The Leader - Saturday, May 25, 1895

A DISCREDITABLE SCENE.
LONDON, 22ND MAY.

A disgraceful encounter, the news of which has caused a great sensation, took place yesterday in public between the Marquis of Queensberry and Lord Douglas of Hawick, who was one of the bondsmen for Oscar Wilde.

When the news of the conflict was first made public, rumors were circulated that the parties concerned were the Marquis of Queensberry and his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, and the accounts were garnished with most sensational details. It was made to appear that the father, meeting the son in a fashionable thoroughfare during the afternoon, had administered a severe chastisement, that the son had retaliated with great offence upon his parent, and that both had been arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct and admitted to bail.

Lord Alfred Douglas, however, was present at the encounter, having been walking with Lord Douglas of Hawick when the meeting with the Marquis of Queensberry took place.

The encounter between the Marquis of Queensberry and Lord Douglas of Hawick occurred in a street in Piccadilly. The quarrel speedily attracted a large crowd of highly interested spectators.

A violent altercation took place between the two respecting the allegation made by Lord Queensberry against Oscar Wilde and the relations between him and Lord Alfred Douglas. During the dispute Lord Douglas of Hawick called the marquis "a liar and a slanderer."

Lord Queensberry thereupon struck Lord Douglas a violent blow in the face, causing a bruise, which speedily developed into a black eye. The pair immediately closed. The police, however, were promptly on the scene. With great difficulty they succeeded in separating the combatants, both of whom were arrested, and were afterwards admitted to bail.

Before he was led from the spot Lord Queensberry, who was in a highly excited state, made a speech to the crowd setting forth the motives for his action. Referring to the filial disobedience of his son, he stated that henceforward he would disown him.

The speech of the marquis was received by the crowd with cheers.

Both the combatants have entered into peace sureties.

During the street fracas in Piccadilly, the Marquis of Queensberry offered to fight his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, in any part of the country for £10,000 a side.