The New York Times - Friday, April 5, 1895

London. April 4. -- The trial of the action of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for libel was resumed to-day in the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, with the complainant again in the witness box.

Mr. Carson's cross-examination, which was intended to prove that Mr. Wilde is really as bad as he seems to affect to be, was followed by a re-direct examination, and the case for the prosecution was closed.

New-York Tribune - Friday, April 5, 1895

London, April 4. - The trial of the action of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for libel was resumed to-day in the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, with the complainant again in the witness-box, Mr. Carson cross-examining him.

Mr. Wilde, in answer to a question by Mr. Carson, said he had been introduced to the man Wood by a man named Taylor. He had frequently visited Taylor’s house to attend afternoon tea parties. Taylor, he said, had a habit of burning perfumes in the room, but candles and gas were not lighted. Upon every occasion of his visiting Taylor’s house he had met a youth named Mavori, who had since disappeared. Mr. Wilde said he was aware that Taylor had been arrested. Taylor had introduced him to five young men, none of whom had any trade, profession or employment, so far as he knew. He had made them presents of money for the reason that they were poor.

Mr. Wilde, in answer to questions in regard to his acquaintance with two brothers named Parker, said that he knew them and had dined with them. He was not aware that one of them was a valet and the other a groom, both of them out of employment. He had given one of them money on the occasion of his taking tea with the witness in the latter's rooms in St. James st.

Mr. Wilde admitted his acquaintance with a man named Atkins, who was employed by a bookmaker. He first met Atkins at the rooms of a man whose name he declined to give, but handed it up to the Judge. The name was not made known by the Court. Atkins went to Paris with him. Wilde paid the fares. He had given Atkins £3 upon one occasion and £15 on another, besides presents of various articles. A youth named Maber had been with him in a hotel in London. Wilde gave Maber a cigarette case worth £4. He knew also a youth named Grainger, who was a servant to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry.

Mr. Wilde, who had succeeded remarkably hitherto in maintaining his composure under the severe cross-examination, began to lose his temper. Mr. Carson, he said, had insulted him throughout the cross-examination. In answer to a new line of questioning, Mr. Wilde said that all of the young men who visited him at his rooms called as his guests. This ended the cross-examination. It was noticed that during Mr. Carson's questioning several names were written upon slips of paper and handed up to the Court. These names were not made public.

Sir Edward Clarke questioned the witness in re-direct examination . He began by reading a number of letters written by the Marquis of Queensberry to his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, in which the Marquis condemned his son for his conduct with Wilde. He also read a letter written by the Marquis, reviling Lord Roseberry, Mr. Gladstone and the Queen, because of the appointment of his son to the peerage of Drumlanrig. In one of the letters the Marquis declared that Lord Alfred was not his son.

Before leaving the witness stand Wilde explained his liking for the society of young men by saying that he disliked the old and sensible, while the company of the young, happy, careless and original had a wonderful charm. The mere fact of their youth was amazing. At the close of Mr. Wilde's re-direct examination, the case for the prosecution was closed.

Mr. Carson, in opening the case for the defence, declared that all that the Marquis of Queensberry had done and said he stood by, withdrawing nothing. His sole object in all the steps he had taken was to save his son from the influence of Wilde, who, according to his own admissions, was a friend of an infamous person. Wood had now returned to England, and would give the true version of the negotiations carried on between himself and Wilde for the return to the latter of a letter written by him. Mr. Carson referred to the letter from Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas.

The St. James's Gazette makes the announcement that, owing to the nature of the testimony being taken in the Wilde-Queensberry libel suit, the management of the paper have decided not to report further the proceedings of the case.

Baltimore, April 4. - Herbert Beerbohm Tree, the noted English actor, who is filling an engagement at Albaugh's Lyceum Theatre, and whose name has been mentioned in the testimony in the Oscar Wilde libel suit, was gratified to know that Justice Collins, who is trying the case, would not allow the counsel even too mention Mr. Tree's name in connection with the scandalous affair. Mr. Tree said he had sent a cable dispatch to Mr. Carson, asking that his connection with the case be fully explained. He gave the United Press a copy of the message, which was as follows: "I see my name mentioned Wilde case. Am not in possession of evidence, but facts are these: During rehearsals of ‘Woman of No Importance’ I received anonymous letter, which I considered my duty to at once hand to Mr. Wilde."

The "Woman of No Importance" is the play written by Oscar Wilde, and first produced by Mr. Tree at the Haymarket Theatre, London. The letter which Mr. Tree received he handed to Mr. Wilde while the latter was on the stage of the theatre watching the rehearsal of the play.

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