The Philadelphia Inquirer - Thursday, May 23, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
FATHER AND SON FIGHT
Marquis of Queensberry's Row With Lord Douglas Ventilated in Court.
DOUGLAS WAS THE
AGGRESSOR
The Old Man's Letters to His Daughter-in-Law Caused All the Trouble.
CROWDS CHEER THE MARQUIS
Both Prisoners Held Under Bonds
to Keep the Peace for Six Months.
Special Cable to The Inquirer, Copyright, 1895.
LONDON, May 22. — While Oscar Wilde's trial was proceeding at Old Bailey this morning two of the eccentric Queensberry family—the Marquis and his heir apparent, Lord Douglas of Hawick, whom he hates almost as furiously as he does his younger son, Lord Alfred Douglas—were in the Marlborough Street Police Court explaining about their fight in Piccadilly yesterday afternoon.
LONDON, May 22. -- While Oscar Wilde's trial was proceeding at Old Bailey this morning, two of the eccentric Queensberry family--the Marquis and his heir apparent, Lord Douglas of Hawick, whom he hates almost as furiously as he does his younger son, Lord Alfred Douglas--were in the Marlborough Street Police Court explaining about their flight in Piccadilly yesterday afternoon.
LONDON, May 22. - While Oscar Wilde's trial was proceeding at the Old Bailey this morning two of the eccentric Queensberry's family - the Marquis himself and his heir apparent, Lord Douglas of Hawick, whom he hates almost as furiously as he does his younger son, Lord Alfred Douglas - were in Marlborough-street Police Court complaining about their flight in Piccadilly yesterday afternoon.
Lord Douglas, with his left eye black, a hugely swollen witness of his old father's prowess, was content to be heard through his solicitor, but the Marquis of Queensberry had no lawyer and was loquacious in his own defense.
Lord Douglas, with his left eye black, a hugely swollen witness of his old father's prowess, was content to be heard through his solicitor, but the Marquis of Queensberry had no lawyer and was loquacious in his own defense.
He told how he had written letter after letter to his eldest son about the Wilde affair in general and Hawick's stand for Wilde in particular.
He told how he had written letter after letter to his eldest son about the Wilde affair in general and Hawick's stand for Wilde in particular.
"At last," said the Marquis, "my letters were returned unopened. I was forced to write to my son's wife in order to reach him.
"At last," said the Maruis, "my letters were returned unopened. I was forced to write to my son's wife in order to reach him.
"I wanted to find out where Lord Alfred Douglas was, and whether it was true that my eldest son was harboring Wilde.
"I wanted to find out where Lord Alfred Douglas was and whether it was true that my eldest son was harboring Wilde.
"Yesterday my son rushed up to me and, without provocation, assaulted me. I defended myself.
"Yesterday my son rushed up to me and, without provocation, assaulted me. I defended myself.
"Three times we were separated, and each time he followed me and attacked me again."
"Three times we were separated, and each time he followed me and attacked me again."
THE MARQUIS' LETTERS.
Lord Douglas' lawyer said the Marquis had been writing filthy letters to his client's wife. These letters were produced and were read by the justice, who resisted Queensberry's excited entreaties that they be put in evidence and given to the public.
Lord Douglas's lawyer then said that the Marquis had been writing filthy letters to his client's wife. These letters were produced and were read by the Justice, who, however, resisted Queensberry's excited entreaties that they be put in evidence and given to the public.
Lord Douglas' lawyer then said that the Marquis had been writing offensive letters to his client's wife. These letters were produced and were read by the Justice, who, however, resisted Queensberry's excited entreaties that they be put in evidence and given to the public.
Douglas' lawyer read one communication, which was in the form of a telegram to Lady Douglas of Hawick. Queensberry must have sent it only a few minutes before his son attacked him and after the verdict of the jury in the Taylor case had been announced:
Douglas's lawyer, however, read one communication, which was in the form of a telegram to Lady Douglas of Hawick. Queensberry must have sent it only a few minutes before his son attacked him and after the verdict of the jury in the Taylor case had been announced:
Lord Douglas' lawyer, however, read one communication, which was in the form of a telegram to Lady Douglas of Hawick. Queensberry must have sent it only a few minutes before his son attacked him, and after the verdict of the jury in the Taylor case had been announced. It read thus:
"I must congratulate you on the result of the trial. I cannot on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dried up corpse. I fear he has had too much madness of kissing. Taylor guilty. Wilde's turn to-morrow."
"I must congratulate you on the result of the trial. I cannot on Percy’s appearance. He looks like a dug up corpse. I fear he has had too much madness of kissing. Taylor guilty. Wilde’s turn tomorrow.
"I must congratulate you on the result of the trial. I cannot on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dug up corpse. I fear he has had too much madness of kissing Taylor guilty. Wilde's turn to-morrow. "QUEENSBERRY."
"I must congratulate you on the result of the trial. I cannot on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dug-up corpse. I fear he has had too much madness of kissing. Taylor guilty; Wilde's turn to-morrow. QUEENSBERRY.
"I must congratulate you on the result, but I cannot congratulate you on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dug-up corpse. I fear there is too much madness in kissing. Taylor is guilty; it will be Wilde's turn tomorrow."
"I must congratulate you on the result, but I cannot congratulate you on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dug-up corpse. I fear there is too much madness in kissing. Taylor is guilty; it will be Wilde's turn tomorrow."
"I must congratulate you on the result, but I cannot congratulate you on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dug-up corpse. I fear there is too much madness in kissing. Taylor is guilty; it will be Wilde's turn tomorrow."
"I must congratulate you on the result, but I cannot congratulate you on Percy's appearance. He looks like a dug-up corpse. I fear there is too much madness in kissing. Taylor is guilty; it will be Wilde's turn to-morrow."
"Must congratulate on verdict. Cannot on Percy's appearance; looked like a dug-up corpse. Fear too much madness of kissing. Taylor guilty. Wilde's turn tomorrow. -Queensberry.
To Lady Douglas. Must congratulate on verdict. Cannot on Percy's appearance; looked like a dug-up corpse. Fear too much madness of kissing. Taylor guilty. Wilde's turn to-morrow.-- QUEENSBERRY.
Lord Douglas' lawyer then said:
"Again and again my client has requested him to stop sending these communications to his wife. He promised to stop, but only the other day he sent a picture of an antediluvian monster with 'this is Wilde's ancestor' written under it.
"Again and again my client has requested him to stop sending these communications to his wife. He promised to stop, but only the other day he sent a picture of an antediluvian monster with 'this is Wilde's ancestor,' written under it.
Lord Douglas' lawyer then said: "Again and again my client has requested him to stop sending these communications to his wife. He promised to stop, but only the other day he sent a picture of an antedeluvian monster with, 'This is Wilde's ancestor,' written under it. My client approached the Marquis of Queensberry yesterday only to ask him to cease writing to Lady Douglas."
"My client approached the Marquis of Queensberry yesterday, solely to ask him to cease his obscene writing to Lady Douglas."
"My client approached the Marquis of Queensberry yesterday, solely to ask him to cease his obscene writing to Lady Douglas."
Both sides produced witnesses, but the testimony all showed that however aggressive a apart of the famous boxing Marquis may have taken in the row, the onset was made every time by his son.
Both sides produced witnesses, but the testimony all showed that however aggressive a part the famous boxing MArquis may have taken in the row, the onset was made every time by his son.
FATHER AND SON BOUND OVER.
The Magistrate deplored bringing a family quarrel into the police courts, and reprimanded both father and son and bound them over in £500 to keep the peace six months.
The Magistrate deplored bringing a family quarrel into the police courts, and reprimanded both father and son, and bound them over £500 to keep the pece for six months.
Farther and son were side by side in the dock during the whole hearing. They stood side by side while signing the bond and went out of the court room together, but neither spoke to the other.
Father and Son were side by side in the dock during the whole hearing. They stood side by side at the signing of the bond and went out of the courtroom together, but neither spoke to the other unless frequent exchange of savage looks may be called speaking.
Father and Son were side by side in the dock during the whole hearing. They stood side by side at signing of the bond and went out of the court-room together, but neither spoke to the other, unless frequent exchange of savage looks may be called speaking.
There was a great crowd outside the court room, and the Marquis was loudly cheered when he appeared. Immediately after the court proceedings the Marquis repaired to Willis' rooms, the most fashionable of London restaurants, where he had luncheon with a lady and a young girl.
He was in great glee. He wore a very large white boutonniere, and evidently enjoyed the attention he received from the other guests. He showed to his companions the picture he had sent Lady Hawick.
He was obviously in great glee. He wore a very large white boutonniere, and evidently enjoyed the attention he received from the other guests. He showed to his companions the picture he had sent Lady Hawick.
It was a full-page representation in one of the weekly papers of a prehistoric iguanodon as restored by Professor Woodward and placed in Kensington Museum.
It was a full page representation in one of the weekly papers of a prehistoric iguanodon as restored by Prof. Woodward and placed in Kensington Museum.
A TALK WITH THE MARQUIS.
The Marquis of Queensberry talked with the utmost freedom to The Inquirer correspondent this evening. He said:
"The cause of my son's anger was this: Before Wilde was released on bail I went to Holloway Prison and left a note saying if he went about with my younger son, Lord Alfred Douglas, after his release he would do it at serious risk. He sent no reply. I accordingly put detectives on him and called at the hotel after his release, but he refused to see me. My other son, Lord Douglas, took him and his lawyer to dine, but just as they were sitting down to dinner I appeared, and Wilde forthwith fled cut of the house.
"I heard next day that Wilde had gone to stay at Lord Douglas' country house at Kingston on the Thames and that Alfred was there. I represented myself at the house and was received by Lady Douglas, who refused me admission and said I should not come there. Subsequently I learned that Alfred was at Rouen, Oscar Wilde having frightened him into leaving the country by falsely stating that a warrant had been issued for his arrest."
"Do you believe Wilde will be convicted?"
"A million to one on it, though I was scanning the jury to-day and I think there are a couple of queer looking fellows among them."
"A million to one on it," Lord Queensberry answered, "though I was scanning the jury to-day, and I think there are a couple of queer looking fellows among them."
"Do you believe the authorities want a conviction?"
"It looks as if they didn't. They have got no fresh evidence, as they might have done. By the way, there is on matter I would like you to mention—that is the shabby way the authorities have treated me. They are relying altogether on the case prepared at my expense. It has cost me £2000, and when I applied to the Treasury for compensation they offered me £35. I protested against this meanness and they offered me £100, but I told them they might keep it. I intend to get a question put in Parliament on the subject when the case is concluded, and have already seen Labouchere about it. I am a poor man and can't stand this expense.
"It looks as if they didn't," the Marquis replied. "They have got no such evidence as they might have done. By the way, there is one matter I would like you to mention, that is the shabby way in which the authorities have treated me. They are relying altogether on a case prepared at my expense. It has cost me £2,000, and when I applied to the treasury for compensation they offered me £35. I protested against this meanness, and they offered me £100, but I told them they might keep it. I intend to get a question put in Parliament on this subject when the case is concluded. I have already seen Mr. Labouchere about it. I am a poor man and can't stand this expense. Then Wilde was decreed to pay me £800 costs in any suit he has. He offered me £200, and I suppose I shan't get a farthing, but I shall make him bankrupt.
"My sole object was to keep Wilde and Alfred apart, so I hope Wilde will be convicted. Should he escape, I will pursue him until I am satisfied the intimacy between them is stopped."
BALLARD SMITH.