Auckland Star - Saturday, May 18, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
LONDON GOSSIP.
(From Our Special Correspondent.)
London, March 15.
Lord Queensberry was committed for trial for criminally libelling Mr Oscar Wilde, on Saturday, but as a criminal libel cannot be justified in a police court nothing of importance, or beyond purely formal evidence, transpired. Amongst facts worth noting were the ominous withdrawal from the defence of Sir George Lewis (superseded by Mr Charles Russell, son of the Lord Chief Justice) the references to certain unnamed Royal personages said to be countenancing Lord Queensberry and the latter's obstinate adherence to the very nasty names he'd called the prosecutor. 'I wrote that card in order to bring matters to a head, as I couldn't meet Mr Wilde. I abide by what I wrote,' said his lordship, calmly. Mr Oscar Wilde, looking a degree flabbier than usual, drove to the court in a Duchess's carriage and pair, accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas, a pale, effeminate little man. He was examined by Mr Humphreys to prove the libel, at first showing a disposition to Oscarian repartee. 'Are you a dramatic author?' 'I suppose some would call me so.' Unfortunately at this point the magistrate chipped in and stopped the performance. His frown said, 'No antics permitted here,' and his tongue dryly remarked: 'You must answer questions directly, sir.' Oscar collapsed, and in ten minutes was out of the box. It seems he'd only met Lord Queensberry on two occasions when he'd joined Lord Alfred and himself at breakfast at the Café Royal. A year ago Lord Alfred had shown him a letter in which there was a gross libel. Counsel wanted to put this letter in but the Magistrate was resolved to have no revelations in his Court, and persuaded both sides to reserve developments for the Old Bailey. When Mr Wilde's counsel had done with that celebrity Lord Queensberry's took him in hand and began to cross-examine him re his friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas. The Magistrate promptly intervened. 'You can't cross-examine in this Court.' Counsel thought he could. He wished to show that Lord Queensberry had taken this step with a view to putting an end to the acquaintance between Mr Oscar Wilde and his son. 'That,' said His Honor, 'would be quasi-justification and is not admissible here. After some discussion counsel gave way, and with the formal committal of the noble Marquis the proceedings closed.
Lord Queensberry was committed for trial for criminally libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde on Saturday, but as a criminal libel cannot be justified in a Police Court, nothing of importance, or beyond purely formal evidence transpired. Amongst facts worth noting were the ominous withdrawal from the defence of Sir Geo. Lewis (superseded by Mr. Charles Russell son of the Lord Chief Justice), the references to certain unnamed royal personages said to be countenancing Lord Queensberry, and the latter's obstinate adherence to the very nasty names he had called the prosecutor. "I wrote that card in order to bring matters to a head, as I couldn't meet Mr. Wilde. I abide by what I wrote," said his lordship calmly. Mr. Oscar Wilde, looking a degree flabbier than usual, drove to the court in a duchess's carriage and pair, accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas, a pale, effeminate little man. He was examined by Mr. Humphreys to prove the libel, and at first showed a disposition to Oscarian repartee. "Are you a dramatic author?" — "I suppose some would call me so." Unfortunately at this point the magistrate chipped in and stopped the performance. His frown said "No antics permitted here," and his tongue drily remarked "You must answer questions directly, sir." Oscar collapsed, and in ten minutes was out of the box. It seemed he had only met Lord Queensberry on two occasions when he had joined Lord Alfred and himself at breakfast at the Café Royal. A year ago Lord Alfred had shown him a letter in which there was a gross libel. Counsel wanted to put this letter in, but the magistrate was resolved to have no revelations in his court and persuaded both sides to reserve developments for the Old Bailey. When Mr. Wilde's counsel had done with that celebrity Lord Queensberry's took him in hand and began to cross-examine him re his friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas. The magistrate promptly intervened — "You can't cross-examine in this court." Counsel thought he could. He wished to show that Lord Queensberry had taken this step with a view to putting an end to the acquaintance between Mr. Oscar Wilde and his son. "That," said his Honor, "would be quasi-justification and is not admissible here." After some discussion counsel gave way, and with the formal committal of the noble marquis the proceedings closed.
Lord Queensberry was committed for trial for criminally libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde on Saturday, but as a criminal libel cannot be justified in a Police Court, nothing of importance, or beyond purely formal evidence transpired. Amongst facts worth noting were the ominous withdrawal from the defence of Sir Geo. Lewis (superseded by Mr. Charles Russell son of the Lord Chief Justice), the references to certain unnamed royal personages said to be countenancing Lord Queensberry, and the latter's obstinate adherence to the very nasty names he had called the prosecutor. "I wrote that card in order to bring matters to a head, as I couldn't meet Mr. Wilde. I abide by what I wrote," said his lordship calmly. Mr. Oscar Wilde, looking a degree flabbier than usual, drove to the court in a duchess's carriage and pair, accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas, a pale, effeminate little man. He was examined by Mr. Humphreys to prove the libel, and at first showed a disposition to Oscarian repartee. "Are you a dramatic author?" - "I suppose some would call me so." Unfortunately at this point the magistrate chipped in and stopped the performance. His frown said "No antics permitted here," and his tongue drily remarked "You must answer questions directly, sir." Oscar collapsed, and in ten minutes was out of the box. It seemed he had only met Lord Queensberry on two occasions when he had joined Lord Alfred and himself at breakfast at the Café Royal. A year ago Lord Alfred had shown him a letter in which there was a gross libel. Counsel wanted to put this letter in, but the magistrate was resolved to have no revelations in his court and persuaded both sides to reserve developments for the Old Bailey. When Mr. Wilde's counsel had done with that celebrity Lord Queensberry's took him in hand and began to cross-examine him re his friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas. The magistrate promptly intervened — "You can't cross-examine in this court." Counsel thought he could. He wished to show that Lord Queensberry had taken this step with a view to putting an end to the acquaintance between Mr. Oscar Wilde and his son. "That," said his Honor, "would be quasi-justification and is not admissible here." After some discussion counsel gave way, and with the formal committal of the noble marquis the proceedings closed.
Oscar Wilde, looking a degree flabbier than usual, drove to the court in a Duchess's carriage and pair, accompanied by Lord Alfred Douglas, a pale, effeminate little man. He was examined by Mr Humphreys to prove the libel, and at first showed a disposition to Oscarian repartee. "Are you a dramatic author?" "I suppose some would call me so." At this point the magistrate chipped in and stopped the performance. His frown said "No antics permitted here," and his tongue drily remarked: "You must answer questions directly, sir." Oscar collapsed, and in ten minutes was out of the box. It seemed he had only met Lord Queensberry on two occasions, when he had joined Lord Alfred and himself at breakfast at the Café Royal. A year ago Lord Alfred had shown him a letter in which there was a gross libel. Counsel wanted to put this letter in, but the magistrate was resolved to have no revelations in his court, and persuaded both sides to reserve developments for the Old Bailey. When Wilde's counsel had done with that celebrity Lord Queensberry's counsel took him in hand and began to cross-examine him re his friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas, but the magistrate promptly intervened. "You can't cross-examine in this court." Counsel thought he could. He wished to show that Lord Queensberry had taken this step with a view to putting an end to the acquaintance between Oscar Wilde and his son. "That," said His Worship, "would be quasi-justification, and is not admissible here." After some discussion counsel gave way, and, with the formal committal of the Marquis, the proceedings closed.