors upon his hat.

THE CASE WITHDRAWN.

Mr. Carson was continuing his terrible denunciation when Sir Edward Clarke and others of Wilde's counsel left the court room for consultation. They soon returned and Sir Edward asked for permission to interrupt the proceedings. Then, amid a most impressive silence, the leading counsel for the plaintiff began to announce the withdrawal of the case on behalf of his 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 to which his counsel adjourned 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 -." Counsel said that he did this more especially

CONTINUED ON FIFTH PAGE.

WILDE IN PRISON CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

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." Mr. Carson here interposed, saying that if there was to be a verdict of not guilty, it also involves a verdict of justification, as the case of his client must succeed upon that plea.

THE MARQUIS ACQUITTED.

Justice Collins said, as to the jury putting any limit on their verdict, that the words written 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 defense 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, 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 attempts to check it.

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

Counsel for the Marquis then wrote to the Public Prosecutor, inclosing copies of the statements made by all the witnesses for the defense and also inclosing the shorthand notes taken at the trial, in order that there might be no miscarriage of justice.

Officials of the Treasury Department, under which branch of the government public prosecutions are directed, visited Bow Street Police Court several times during the afternoon. Upon their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and two boys. After a short consultation between Treasury officials and Sir John Bridge, during which several questions were put to the detective and to the boys, the magistrate issued a warrant for Wilde’s arrest.

WILDE LOCKED UP.

Wilde was captured at the Cadogan Hotel, Sloane street, and taken in a cab by a detective to Scotland Yard. He was very pale, but cool , when he reached there. Few persons witnessed his arrival. He had merely called at the Cadogan with a couple of friends, when at 6.30 o'clock a detective walked into the office and asked for him. The officer was told that Wilde was not staying there, but the detective was not to be put off with any such technical explanation and insisted, whether Wilde was staying there or not, that the man he wanted to see was in the hotel. He was thereupon shown a room and upon entering found Wilde sitting down.

The officer at once told Wilde that he was under arrest and bade him prepared to accompany him. Wilde said nothing, but immediately went with the detective, who took him to Scotland Yard, where the warrant was read. The prisoner remained silent throughout the proceedings. He was then taken to Bow street and placed in the dock in the police station. Here he stood with his hands in his pockets while the charge against him was being taken. A police inspector read the charge allowed and asked Wilde if he had anything to say, adding the usual warning that anything he said might be used against him. The prisoner remained apparently indifferent and made no reply. He was then searched, after which he was locked in a cell.

LORD ALFRED’S DISTRESS.

Shortly after he had been locked up, one of his friends arrived in a carriage at the station with a small Gladstone bag, containing a change of clothing and other necessaries, but the police refused to permit him to leave it. Later Lord Alfred Douglas went to the police station and inquired whether Wilde could be admitted to bail. The police inspector explained that Wilde had been arrested for a criminal offense which did not allow of bail until he had been arraigned in court.

Lord Alfred was greatly distressed by this information. He was told by the inspector that Wilde had a blanket and other requisites in his cell to make him as comfortable as the police regulations allowed.

The prisoner will be allowed to receive food from a hotel until to-morrow, when he will be arraigned in court on a charge involving a penal offense.

A LETTER TO THE PAPERS.

Directly after the trial and before his arrest Wilde wrote a letter to the newspapers in which he said:

"It was impossible to prove my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. Lord Alfred was extremely 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 from the case and bear upon my own shoulders whatever shame and ignominy might result from not prosecuting the Marquis of Queensberry."

In an interview this afternoon the Marquis of Queensberry said:

"I have sent this message to Wilde: 'If the country allows you to leave, all the better 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 awaiting the authority for making the arrests.

The name of Oscar Wilde has been withdrawn from the playbills and advertisement of the two theatres, the St. James and the Haymarket, where two of his plays are running.

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