The Australian Star - Thursday, April 4, 1895

Star's Special Cables
A LONDON LIBEL SUIT
Wilde v. Queensberry.
Charge of Criminal Libel.
A Sensational Case—-Evidence of Lord
Alfred Douglas—-A Compromising
Letter—-Oscar Wilde in the
Witness Box.

London, April 3.

The topic of the moment in London is the criminal libel suit brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry. Everybody knows Wilde's eccentric career. Undoubtedly a clever man Wilde perhaps attracted most attention when he posed as an æsthetic paragon and a drawing-room poet. As a playwright he has turned out some good pieces, though the lack of incident in them is hardly counterbalanced by the cynical dialogue which is little relieved by humor. Just now all London has its attention fixed on this eccentric individuality, for the trial opened to-day, when the Marquis of Queensberry was charged with criminally libelling Oscar Wilde. The accused entered a plea of justification on the ground that the words constituting the alleged libel had been written for the benefit of the public.

The case created the deepest interest amongst all classes on account of the public position of the parties, and the court was crowded with spectators.

The alleged libel was written on a card, which was left at Mr. Wilde's club, and bore his name, after which were written other words which charged Wilde with posing as an abominably immoral man.

Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, through whose intimacy with Wilde the dispute arose, gave evidence. He said that he gave some of his clothes to a man named Wood. Afterwards he discovered that certain letters had been left in the pockets of the clothing. He was surprised to find shortly afterwards that copies of some of these letters had been forwarded to Mr. Beerbohm Tree, the well-known theatrical manager. Witness made an effort to trace Wood, with the object of recovering the letters, and then discovered that Wood had gone to America at the instance of Wilde, who had given him £20 to go. One of the letters was subsequently returned by another man, to whom witness paid a sovereign for his trouble. The witness read the letter, which was as follows:—

"My own boy,—

"Your sonnet is quite a lovely marvel. Those red roseleaf lips of yours were made no less for the music of song than for the madness of kissing.

"Always, with undying love,

"Yours-"

The letter was signed. The witness, continuing his evidence, said that the Marquis of Queensberry visited Wilde and a stormy interview was the result. The Marquis made charges of a disgusting and scandalous nature against Wilde, and threatened to thrash him. Wilde retaliated by threatening to shoot the Marquis.

Wilde gave evidence, during the course of which he admitted that an intimacy had existed between him and Lord Alfred Douglas, and that the close friendship had been continued in defiance of the Marquis of Queensberry. He, however, most emphatically denied that he had been in any way guilty of immorality.

The cross-examination of the plaintiff began early in the day, and had not concluded when the court rose. In answer to questions put by counsel for the accused Wilde admitted that he had invited boys to dinner with him, and that the visitors on those occasions had been entertained in a private room. He had also given his juvenile guests money and presents of different kinds, besides clothing. On one occasion he took a boy to Brighton. Plaintiff repudiated the suggestion that he had been guilty of indecency towards these boys.

The case had not concluded when the court rose, and the further hearing was adjourned.