Sydney Evening News - Saturday, October 19, 1895

STAGELAND

The first statutory meeting of the creditors of Oscar Wilde, late of Pitt street, Chelsea, and now of Her Majesty's prison, Wandsworth, was recently held. The receiving order was made upon the petition of the Marquis of Queensberry, and the bankrupt, who stated that he was a writer and dramatist, and attributed his insolvency to the failure of legal proceedings instituted by him against the petitioning creditor, and to his arrest and conviction in the recent trial of Regina v. Wilde.

The accounts disclose a deficiency of £3591, the assets, of which the value is not stated, comprising royalties on published literary works and plays, and life policy. It appears that the bankrupt is interested in the four plays, "Lady Windermere's Fan," "A Woman of No Importance," "An Ideal Husband," and "The Importance of Being Earnest." The unsecured indebtedness comprises £2514 for money lent, £677 for law costs, and £234 for tobacco, wine, jewellery, and flowers.... The debtor stated that on July 9, 1893, he had a surplus of £1450; that he has received from royalties since that date £4000, and that his expenses, including the support of his wife and two children, have amounted to £5817 19s 9d. He was married in 1884, and has an interest under the marriage settlement, subject to his surviving his wife, the income from the fund being about £800 per annum. It appears that while "The Importance of Being Earnest" was running the debtor received 10 per cent of the gross weekly receipts up to £1000, and 15 per cent of any sum in excess of that amount. For "Lady Windermere's Fan" the amount was not so large. As to "A Woman of No Importance" and "An Ideal Husband" he received 5 per cent on the weekly receipts over £600 and under £800,7 1/2 per cent over £800 and under £1000, and 10 per cent, for anything over £1000. It was intimated that the bankrupt would probably be brought up for examination at the public sitting.