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Original paragraph in
The San Francisco Examiner - Thursday, April 4, 1895
The San Francisco Examiner - Thursday, April 4, 1895
Most similar paragraph from
Times Union - Wednesday, April 3, 1895
Times Union - Wednesday, April 3, 1895
Difference
LONDON, April 3. - The town to-night talks in subdued tones. The topic requires it: Oscar Wilde and a scandal. The esthetic Oscar, he
of the passion poems, was on the stand today in his libel suit against the Marquis of Queensberry. The dense crowd in the Old Bailey had waited long for
his appearance. When, at last, a figure in a light blue overcoat appeared in company with Lawyer Humphrey, it was recognized as Wilde.
The poet looked bored. The crowd stared. Then the accused Marquis, wearing a frayed overcoat, was called to the dock. He was asked as
to the truth of the charge against him. "Not guilty" came the answer. "The so-called libel is true, and I made it known in the interest of public
morality." The Marquis spoke with a tremor of suppressed anger. As he took his seat he glared at Oscar. He clenched his hands and then started up suddenly
from his seat, all ready in an instant to annihilate the esthetic one then and there. Others hastily interposed and the dignity of the Old Bailey did not
suffer. But the Marquis looked more daggers at the poet.
Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for Wilde, mentioned the writing on a card by Queensberry, charging Wilde with gross immorality. He
observed that other gentlemen were concerned in the same accusations, and that they would appear later. Edward spoke of Wilde paying the fare to America
for a man named Wood, who made offensive statements against the poet based on letters written by Oscar to Lord Alfred Douglas. One of these prose sonnets
was read in court. This letter, Sir Edward said, was merely an expression of high poetic sentiment, which the jury must remember emanated from one moving
in artistic circles.
WILDE TAKES THE STAND.
Here Wilde took the stand. He testified in his usual drawl that he paid Wood’s fair to America at the latter's earnest entreaty. A man
named Allen, he said, came to him claiming to have a damaging letter in his possession. One was a missive said to have been sent by Wilde to Actor
Beerbohm Tree. Allen asked $300 for this. Wilde said he laughed at this demand, as he had never received that price for his own short prose writings. He
told Allen he had better sell the letter to someone else. Subsequently he donated half a sovereign to Allen.
When the Marquis of Queensberry called at his house in 1893 Mr. Wilde asked him whether he had come to apologize, and Queensberry said
"No." Wilde then asked the Marquis if he really accused him of what his suggestions implied, whereupon the Marquis replied: "If I ever catch you with my
son again I will thrash you."
Mr. Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the Marquis: "I don't know Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at
sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me." Then when they were in the hall he said to his
servant: "This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again."
Under the fire of cross-examination the poet became nervous and sought refuge frequently in drinking water. A chair was placed at his
side, to be in readiness in case of possible collapse. The strain began with the questions touching on the morality of his passion writings. The Marquis'
lawyer, Carson, opened fire by questioning passages from Wilde’s to novel, "Dorian Gray."
WORSE THAN IMMORAL.
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse; they were badly
written."
Wilde frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr.
Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that
it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had madly adored Lord Alfred, a man twenty years his junior. He did not adore anyone
except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse - they were badly written."
Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair - a habit which is peculiar to him.
Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas which
was read in court was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had "madly adored" a man twenty years his
junior - he did not adore any one except himself. The case was adjourned until to-morrow.
"I don’t care tuppence what is thought about my writings," he said. "I don’t believe what I write."
BEERBOHM TREE’S CONTEMPT He Declines to Discuss the Matter of the Anonymous Letter.
WASHINGTON, April 3. – Beerbohm Tree, the English actor, was shown today a copy of the report of the hearing in the Queensberry-Wilde
case, in which Mr. Tree is mentioned as having had in his possession a letter purporting to have been written by Wilde, and on which a man named Allen
attempted to levy blackmail on the esthete.
"I know nothing more about the matter than is stated in the dispatch," said Mr. Tree; "but I always treat anonymous letters with
contempt."
Mr. Tree declined to discuss the matter further.