The Brooklyn Daily Eagle - Thursday, April 4, 1895

London, April 4– The prosecution in the libel suit brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry was concluded to-day, after Wilde has been under cross examination yesterday and to-day altogether for six hours. He was briefly put under the redirect by his counsel before resting his case. In opening for the defense, Mr. Carson, counsel for the marquis, bitterly arraigned Wilde and stated the nature of the defense which will be an attempt to prove the charges which Queensberry made in the libel alleged. Most of the London papers are printing the testimony of the suit almost verbatim. The St. James Gazette is an exception and had taken a stand editorially against such publication.

During the course of his remarks in opening the defense, Mr. Carson alluded in complimentary terms in the course of Mr. Beerbohm Tree in forwarding to the plaintiff a copy of the anonymous letter handed to the English actor, whereupon Justice Collins said: "There is no occasion to mention the name of Mr. Beerbohn Tree."

Mr. Carson, in reply, remarked, "Nor should I do so, my lord, had it not been that I received a cable message from Mr. Tree to-day, asking that his connection with the case be fully explained."

"Every one understands that Mr. Tree’s connection with the case is in every way honorable and praiseworthy." said the justice, in conclusion.

Wilde returned to the court room for a few minutes before adjournment. Among the letter produced in court and addressed by the Marquis of Queensberry to his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, was one saying that Wilde was "a cur and a coward." Such was the interest taken in the proceedings that the services of an extra force of police were required outside the Old Bailey in order to disperse the large crowds which assembled in the neighborhoood in order to see the principals in this notorious case.

The North American - Friday, April 5, 1895

London, April 4 — The was unabated interest today at the Old Bailey in the taking of testimony on the second day of the trial of the suit for libel brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry. The audience was largely composed of lawyers and reporters. There were few notable persons present. The plaintiff arrived in court at an early hour, and took his seat at the table reserved for the solicitors. The Marquis of Queensberry entered a few minutes later, looking jaunty and confident. Several of his friends rushed forward and shook the defendant’s hand as he entered the dock.

Oscar Wilde, on resuming his place on the witness stand, admitted that he had attended tea parties in the rooms of a man named Taylor, which were artistically furnished, and in which perfumes were burning. He denied, however, that he had seen Taylor in woman’s costume. Further questions on the part of Mr. Carson, counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry, brought forth the admission that Taylor introduced Wilde five youths, to whom Wilde gave money and took them to donner at a restaurant. The plaintiff added that he was not aware that one of them was a valet and another a coachman, or that Taylor had been arrested in a raid on a house in Fitzroy Square.

Wilde, in his answers to the questions put to him, exhibited confusion, and contradicted himself frequently. He also lost his temper. Mr. Carson’s questions were in the main pitiless and unprintable. Mr. Carson’s cross-examination of the plaintiff was concluded at noon, after having laster, including the time of yesterday, over six hours.

Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for Wilde, then began the redirect examination of his client by putting in certain letters of the Marquis of Queensberry, in which he called upon his son, "infamous intimacy" with the plaintiff, saying that "his blood turned cold at the sight of their infamous faces." He added: "I hear that Wilde’s wife will petition for a divorce on the ground of unnatural crimes. If you do not cease to let him disgrace us I shall feel justified in shooting him on sight."

To this letter Lord Alfred Douglas replied by telegraph to his father, saying: "What a funny little man you are."

Most of the newspapers are printing the testimony in the suit almost verbatim, bur the character of the testimony is such that today the St. James Gazette says: "The nature of the evidence and the whole circumstances of the case prove to be of such a character that we cannot report it." The St. James Gazette adds: "The English public is at the present moment involved in one of those orgies of indecency permitted by the operation of open courts and an enterprising press." The Gazette urges that all such cases should be heard in camera.

After the noon recess the crowd in the court-room was larger than ever, and the hall and stars leading to it were filled ten deep with well-dressed men who were awaiting a chance to enter. The Marquis of Queensberry lunched with several of his friends, and the sympathy of all present in court seems to be with him. Wilde kept the Court waiting ten minutes, for which he apologized to Judge Collins, saying that he had been consulting his doctor after the production of other letters [...] and Mr. Carson began his speech for the defence. It was terribly denunciatory of Wilde, who left the courtroom as soon as counsel for the defendant began to speak. Lord Alfred was present in court for a short time during the morning, but he did not return in the afternoon.

The speech of Mr. Carson for the defence lasted until the court adjourned at 5 P. M., and was not finished at that time. He carefully reviewed the evidence point by point, denounced Wilde, and said that the witnesses would produce would prove to the jury beyond any doubt the guilty of the plaintiff. During the course of his remarks Mr. Carson alluded in complimentary terms to the course of Beerbohm Tree in forwarding to the plaintiff a copy of the anonymous letter handed to the English actor, whereupon Justice Collins said: "There was is no occasion to mention the name of Beerbohm Tree."

Mr. Carson in reply remarked: "Nor should I do so, my Lord, had it not been that I received a cable message from Mr. Tree today asking that his connection with the case be fully explained."

"Every one understands that Mr. Tree's connection with the case is in every way honorable and praiseworthy," said the Justice in conclusion.

Wilde returned to the court-room for a few minutes before adjournment. Among the letters produced in court and addressed by the Marquis of Queensberry to his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, was one saying that Wilde was "a cur and a coward of the Rosebery type." Such was the interest taken in the proceedings today that the services of an extra force of police were required outside the Old Bailey in order to disperse the large crowds which assembled in the neighborhood in order to see the principales in this notorious case.

Highlighted DifferencesNot significantly similar