Compare Documents

London, April 5– The suit of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry came to a sudden and unexpected termination this morning shortly after the third day’s proceedings were commenced in the Old Bailey, before Justice Collins.

The result was apparently brought about by the terrible denunciations in the opening argument of Queensberry’s lawyer, Edward M. Carson, M. P., who began yesterday his statement of what he proposed to prove against Wilde. To-day he continued laying down further the line of defense that he intended to offer, and had proceeded a few minutes when Sir Edward Clarke, Wilde’s leading counsel, left the court room. He returned after a brief absence, and amid an impressive silence asked permission on behalf his client, Wilde, to withdraw the suit and submit to a verdict of not guilty in regard to the libel alleged, written by the Marquis of Queensberry. The jury, under instructions from Justice Collins, returned a verdict of not guilty, coupled with the statement that the justification set up as a defence by the Marquis of Queensberry was true in substance and in fact and that the statement complained of was published for the public good.

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.

The Old Bailey was filled before 10 o’clock with a crowd which had brought lunches, prepared to stay to the end of the day. No one had the remotest idea that the end was so near at hand. The Marquis of Queensberry entered the court room at 10:20 o’clock, looking calm and confident of the result. Promptly at 10:30 Justice Collins took his seat on the bench and opened court. It was noticed that Wilde was not in the court room, but nothing was thought of the circumstance, for the plaintiff was late yesterday.

It was learned later, after Sir Eward Clarke retired, that Wilde was in the anteroom to which his counsel had gone. After a brief interview with his client Sir Edward Clarke returned and withdrew the suit, as noted above. Wilde left he building hurriedly when his counsel began his statement of withdrawal.

Sir Edward Clarke, who is a prominent conservative and who was solicitor general under Lord Salisbury’s last administration, seems desirous of setting himself right for taking the case behalf of Wilde, and the developments of the trial the stated to be altogether surprising to him.

Oscar Wilde has written a letter to the newspapers in which he says:

"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 form not prosecuting the Marquis of Queensberry."

Shortly after it was announced that a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde was to be applied for, all the papers in the case having been submitted to the public prosecutor.

Later in the day the application was formally 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.

Officials of the treasury department, under which branch the government public prosecutions are directed, visited Bow street police court several times this afternoon, previous to the granting of the warrant for Oscar Wilde’s arrest. Upon the question of their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and two boys. After a short-consultation between the treasury officials and Sir John Bridge, during which several questions were addressed to the detectives and to the boys, the magistrate issued the warrant. Wilde during the day spent several hours in company with Lord Douglas, at a hotel in Holborn. His brougham was waiting in front of the hotel. Early in the afternoon Lord Alfred drove to a bank, cashed a check and returned to the hotel. Soon afterward, both Wilde and Lord Alfred drove away.

Oscar Wilde Arrested.

London, April 5– Oscar Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan hotel this afternoon.

He was taken to Scotland yard by two detectives.

London, April 5. -- 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.

Old Bailey courtroom was crowded almost to suffocation this morning when Mr. Carson resumed his speech in behalf of the marquis of Queensberry. It would be his painful duty, he said, to put upon the witness stand men who would speak freely of the nature of their connection with the plaintiff, Wilde. The ages of these men have varied from eighteen to twenty-five years. They were of a class of servants, valets, etc., not belonging to Wilde's station in life, nor interested in literature or art, yet they addressed this distinguished dramatist by his Christian name, "Oscar," he in turn calling them "Charley," "Freddy," etc.

Proposition of Oscar's Counsel.

Sir. Edward Clarke interrupted Carson and said he had undertaken great responsibility in defending Wilde against the charges made against him by the marquis of Queensberry. In regard to the literature which Wilde had published and upon which Mr. Carson had questioned him, he (Sir Edward) had come to the painful conclusion that it could not be expected that the jury would find a verdict of guilty on the actual words used by the defendant. He had consulted with Wilde in the interim of the adjournment of court, and in order to save the court the painful details connected with the rest of the case he was prepared to accept a verdict of the jury in regard to Wilde's literature. The judge interposed and said if the jury were satisfied in agreeing upon a verdict on one point of the case they must return a verdict of guilty or not guilty as regards the entire case.

The jury then rendered a verdict of not guilty, to which Sir Edward Clarke assented, 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 the 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 costs of defense.

Mr. Wilde was not in court this morning. Wilde and a companion drove from Old Bailey to Holborn hotel, where they were joined soon afterwards by Lord Alfred Douglas and a companion. The four took luncheon together in a private room, Wilde's carriage remaining in front of the hotel.

Wilde's Statement in the News.

The Evening News has received the following letter from Oscar Wilde, written upon a note paper of the Holborn Viaduct hotel:

"It would have been impossible for me to have proved my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. He was extremely anxious to go into the witness box, but I would not let him. Rather than put him in so painful a position 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. OSCAR WILDE."

The Westminster Gazette says:

"Mr Wilde hurriedly left the building during Sir Edward Clarke's statement, A warrant for his arrest had not yet been applied for."

At 3:30 o'clock this afternoon a solicitor whose name is not given applied at Bow street police station and obtained a warrant for immediate action. The court officers refused to give the name of the person upon whom the warrant is to be served.

Queensberry's Message to Wilde.

In an interview this afternoon the marquis of Queensberry said to a representative of the United Press:

"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 of the treasury department to make the arrests.

Arrest of Wilde.

After lunching at the Holborn hotel Wilde went to the Westminster bank, where he drew out the funds to his account. He was constantly shadowed. He returned to the hotel, accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas only. Remaining a few minutes, they drove to Ely place and thence to the Cadogan hotel, where they vanished for the time and the police issued descriptions of Wilde, spreading them all over the city. Later he was found in the Cadogan hotel, taken to Scotland Yard and placed in a cell at the Bow street station.

Before being locked up the charge indicated by his testimony in court was read to him. He stood with his hand in his pockets, silet and apparently unconcerned. The warrant for Wilde's arrest was procured by Mr. Lewis, solicitor of the treasury.

One of the managers of the Haymarket theater, where one of Wilde's plays is running, in reply to the question how the result of the case would affect future business, said he would rather not express an opinion. He would say, however, that Mr. Wilde's name had been taken out of the bills and advertisements of "An Ideal Husband," and from this the public could form its own conclusions.

Mr. George Alexander, manager of the St. James theater, where Oscar Wilde's play, "The Importance of Being Ernest," is running, said:

"When the scandal was first rumored, business here was slightly affected but it is now normal. Mr. Wilde's name has been withdrawn from the bills and advertisements of his comedy, which is the most innocent play in the world. It does not contain a line that could hurt the most tender susceptibility."

He said also that the play would be kept on the stage pending the public verdict. If he should be compelled to withdraw it some 150 persons would be thrown out of work, as he had nothing ready to replace it with.

It is reported that the Criterion to which "An Ideal Husband" was to be transferred from the Haymarket, has declined to put the play on its stage.

The audiences at the Haymarket and St. James theaters, where Mr. Wilde's plays are being given, were rather small this evening, but they made no hostile demonstration. At the St. James there were few persons excepting those who had bought their tickets in advance. The gallery was somewhat critical and two or three audible comments confused the players slightly.