The Standard - Saturday, April 6, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
LONDON, SATURDAY, APRIL 6
The Trial of the Marquess of QUEENSBERRY for libelling Mr. OSCAR WILDE came to an abrupt ending yesterday at the Central Criminal Court. Mr. WILDE not present when Mr. Justice COLLINS took his seat on the Bench, and after Mr. CARSON had proceeded to describe the evidence he should call for the defence, Sir E. Clarke interposed, and, on behalf of Mr. WILDE, asked leave to withdraw from the prosecution, or, in the event of that being impossible, to consent to a verdict of Not Guilty. Mr. CARSON said that if that plea involved an admission that the Defendant was justified in wnat he did, he was satisfied. Under the directions of the Judge, the Jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty, and said that, in their opinion, complete justification had been proved, and tho publication was for the public benefit. Lord QUEENSBERRY was then discharged and congratulated by his friends.
After the close of the QUEENSBERRY case, a communication wan made to tho Public Prosecutor, Counsel from the Treasury proceeded to Bow-street, and obtained from Sir John Bridge a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Oscar Wilde. The arrest was effected at half-past six last evening at an hotel in Sloane-street, whence Mr. Wilds was conveyed in a cab to Bow-street Police Station. After being placed in the dock and formally charged, he was removed to a cell. Lord ALFRED DOUGLAS soon afterwards called and offered bail for Mr. WILDE's release, but this was refused and Mr. WILDE will be brought up at [?] this morning.