Compare Documents

London, April 6. - Crowds of people besieged the vicinity of Bow street early this morning and the police court was filled with interested spectators as soon as the doors were opened. All were anxious to see Oscar Wilde, whose arrest yesterday following close upon the sensational termination of his suit for libel against the Marquis of Queensberry is discussed on all sides.

C. F. Gill, who was Edward W. Carson's junior counsel in the defense of the Marquis of Queensberry, acted as prosecutor today for the Treasury Department. Sir John Bridge, the presiding magistrate, took his seat on the bench at 11 o'clock. The doors leading to the cells were then opened and Wilde was seen approaching carrying a silk hat in his hand. When he reached the centre of the prisoners' dock he deposited his hat on the seat, bowed to Sir John Bridge, folded his arms and leaned on the rail of the dock in the same insolent manner which he displayed while on the witness stand in the Old Bailey.

Mr. Gill said he appeared to prosecute the prisoner. The prosecutor then related the charges against Wilde. Wilde moved restlessly in the dock and passed his hands across his face. Counsel for Wilde asked leave to postpone the cross-examination of one witness, as the evidence had taken them by surprise. This witness was then bound over to testify at the trial of Wilde, which is to take place in the Old Bailey.

Sir John Bridge remanded Wilde until Thursday. Counsel asked that his client, Wilde, be released on bail, but the magistrate declined to do so. Counsel persisted, saying he could offer substantial bail, but Sir John Bridge replied:

"It is not a case for bail at all."

The Sun of this city says another sensational arrest is probable before Thursday, the day when Oscar Wilde will be brought up at 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 and published here by the Central News 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."

LONDON, April 6. Crowds of people besieged the vicinity of Bow street early this morning, and the Police Court was filled with interested spectators as soon as the doors were opened. Among those who succeeded in pressing their way into court was one good-looking middle-aged woman. All were anxious to see Oscar Wilde, whose arrest yesterday, following close upon the sensational termination of his suit for libel against the Marquis of Queensberry, is discussed on all sides.

C. F. Gill, who was Edward M. Carson's junior counsel in the defense of the Marquis of Queensberry, acted as prosecutor to-day for the Treasury Department. Sir John Bridge, the presiding Magistrate, took his seat on the bench at 11 o'clock. The doors leading to the cells were then opened, and Wilde was seen approaching, carrying a silk hat in his hand. When he reached the centre of the prisoners' dock he deposited his hat on the seat, bowed to Sir John Bridge, folded his arms and leaned on the rail of the dock in the same insolent manner which he displayed while on the witness-stand in the Old Bailey.

OPENING THE CASE.

Mr. Gill said that he appeared to prosecute the prisoner on a series of charges of inciting boys to terrible crime and of actually committing acts of gross indecency. The prosecutor then related how, in 1893, when Wilde was staying at the Savoy Hotel, Alfred Taylor (who was arrested to-day) acted as procurer for Wilde, who repeatedly visited Taylor's house. Continuing, Mr. Gill said that the prosecution proposed to show how Taylor approached a young man named Parker, who was a valet out of a position, and his brother, a groom. Taylor, it was stated, told them how money could be made. They finally consented, and it was arranged that they should be introduced to Wilde at a dinner which he would give in a private room at Kittner's restaurant. After this dinner Wilde took Parker to the Savoy Hotel, where he committed a crime.

Parker was here called to the stand, but the proceedings were interrupted by the official announcement that Taylor had been arrested. A few moments later Taylor was brought into court and placed in the dock beside Wilde, who nodded to him. Parker was then examined, and related at length, giving the most minute details, his intimacy with Wilde. He testified that he visited Wilde at the Savoy Hotel, at the Albermarle, at Wilde's chambers and at other addresses, at one time almost daily.

OSCAR BECOMES RESTLESS.

While Parker was giving this testimony Wilde moved restlessly in the dock, and passed his hands across his face. Parker added that he was arrested with Taylor in the raid in 1894 on the house on Fitzroy Square, but he claimed he had since abandoned his evil life. Counsel for Wilde asked leave to postpone the cross-examination of Parker, as the evidence had taken them by surprise. Parker was then bound over to testify at the trial of Wilde which is to take place in the Old Bailey. Parker was deadly pale when concluding his testimony and asked to be allowed to take a seat, as he was not feeling well.

The woman previously referred to as having entered the court room early this morning was the next witness. She gave her name as Mrs. Grant, and said that she let rooms to Taylor, who, she added, was visited by a number of young men. When Mrs. Grant was asked to state the ages of these young men she replied that they were from 16 years of age upwards. The statement caused a sensation in court. Mrs. Grant was then asked if she could identify Wilde as a visitor to Taylor's rooms. She replied that she could not. Thereupon Sir John Bridge said, brusquely:

"Wilde, stand up!"

Wilde arose, but the witness was still unable to recognize him. But replying to counsel's questions she said that she remembered Taylor addressed one visitor as "Oscar."

WATCHED BY THE POLICE.

Replying to further questions, Mrs. Grant said that Taylor's rooms were well furnished and highly perfumed. Taylor, she added, dressed effeminately. Before Taylor left Mrs. Grant's rooms a sergeant of police once went to his apartments and secretly watched Taylor.

Sir John Bridge asked Taylor if he desired to ask the witness any questions. The prisoner replied "Not yet."

Alfred Woods, a slim, nice-looking youth, was then called to the stand. He testified that Taylor introduced him to Wilde in January, 1893, and that he, the witness, visited Wilde's house while the latter's family was at Torquay. The witness added that he was intoxicated at the time, as Wilde had previously given him champagne, whisky and hock. Continuing, Woods said that Wilde afterwards gave him a deal of money and a watch and chain. Witness also said that soon afterwards he told Taylor that he wanted to "get away from Wilde and those people."

Counsel, interrupting, said: "Let us deal with the case of Wilde alone. But, I believe that there were other people present at these gatherings?"

Witness - "Yes; one or two of them have left the country."

The witness added that Taylor told Wilde that he, the witness, wanted to go to America, whereupon Wilde asked to have certain letters returned to him. When he received these letters Wilde gave the witness £35. The witness, Woods, then went to America.

Sidney Movor, a good-looking youth, followed Woods. He testified that he had met Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas at Taylor's rooms. A masseur at the Savoy Hotel testified that he once saw a youth between sixteen and eighteen years of age in Wilde's room. Willie Wilde, Oscar Wilde’s brother, entered the court room at this stage of the proceedings and listened to the remainder of the evidence from the back of the room.

After a chambermaid of the Savoy Hotel had given evidence similar to that of the masseur, Sir John Bridge remanded Wilde until Thursday next. Counsel asked that his client, Oscar Wilde, be released on bail; but the magistrate declined to do so. Counsel persisted, saying that he could offer substantial bail; but Sir John Bridge replied: "It is not a case for bail at all."

The Rev. Archibald Douglas, brother of the Marquis of Queensberry, has written a letter saying that the statement credited to Lord Douglas of Hawicke, eldest son of the Marquis, published in an interview in the Leader to-day, 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 Oscar Wilde, is unauthorized by his mother, his sister, or himself. The Rev. Archibald Douglas adds: "We certainly believe the charges made against Wilde."

Taylor, when arrested to-day, preserved his cheerful demeanor, and asked the detective who took him into custody what his sentence was likely to be. The Sun, of this city, says that another sensational arrest is probable before Thursday next, the day when Oscar Wilde will be brought up at the Bow Street Court on remand.

GRIST TO THE GAZETTE'S MILL.

Naturally the Wilde disclosures continue 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 leters of approval. The action of the 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 displayed by all the newsboys, the placard of the St. James Gazette read:

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

Edward M. Carson, 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 also 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 future no one will accept his plays. 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 theatre-going public manifests its displeasure with 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 Theatre. The author's name, in both cases, will be omitted from the bills and advertisements in future.