Sydney Evening News - Thursday, April 4, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
NEWS BY CABLE.
(From Evening News Correspondents.)
The London Scandal.
The Oscar Wilde Libel.
Trial of Marquis of Queensberry.
Incriminating Letters.
London, April 3. -- The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on a charge of criminally libelling Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, commenced at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey to-day. At the opening of the sessions on March 25 the Recorder (Sir Charles Hall) in his charge to the grand jury directed them to find a true bill.
The Marquis pleaded justification, and that what he did was for the public benefit.
An immense crowd assembled in the Old Bailey long before the proceedings commenced, and as soon as the doors of the court were opened all available space was occupied.
Evidence was given that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, oldest surviving son and heir of the Marquis, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when given away. The defence is based on the revelations contained in these letters.
Evidence adduced today showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, the Marquis's son, found in the pockets of his old clothes when given away. The defence is based on revelations made in these letters.
The evidence adduced to-day showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis' son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes when given away. The defence is based on revelations in these letters.
The evidence adduced to-day showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail to recover his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis' son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes that had been given away. The defence is based on the revelations contained in these letters.
The evidence adduced to-day showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail to recover his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis's son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes that had been given away. The defence is based on the revelations contained in these letters.
The evidence adduced to-day showed that Wilde paid heavy blackmail to recover his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas (the Marquis's son), which were found in the pockets of old clothes that had been given away. The defence is based on the revelations contained in these letters.
The trial has not yet concluded.
[The Marquis of Queensberry was arrested at Dover on a warrant on March 2, and was at once brought before Mr. Newton at Marlborough-street Police Court, when counsel for Mr. Wilde stated that he was a husband who was living upon most affectionate terms with his wife and two sons. For the last nine or ten months, he said, the Marquis of Queensberry had persecuted Mr. Wilde with the utmost cruelty. The last act of persecution occurred on February 28, when the Marquis left Wilde, at the Albemarle Club, of which both he and Mr. Wilde are members, an open card, upon the back of which was written a vile epithet. The porter of the club, upon reading the words, enclosed the card in an envelope, so that it might not be seen by other persons than Wilde.
The detective who arrested the Marquis at Dover that morning testified that when he approached the Marquis and informed him of the complaint upon which he was arrested his lordship said: "This has been going on for two years."
The detective who arrested the Marquis at Dover testified that when he approached the Marquis and informed him of the complaint upon which he was arrested, his lordship said, "This has been going on for two years."
The detective who arrested the Marquis at Dover testified that when he approached the Marquis and informed him of the complaint upon which he was arrested, his Lordship said, "This has been going on for two years."
Sir George Lewis, the Marquis of Queensberry's solicitor, addressing the magistrate, said that when the facts became fully known it would be found that the Marquis had been acting under the influence of great indignation, based upon abundant provocation.
Sir George Lewis, the Marquis of Queensberry's solicitor, in his address to the court, said that when the facts became fully known it would be found that the Marquis had been acting under the influence of great indignation, based upon abundant provocation. The Marquis was released on £1,400 bail, and the case was adjourned for a week.
Sir George Lewis, the Marquis of Queensberry's solicitor, in his address to the court, said that when the facts became fully known it would be found that the Marquis had been acting under the influence of great indignation, based upon abundant provocation. The Marquis was released on £1400 bail, and the case was adjourned for a week.
The Marquis was released on heavy bail, and the case was adjourned for a week.
When the case came on again Lord Alfred Douglas, who is a young man of 25, entered the court with Oscar Wilde, but was at once ordered by the magistrate to withdraw.
Counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry created a sensation by stating they intended to show that the card was written, as a father was entitled to write -- in the interests of morality -- to try and stop Mr. Wilde's undue familiarity with Lord Alfred Douglas.
Oscar Wilde's counsel was reluctant to read certain letters, owing to the exalted names that were referred to.
After a further remand the Marquis was committed for triaL Sir George Lewis withdrew from the case after the second remand. A letter from London, of March 2, says: "It has not been a secret that the reason for the Marquis of Queeneberry's resentment was to be" found in intimate relations existing between Mr. Wilde . and Lord Alfred Douglas. Owing to the friendship existing between Wilde and Lord Alfred the latter became estranged from his father, who, feeling his position more acutely by reason of sundry reports concerning the nature of their relations -- which are also common property -- conceived a most violent antipathy to Mr. Wilde.
It has not been a secret that the reason for the Marquis of Queensberry's resentment was to be found in intimate relations existing between Mr. Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas, who, until the death of Lord Drumlanrig placed him next in succession, was the younger son of the marquis. Owing to the friendship existing between Wilde and Lord Alfred the latter became estranged from his father, who, feeling his position more acutely by reason of sundry reports concerning the nature of their relations — which are also common property — conceived a most violent antipathy to Mr. Wilde.]
It has not been a secret that the reason for the Marquis of Queensberry's resentment was to be found in intimate relations existing between Mr. Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas, who, until the death of Lord Drumlanrig, placed him, next in succession, was the younger son of the Marquis. Owing to the friendship existing between Wilde and Lord Alfred the latter became estranged from his father, who, feeling his position more acutely by reason of sundry reports concerning the nature of their relations—which are also common property—conceived a most violent antipathy to Mr. Wilde.