The Sydney Morning Herald - Friday, April 5, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
SPECIAL CABLES.
FROM THE HERALD'S LONDON
CORRESPONDENTS.
THE LONDON LIBEL CASE.
OSCAR WILDE
v. THE MARQUIS
OF QUEENSBERRY.
EXTRAORDINARY DISCLOSURES.
LONDON, APRIL 3.
The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry, on a charge of having criminally libelled Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, was commenced to-day. An immense crowd assembled in the court and its vicinity. The defendant pleaded justification, and that the words of the alleged libel were written for the public good.
The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry, on a charge of having criminally libelled Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, was commenced to-day. An immense crowd assembled in the court and its vicinity. The defendant pleaded justification, and that the words of the alleged libel were written for the public good.
The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry, on a charge of having criminally libelled Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, was commenced to-day. An immense crowd assembled in the court and its vicinity. The defendant pleaded justification, and that the words of the alleged libel were written for the public good.
Evidence was given to the effect that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when they were given away.
Evidence was given to the effect that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when they were given away.
Evidence was given to the effort that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when they were given away.
EVIDENCE was given to show that Mr. Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, and that these letters were found in some old clothes that had been given away. On revelations contained in these letters the defence - that of justification - is based.
The defence is based on revelations contained in these letters.
The prosecutor was stringently crossexamined with the view of showing that his novel, "Dorian Grey," a story of an artist and his model, which appeared in Lippincott's Magesine, his articles in other magazines, and the Chameleon, with which he is connected, inspired to criminal practices. Oscar Wilde insisted that the articles were merely the expression of an artistic faculty. The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were "prose poems," "extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation." He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21. and afterwards entertained him at luncheon in a private room. Wilde also admitted having been on terms of intimacy with two lads not his social equals, and that he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive presents. He did this because he "liked them."
The prosecutor was stringently cross-examined with the view of showing that his novel, "Dorian Grey," a story of an artist and his model, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine, his articles in other magazines, and the Chameleon, with which he is connected, inspired to criminal practices. Oscar Wilde insisted that the articles were merely the expression of an artistic faculty. The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were "prose poems," "extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation." He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and afterwards entertained him at luncheon in a private room. Wilde also admitted having been on terms of intimacy with two lads not his social equals, and that he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive presents. He did this because he "liked them."
The prosecutor was stringently cross-examined with the view of showing that his novel, "Dorian Grey," a story of an artist and his model, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine, his articles in other magazines, and the Chameleon, with which he is connected, inspired to criminal practices. Oscar Wilde insisted that the articles were merely the expression of an artistic faculty. The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were "prose poems," "extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation." He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and afterwards entertained him at Inncheon in a private room. Wilde also admitted having been on terms of intimacy with two lads not his social equals, and that he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive parents. He did this because he "liked them."
Prosecutor was severely cross-examined with a view to showing that his novel, "Dorian Gray," a story of modern life, which appeared in "Lippincott's Magazine," his articles in other magazines, and the 'Chameleon,' with which he is connected, inspired to criminal practices. Wilde insisted that the articles were merely the expression of an artistic faculty. The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were "prose poems," "extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation." He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21 and afterwards entertained him at luncheon in a private room. Wilde also admitted being on terms of intimacy with two lads not his social equals, and that he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive presents. He did this because he "liked them."
Mr. Wilde, after giving his evidence, was subjected to a stringent cross-examination with a view to showing that his book, "The Picture of Dorian Gray," and certain articles published in the magazine "Chameleon," with which he was connected, were inspired by criminal practices. Mr. Wilde, however, insisted that they were merely an expression of the artistic faculty; and, further, that his letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were prose poems - of an extraordinary character, perhaps, but not justifying any immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and entertained him at lunch afterwards in a private room. He also admitted that he had been on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals, and he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive presents because he liked them.
Mr. Wilde, after giving his evidence, was subjected to a stringent cross-examination with a view to showing that his book, "The Picture of Dorian Gray," and certain articles published in the magazine "Chameleon," with which he was connected, were inspired by criminal practices. Mr. Wilde, however, insisted that they were merely an expression of the artistic faculty; and, further, that his letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were prose poems — of an extraordinary character, perhaps, but not justifying any immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and entertained him at lunch afterwards in a private room. He also admitted that he had been on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals, and he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive presents because he liked them.
Yesterday the plaintiff Mr Wilde, was subjected to a very severe cross-examination, with a view to showing that his novel Dorian Grey and articles in the Chameleon, a magazine with which he is connected, were intended to inspire criminal practices. Mr Wilde insisted that they were merely the expression of his artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were, he said, prose poems, extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. he admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers £21, and lunched with him afterwards in a private room. He admitted also that he as on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals. He had given them money and expensive presents, but that was because he liked them.
Yesterday the plaintiff, Mr. Wilde, was subjected to a very severe cross-examination, with a view to showing that his novel Dorian Grey and articles in the Chameleon, a magazine with which he is connected, were intended to inspire criminal practices. Mr. Wilde insisted that they were merely the expression of his artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were, he said, prose poems, extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers £21, and lunched with him afterwards in a private room. He admitted also that he was on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals. He had given them money and expensive presents, but that was because he liked them.
Oscar Wilde's epigrams, paradoxes, and extravagance caused much amusement in court.
Oscar Wilde's epigrams, paradoxes, and extravagance caused much amusement in court.
Prosecutor's epigrams, paradoxes, and extravagance caused much amusement in court.
The case was not concluded when the Court adjourned.
The Marquis of Queensberry was admitted to bail.