The Chicago Tribune - Monday, April 8, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
WILDE WANTS TO DIE.
DECLARES HE WILL KILL HIMSELF
IF GIVEN THE CHANCE.
Report of His Suicide Causes
Big Sensa-
tion in London - Prospect of Conviction
and Horrors of English Prison Life Have
Appalled the Disgraced Esthete - His
Doctors Expect His Sudden End
[SPECIAL CABLE.]
London, April 7. - [Copyright, 1895, by the Press Publishing Company, New York World.] - A report that Oscar Wilde had committed suicide in the Bow Street Police Station caused a widespread sensation today. The report originated, it was found, in the fact that when Wilde was about to be transferred from the police station in a prison van to Holloway Jail he was in a state of semi-collapse, suffering from hysteria, and said to the prison attendants that he should commit suicide if he had a chance. This put them on the alert. Wilde was immediately subjected to a thorough search, and the police even removed his pearl breast-pin and handkerchief lest he might stab or strangle himself.
LONDON, April 8. -- Special Cablegram.-A widespread sensation was created today by a report that Oscar Wilde had committed suicide at the Bow Street Station. It was found that the report originated in the fact that when Wilde was about to be transferred from the police station to the prison van for Holloway Jail he was in a state of semi-collapse and suffering from hysteria. He said to his jailers that he would commit suicide if he had a chance. This put them on the alert and Wilde was immediately subjected to a thorough search. The police even removed his pearl breastpin and handkerchief lest he might stab or strangle himself.
LONDON, April 7. - A widespread sensation was created today by the report that Oscar Wilde had committed suicide at the Bow-street station. It was found that the rumor originated in the fact that when Wilde was about to be transferred from the police station to the prison van for Holloway jail, he was in a state of semi-collapse and was suffering from hysteria. He said to his jailers that he should commit suicide if he had a chance. This put them on the alert and he was immediately subjected to a thorough search. The police even removed his pearl breast-pin and a handkerchief, lest he might stab or strangle himself.
A widespread sensation was created to-day by the report that Oscar Wilde had committed suicide at the Bow-street station. It was found that the rumour originated in the fact that when Wilde was about to be transferred from the police station to the prison van for Holloway jail, he was in a state of semi-collapse and was suffering from hysteria. He said to his jailers that he should commit suicide if he had a chance. This put them on the alert and he was immediately subjected to a thorough search. The police even removed his pearl breast-pin and a handkerchief, lest he might stab or strangle himself.
It was found that the report originated in the fact that when Wilde was about to be transferred from the police station to the prison van for Holloway Jail, he was in a state of semi-collapse and suffering from hysteria. He said to his jailers that he should commit suicide if he had a chance. This put them on the alert, and he was immediately subjected to a thorough search, and the police even removed his pearl breast pin and a handkerchief lest he might stab or strangle himself.
The prospect of conviction, with the consequent horrors of a convict life, appalled Wilde. It is that aspect of the case which seems to concern him exclusively, not the shame and degradation into which he is plunged. He is a person to whom the luxuries of life were everything, whose sole thought was self-indulgence. To such a one the rigors and deprivations of a prison are the very worst kind of punishment. Wilde's legal advisers declare they never had a client less able to bear up under trial or whose anticipatory agonies were more intense. As Wilde is heavy and flabby, with a constitution sadly undermined by dissipation, it would not the least surprise his doctor if his troubles should come to a sudden end.
The prospect of a conviction, with consequent horrors of a convict's life, have simply stupefied Wilde. It is that aspect of the case which seems to concern him exclusively -- not the shame and degradation into which his vices have brought him. He is a man to whom the luxuries of life were everything and whose sole thought was self-indulgence. To such a man the rigors and deprivations of a prison are the very worst kind of punishment, and Wilde's legal advisers declare that they never had a client less able to bear up under his trial or whose anticipatory agonies were more intense. Being a man of heavy, flabby physique, and a constitution greatly undermined by dissipation, it would not in the least surprise his doctor if a sudden seizure ended his troubles.