The Evening News - Tuesday, September 24, 1895

OSCAR WILDE.
A Crowd of Spectators Disappointed at the Bankruptcy Court.

Oscar Wilde, described on the cause list as O. F. O’F. Wilde, was brought in custody to the Court this morning for his first public examination in bankruptcy, but did not come into sight. The Court was crowded half an hour before the time of opening, so many of the public being admitted that they interfered considerably with the comfort of those who had official duties to perform.

Mr. J. P. Grain, representing Wilde, applied for an adjournment. He asked for a long adjournment, on the ground that the creditors would be the gainers by the delay. Wilde’s statement of affairs showed indebtedness of £3,591. The assets were composed exclusively of royalties on plays. These royalties at present were worth little, but would accumulate and doubtless be of considerably value ere long. Meanwhile Wilde’s friends were subscribing to a fund which had already reached £1,000. To this there was a probability of additions being made which would enable Wilde’s creditors to be paid 20s, in the £ in a few months. One of the items in the statement was £1,000 lent to Wilde by a member of his family some years ago. This £1,000 had not been repaid, the interest had accumulated, making the total indebtedness £1,557. This claim would go to the credit of the estate, and by this means and the subscription list the full payment would easily be made in a few months.

Eventually the examination was adjourned to November 12 next, by which time it was intimated that there would be no need for an examination at all, as the claims of creditors would be met.

The crowd of the public, who had continued murmuring in a way which made it almost impossible to hear the speeches of counsel, went away quite obviously disappointed that Wilde had not been brought into court and exhibited for their entertainment. There was one lady only among the disappointed sightseers.