London Daily News - Wednesday, November 13, 1895

THE BANKRUPTCY OF OSCAR WILDE.
APPEARANCE IN COURT.

At the court of bankruptcy, yesterday, before Mr. Registrar Linklater, there was a sitting for the adjourned public examination of Oscar wilde in his bankruptcy. The debtor was described as late of Tite-street, Chelsea, author and dramatist. Unlike the last occasion, the court was not very full at the outset, but about half-past eleven,just about the time the bankrupt arrived at Bankruptcy buildings from Wandsworth Prison, the court rapidly filled, and when he was brought into court a passage had to be made for him by the warders who accompanied him. As before, he was dressed in a long blue overcoat and wore a silk hat. The bankrupt, the author of "Lady Windermere's Fan," and other plays, appeared to pass upon accounts showing unsecured debts 3,591l., and no available assets.—Mr. J.P. Grain, official counsel, appeared for the bankrupt, who when he took his stand in the witness-box looked very unwell and broken down.—Examined by Mr. Wildy, official receiver, the bankrupt stated that he was a writer and a dramatist, and his income had been almost entirely derived from the royalties on his plays and books. He had never kept any books of any sort, but had lived up to his income. His expenditure the last two years had been about 2,900l. a year. In 1893 his liabilities exceeded his assets by about 1,450l. He still adhered to the statement that he had previously made as to the cause of his insolvency being the failure of the legal proceedings against the Marquis of Queensberry, the petitioning creditor, and to his arrest and conviction in the recent trial of Regina v. Wilde. He saw no reason to alter that statement. It was only upon the trial taking place that he became aware of his insolvency. Upon his marriage in 1884 he executed a settlement in favor of his wife, the income of which was 800l. a year. He had a life interest in that settlement, subject to the death of his wife. In 1894 he borrowed a sum of 1,000l. from the trustees of the settlement at five per cent., which was still due. Under the will of his father he was entitled to a small property subject to his surviving brother, who was two years older than himself, and to his brother having no son. It produced from 100l. to 150l. a year, and he had charged his interest to his mother for 100l.—Mr. Grain asked no questions, and the examination was ordered to be concluded. The bankrupt then left the court with the warders, being taken aback to Wandsworth about half an hour afterwards.