Reynolds's Newspaper - Sunday, December 22, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
NOTES AND GOSSIP.
The Plume, a French journal, edited by M. Stuart Merrille, has issued a manifesto in favour of the release of Oscar Wilde. It publishes a letter from Mr. Robert Sherrard, who has had an interview with Mr. Wilde in the prison infirmary, from which I take the following extract: "I saw Oscar Wilde a few days ago. He has been in the prison infirmary for the last fortnight, and looks very ill. He tells me that he does not wish to live much longer. This is also my belief. He is unable to digest his food and is a victim of insomnia, which completely horrifies him." Since the publication of the manifesto a petition has been drawn up and signed by numerous well-known literary men praying for the release of Oscar Wilde on the ground that he has suffered sufficient punishment for his offence.