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Original paragraph in
The West Australian - Monday, April 8, 1895
The West Australian - Monday, April 8, 1895
Most similar paragraph from
Sydney Evening News - Monday, April 8, 1895
Sydney Evening News - Monday, April 8, 1895
Difference
The sudden close of the action brought by Mr. Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for criminal libel has created a profound
sensation. The alleged libel was contained on a post-card which the Marquis left with the hall porter at Mr. Wilde's club. The defence was justification,
the Marquis declaring that the letter was written with the object of saving his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, from immoral influences exerted over him by Mr.
Wilde. The defence was based on revelations contained in certain letters from Mr. Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas. For some of these letters Mr. Wilde had
had, it was alleged, to pay heavy blackmail. The letters, which were of a very gushing character, were found in some old clothes which Lord Alfred Douglas
had given away.
Mr. Wilde was observed to hurriedly leave the Court while his counsel was explaining that the literature and the letters put in by the
defence justified, in his opinion, the plea that his client should be posted as an immoral person. Under these circumstances, and in the face of the
appalling evidence secured by the defence, he (the learned counsel) felt it to be his duty to withdraw from the case. The announcement was received with
loud cheers, which were, however, by order of the judge, quickly suppressed.
No application has yet been made for a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde, but Mr. Russell, solicitor for the Marquis of Queensberry,
has sent to the Public Prosecutor the statements of the witnesses for the defence, and the notes of the evidence, with the object, as he asserts, of
preventing any miscarriage of justice.
Oscar Wilde has published a letter in which he states that he abandoned the case against the Marquis of Queensberry, so as to avoid
calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness.
London, April 5, 6.30 p.m. -- Oscar Wilde has published a letter to the effect that he abandoned the case against the Marquis of
Queensberry to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness against his father.
A warrant has been issued for Wilde's arrest, and the police have detained three witnesses whose evidence is regarded as essential in the
event of a criminal prosecution.
Lord Alfred Douglas and two other men remained in conference with Oscar Wilde for several hours after the abrupt ending of the trial of
the Marquis of Queensberry. They lunched in a private room at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel and then drove to a bank from which Wilde drew a large sum of
money. They were afterwards lost sight of until the evening, when Wilde was arrested at a hotel in Sloane-street. Lord Alfred Douglas was much distressed
because he was unable to bail Wilde.
After the trial the Marquis of Queensberry sent a message to Wilde declaring that he would shoot him if he took Lord Alfred Douglas
abroad.
The Marquis of Queensberry sent Oscar Wilde a message after the trial stating that he would shoot him if he attempted to take Lord Alfred
Douglas abroad.
Taylor, who is alleged to be a participator with Wilde, was arrested to-day. He and Wilde will be charged at the Bow Street Police
Court. It is stated that the police have several witnesses who can prove the case against the accused up to the hilt. It is stated also that the offence
with which Wilde will be charged was committed on many occasions at hotels in rooms engaged by Taylor, who acted as Wilde's intermediary.
Wilde's name has been removed from the playbills at the London and American theatres where his plays An Ideal Husband and The Importance
of Being in Earnest are being performed.
[Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1856, and is the son of Sir William R. Wills Wilde, M.D., Surgeon-Oculist to Her Majesty,
Antiquarian, Statistican, and man of letters; and of Jane Francesca, Lady Wilde, known as a poetess, and woman of letters. Oscar Wilde was educated at
Portora Royal School, Enneskillen; proceeded to Trinity College Dublin, of which he was Scholar; and, on having obtained the Berkley Gold Medal for Greek,
went to Oxford in 1874. He obtained first Denyship at Magdalan College; a First Class in Moderations, 1876; and a First Class in Greats; and Newdigate
Prize for English poetry, 1878. He came to London, 1879, and was the originator of the Æsthetic movement. He published a volume of poems in 1880;
proceeded to America in 1881, where he delivered over 200 lectures on Art. His drama of "Vera" was produced in New York in 1882; "The Happy Prince and
other Fairy Tales" was published in 1888. He was also a contributor of critical articles to many of the leading magazines, including Blackwood's, in which
appeared a curious new theory about Shakespeare's Sonnets. He also wrote "Dorian Gray," a novel of modern life, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine.
He had traveled a great deal in Greece and Italy. Mr. Oscar Wilde married, in 1884, Constance, daughter of Horace Lloyd, Q.C. His children are Cyril, born
1885, and Vivian born 1886. He has written several successful plays.