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Original paragraph in
The Evening Star - Monday, April 22, 1895
The Evening Star - Monday, April 22, 1895
Most similar paragraph from
The Advertiser - Saturday, April 13, 1895
The Advertiser - Saturday, April 13, 1895
Difference
London, March 8.
The most noble the Marquis of Queensberry has in the course of his eccentric career railed against so many persons and causes that
society paid little or no attention of late to the fact that he was constantly crying out against Mr Oscar Wilde. We heard a week ago (as I told you in my
last) that there was something akin to a scene at the St. James's Theatre premiere, owing to his lordship wishing to salute Oscar with a bouquet of
carrots, but most people took this merely for a Queensberrian joke. Great, therefore, became the cackle of gossip and speculation at the clubs when, on
Saturday morning last, the Marquis was arrested for criminally libelling the poseur-poet-dramatist, and brought before Mr Newton at Marlborough street.
The most noble the Marquis of Queensberry has in the course of his eccentric career raved against so many persons and causes, that society
paid little or no attention of late to the fact that he was constantly crying out against Mr. Oscar Wilde. We heard a week ago that there was something
akin to a scene at the St. James's Theatre premiere owing to his lordship wishing to salute Oscar with a bouquet of carrots. But most people took this
merely for a Queensberrian joke. Great, therefore, became the cackle of gossip and speculation at the clubs when on Saturday morning the marquis was
arrested for criminally libelling the poseur-poet-dramatist, and brought before Mr. Newton at Marlborough street.
Mr Humphreys, in opening the case for the prosecution, said that Mr Oscar Wilde was a married man, and lived on most affectionate terms
with his wife and children (two sons). He had been the object of a system of the most cruel persecution at the hands of Lord Queensberry, certainly within
his (Mr Humphreys's) knowledge for about nine or ten months, and, he was informed, even longer than that. Mr Wilde ten months ago consulted him (Mr
Humphreys), and, in consequence of the affairs of the defendant's family, Mr Wilde was most unwilling to take any steps of a criminal nature against Lord
Queensberry. But he had been so fearfully persecuted by that nobleman from that time until the present that now it had come to a climax, and he felt bound
to take the step he had taken in self-protection and for peace of mind. The last act in this most terrible and most melancholy drama was performed on 18th
February last, but only came to the knowledge of Mr Wilde, he believed, on Thursday night. Mr Wilde was a member of the Albemarle Club, which was a club
to which both ladies and gentlemen were admitted. Mrs Wilde, too, was a member of the club, and he (Mr Humphreys) Believed she was a member of the
committee, or had been a member—in fact, she took an active interest in it. Mr Oscar Wilde, between five and six o'clock on the 28th February, went to the
club, where the hall porter, a man named Wright, presented him with an envelope addressed to him. The handwriting on the back of the envelope was that of
the hall porter, who informed Mr Wilde that there was a card inside that had been left at the club by the Marquis of Queensberry for him. When the porter
saw what was written on the card, he thought it of sufficient importance to place the card in an envelope, and wrote outside the envelope the day and the
time at which the card had been left with him. The words the porter wrote on the envelope were, "4.30. 18th Feb. 95." The words written upon the card were
read by Mr Humphreys. They are quite unfit for publication. There was one word which was illegible.
The Marquis of Queensbury: The other word is "posing."
The Marquis of Queensbery - The missing word is "posing."
Mr Humphreys said that a more frightful, serious, or abominable libel for one man to publish about another he could not conceive. He
now only proposed to call as witnesses the hall porter of the club and the officer, Detective-inspector Greet, who executed the warrant. After their
evidence he would ask for an adjournment, and the whole matter could be gone into on a future occasion, because he did not propose to rest his case simply
upon the question of this libel. He proposed to go into other cases which had occurred before the 18th February, and after they had been investigated he
would ask the magistrate to commit the defendant to take his trial.
Mr. Humphreys, continuing, said that a more frightful, serious, or abominable libel for one man to publish about another he could not
conceive. Mr. Humphreys added that he now proposed to call as witnesses only the hall porter of the club and the officer, Detective-Inspector Greet, who
executed the warrant. After the evidence he would ask for an adjournment that the whole matter might be gone into on a future occasion, because he did not
propose to rest his case simply upon the question of this libel. He proposed to go into other cases which had occurred before February 18, and after they
had been investigated would ask the magistrate to commit the defendant to take his trial.
Sir George Lewis asked that before any evidence was taken the case should be adjourned, so that he might consult with his client and
have more time to consider the matter.
Sir George Lewis asked that before any evidence was taken the case should be adjourned, so that he might consult with his client and have
more time to consider the matter.
Mr Humphreys said he only proposed then to call two witnesses, whose evidence would be very short, and the whole matter could be gone
into next week.
Mr. Humphreys said that he only proposed now calling two witnesses, whose evidence would be very short, and the whole matter could be gone
into next week.
Sidney Wright, hall porter at the Albemarle Club, then deposed that on the 18th February last defendant presented himself at the club
and spoke to him. He handed him the card produced, and in the witness's presence wrote the words that were on the front of the card with the exception of
the letter "A." Lord Queensberry asked him to give the card to Mr Oscar Wilde. He (witness) wrote on the back of the card the date it was given to him. As
a precautionary measure he put the card in an envelope in order that it might not be lost. On 28th February Mr Wilde called at the club between five and
six o'clock in the evening, and he handed him the envelope containing the card and told him that Lord Queensberry had left it for him.
Mr Newton: Did you fasten the envelope?
The Witness: No.
Sir George Lewis: Lord Queensberry asked you to give the card to Mr Oscar Wilde?
The Witness: Yes.
He led you to distinctly understand that it was for Mr Oscar Wilde?—Yes.
Detective-inspector Thomas Greet, C Division, deposed that he arrested the defendant about nine o'clock that (Saturday) morning at
Carter's Hotel, Dover street. He said to him "Are you the Marquis of Queensberry?" and the defendant replied "I am." He then told him that he was a police
officer, and that he held a warrant for his arrest. He read the warrant to him, and defendant replied: "I thought in these cases proceedings were
generally taken by summons, but I suppose that is all right. What is the date?" Witness told him the 18th February. The Marquis then said: "I have been
wanting to find Mr Oscar Wilde for nine or ten days. This thing has been going on for about two years." The witness conveyed him to the Vine street Police
Station, and when charged there he made no reply.
Sir George Lewis (to the magistrate): Let me say one word, sir. I venture to say, when the circumstances of this case are more fully
known, you will find that Lord Queensberry acted as he did under feelings of great indignation and——
Sir George Lewis — Let me say one word, sir. I venture to say that when the circumstances of this case are more fully known Lord
Queensberry acted as he did under feelings of great indignation and -
Mr Newton (interrupting): I cannot go into that now.
Mr. Newton (interrupting) — I cannot go into that now.
Sir George Lewis: I don't want the case to be adjourned without its being known that there is nothing against the honor of Lord
Queensberry.
Sir George Lewis — I don't wish this case to be adjourned without its being known that there is nothing against the honor of Lord
Queensberry.
Mr Newton: You mean to say you have a perfect answer to the charge.
Mr. Newton — You mean to say that you have a perfect answer to the charge?
Sir George Lewis: I ask you, sir, to allow his lordship to be at large on his entering into his own recognisances in £1,000.
Sir George Lewis — I ask you, sir, to allow his lordship to be at large on his entering into his own recognisances in £1,000.
Mr Humphreys: I should like to have a surety.
Mr. Humphreys — I should like to have a surety.
Mr Newton: The case will be adjourned for a week, and the defendant will have to find one surety in the sum of £500, and enter into
his own recognisances in the sum of £1,000 to appear.
The Magistrate — The case will be adjourned for a week, and the defendant will have to find one surety in the sum of £500 and enter into
his own recognisances in the sum of £1,000.
Mr William Tyser, a merchant of Gloucester square, then stepped into the witness box, tendered the necessary bail, and the Marquis of
Queensberry left the court with his friends.
Mr. William Tyser, a merchant, of Gloucester-square, then went into the witness-box and tendered the necessary bail, and the Marquis of
Queensberry left the court with his friends.
It is the Lord Queensberry's youngest son Arthur who is the casus belli between the Marquis and Wilde, the former disapproving most
strongly of the intimate friendship between the pair. For some time Lord Alfred Douglas has been on bad terms with his father, and makes no secret of his
dislike for him. I'm told that a very Oscarian poem, addressed "To him whom I hate," or "To him for whose death I hunger," which appeared in the 'Pall
Mall Gazette' or 'Budget' some time ago, was by Lord Arthur, and seemed to be levelled at his sire. Nothing that a Douglas could do would ever astonish
society much, or this story would be incredible.