The Cincinnati Enquirer - Monday, April 8, 1895

HIS OSCARS
Has Some Friends Left.
Mrs. Frank Leslie, Who Married His Brother,
Knows the Æsthete Well and Thinks Him a Model.
Mrs. Langtry Believes He Is Being Persecuted,
While Mrs. Grannis Wants Him Made "an Example."
Inspector Williams Tells How Wilde Was Once Bunkoed By Hungry Joe.

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER.

NEW YORK, April 7.— Oscar Wilde, during his visits to this country, found the doors of society wide open. Mrs. Frank Leslie, who married the harum-scarum brother of Oscar, and cast him aside after a joyless honeymoon, was asked for her opinion. She said:

"I have visited Mr. Wilde at his home on Tite street. I have met his venerable mother, Lady Wilde. I also know Mr. Wilde's wife, Constance, who is a model of all that is pure and womanly, and a most devoted mother to their children, two boys, called Vivian and Clarence."

"Do you believe that the charges made against Mr. Wilde are true?" asked the reporter.

"No, I cannot credit them. I speak of Mr. Wilde as I know him, my acquaintance extending over a period of 14 years. During that time I have considered him a model. His tastes are most refined, and it is difficult to associate his admirable character with such a scandal."

"Will society receive him if he is acquitted of the charge?" was asked.

"With open arms, with acclamation. You have no idea how highly it regards him. I hope that Mr. Wilde will be able to vindicate himself and emergy triumphant."

MRS. LANGTRY'S OPINION.

Mrs. Langtry was asked for her opinion of Wilde. She said: "I think him on of the most brilliant and polished men London society possesses."

What do you think of his present predicament?"

"I assure you I can not credit it. I have great admiration for the man as a writer and wit, as well as for his social qualities. I am forced to believe that he is in this case a victim of persecution."

Inspector Williams, who was Captain of the Tenderloin Precinct when Oscar Wilde was first in this city, met him more than once. One of these occasions was when Oscar was introduced to an American trick by Hungry Joe, the famous bunko man.

Wilde was fleeced out of about £2,500 by Hungry Joe and his pals, who declared after the game had been played that Wilde was "dead easy."

The big Inspector told how the esthete had fallen into the bunk trap and handed over, besides what money he had, two checks on the Madison Spuare Bank, one for $1,000 and one for $1,200, which, fortunately for Wilde and thanks to the Inspector, were stopped before the bunko workers could cash them. Hungry Joe fled, and when he returned Oscar was in London.

"Do you think Wilde ought to be convicted?"

The Inspector thought deeply for a minute and replied: "There are some very strange people in this world, and quite a few in this city. I know of two messenger boys who were arrested on the charge of stealing $500 worth of clothes from a man almost as prominent as Oscar Wilde, although in a different line. The boys told me before they were taken to Court that the charge would not be pressed, and it was not."

EMPHATIC DENUNCIATION.

Mrs. Elizabeth Grannis, President of the Society for the Promotion of Social Purity, was emphatic in her denunciation of Oscar Wilde.

"I am in a position," said she, "to know the extent of this evil, which is fast becoming prevalent in New York. The attention of our society has been called repeatedly to the existence of this abomination."

"What do you consider the best method of combating the evil?" was asked.

"To make public examples of those in high life who follow low practices. We may thus set up a warning to the masses. Let their crimes be made public, as was done in the case of Breckinridge. The trouble in combating evil is that families hesitate to make known the reality. When the culprit invades the home circle every effort is made to hush it up."

Superintendent Byrnes smiled sarcastically when asked if he had anything to say on the Oscar Wilde matter.

"I met Wilde in this city once, purely on business. I don't think our dispositions were such that our acquaintanceship could have advanced beyond mere business."

"Do you know anything interesting about him?"

The Superintendent lighted a fresh cigar, and, banishing the interesting smile he had worn, he said: "Doctors do not tell all they know about their patients, lawyers keep secrets from their clients, and at times policemen have information regarding persons they are bound to protect which should not be disclosed." And the Superintendent refused to discuss the subject further.

MAYOR STRONG SILENT.

Mayor Strong, when asked if he would express an opinion wrinkled his face up tight. "No, sir;" replied, with his peculiar Ohio emphasis, "I have nothing to say on such a subject." Then he ejaculated "Ah-h-h!"

The Oscar Wilde case will revive the memory of a scandal in the Wilde family in Dublin some 40 years ago, or about the time Oscar came upon this sphere. Sir William Wilde, who was knighted by Queen Victoria for discoveries in oculism, was Oscar's father, and resided in that old and then aristocratic, section of Dublin, Merion square. His reputation as an oculist was so great that he could afford to refuse to go to the most wealthy and distinguished patients. They had to go to him.

Among others who did so was a Miss Wilson, a highly cultivated young woman, belonging to one of Dublin's aristocratic, but not over-wealthy, families. Sir William, after an examination, told her he would have to perform an operation which would necessitate her going under the influence of an anesthetic. Chloroform was the only thing of that kind then known, and this he administered. Miss Wilson claimed afterward that Sir William had taken advantage of her helpless condition. He denied this, and she brought a criminal action against him.

Most of the Dublin people believed Miss Wilson's story, but at the trial she was not able to bring any evidence except her own, and she had to admit she was unconscious at the time of the alleged crime. The charge was dismissed

FOR WANT OF EVIDENCE.

But a peculiar part of the case was that Sir William adopted the child, bringing it up and educating it in his own profession, that of oculist. Lady Wilde, whether she believed in her husband's paternity of the boy or not, was exceedingly kind to him, and subsequently he richly repaid her for his.

Dr. Wilson became even a greater oculist than his master and reputed father, Sir William Wilde, and at the time of his death was in charge of St. Mark's Ophthalmic Hospital, on West Land Row, Dublin. Prof. Wilson's death occurred about 10 years ago, at the early age of 32.

Many stories were told to-day of Oscar Wilde when he was in this country. At that time he became well acquainted with an artist who lives here. "Wilde," remarked this gentleman, "often said that the ambition of his life was to write an obscene novel on an artistic line. This was long before he ever attempted to write a story. So it is quite evident that the novel 'Dorian Gray' was the product of a long cherished hope, and secretly it must have gratified Oscar immensely to have put forth the production."