The San Francisco Examiner - Thursday, April 4, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
WILDE AT THE OLD BAILEY.
The Poet Testifies in His Libel
Suit Against the Mar-
quis of Queensberry.
Grilled on the Witness Stand by the
Merciless Counsel for
the Defense.
SHOWED NERVOUSNESS UNDER FIRE.
He Does Not Care What
Anybody Thinks
of His Writings, for He Does Not
Believe Them Himself.
LONDON, April 3. - The town to-night talks in subdued tones. The topic requires it: Oscar Wilde and a scandal. The esthetic Oscar, he of the passion poems, was on the stand today in his libel suit against the Marquis of Queensberry. The dense crowd in the Old Bailey had waited long for his appearance. When, at last, a figure in a light blue overcoat appeared in company with Lawyer Humphrey, it was recognized as Wilde.
The poet looked bored. The crowd stared. Then the accused Marquis, wearing a frayed overcoat, was called to the dock. He was asked as to the truth of the charge against him. "Not guilty" came the answer. "The so-called libel is true, and I made it known in the interest of public morality." The Marquis spoke with a tremor of suppressed anger. As he took his seat he glared at Oscar. He clenched his hands and then started up suddenly from his seat, all ready in an instant to annihilate the esthetic one then and there. Others hastily interposed and the dignity of the Old Bailey did not suffer. But the Marquis looked more daggers at the poet.
Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for Wilde, mentioned the writing on a card by Queensberry, charging Wilde with gross immorality. He observed that other gentlemen were concerned in the same accusations, and that they would appear later. Edward spoke of Wilde paying the fare to America for a man named Wood, who made offensive statements against the poet based on letters written by Oscar to Lord Alfred Douglas. One of these prose sonnets was read in court. This letter, Sir Edward said, was merely an expression of high poetic sentiment, which the jury must remember emanated from one moving in artistic circles.
WILDE TAKES THE STAND.
Here Wilde took the stand. He testified in his usual drawl that he paid Wood’s fair to America at the latter's earnest entreaty. A man named Allen, he said, came to him claiming to have a damaging letter in his possession. One was a missive said to have been sent by Wilde to Actor Beerbohm Tree. Allen asked $300 for this. Wilde said he laughed at this demand, as he had never received that price for his own short prose writings. He told Allen he had better sell the letter to someone else. Subsequently he donated half a sovereign to Allen.
When the Marquis of Queensberry called at his house in 1893 Mr. Wilde asked him whether he had come to apologize, and Queensberry said "No." Wilde then asked the Marquis if he really accused him of what his suggestions implied, whereupon the Marquis replied: "If I ever catch you with my son again I will thrash you."
Mr. Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the Marquis: "I don't know Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me." Then when they were in the hall he said to his servant: "This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again."
Mr. Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the Marquis: "'I don't know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me.' Then, when we were in the hall, I said to the servant: 'This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again.'"
Mr. Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the Marquis: "I don't know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me." Then, when we were in the hall, I said to a servant: "This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again."
Mr. Wilde continuing, said he replied to the marquis: "I don’t know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me. Then when we were in the hall I said to a servant: This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again."
Mr. Wilde said he replied to the Marquis: "I don’t know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me. Then when we were in the fall I said to a servant: "This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again.'"
Mr. Wilde, continuing, said he replied, "I don’t know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me." Then when they were in the hall he said to a servant: "This is the Marquis of Queensbury, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again."
Mr Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the marquis: "I don't know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. Then when we were in the hall I said to a servant: ‘This is the marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again.'"
Mr Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the marquis: "I don't know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. Then when we were in the hall I said to a servant: 'This is the marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again.'"
Mr. Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the Marquis: "I don't know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. You are trying to ruin your son through me. Then when we were in the hall I said to a servant: 'This is the Marquis of Queensberry, the most
Under the fire of cross-examination the poet became nervous and sought refuge frequently in drinking water. A chair was placed at his side, to be in readiness in case of possible collapse. The strain began with the questions touching on the morality of his passion writings. The Marquis' lawyer, Carson, opened fire by questioning passages from Wilde’s to novel, "Dorian Gray."
WORSE THAN IMMORAL.
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse; they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse; they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles in The Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse, they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse: they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr Wilde replied: "They were worse; they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral. Mr. Wilde replied, "They were worse; they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles In The Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse; they were badly written."
Pressed to say whether the articles in the "Chameleon" were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse - they were badly written."
Wilde frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had madly adored Lord Alfred, a man twenty years his junior. He did not adore anyone except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful but that it could not be judged as a letter, apart from art. He denied that he had madly adored "a man twenty years his junior; he did not adore anyone except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader."
Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had "madly adored" a man twenty years his junior; he did not adore any one except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Throughout the testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter, apart from art. He denied that he had "madly adored" a man twenty years his junior; he did not adore anyone except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its readers.
Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas which was read in court was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had madly adored a man twenty years his junior; he did not adore any one except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had "madly adored" a man 20 years his junior; he did not adore any one except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immortal, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse, they were badly written." Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the latter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had madly adored "a man 20 years his junior," he did not adore anyone except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas was beautiful , but that it could not be judged as a letter, apart from art. He did not adore anyone except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader.
Throughout his testimony, Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair, a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning, contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas, which was read in Court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter, apart from art. He said he did not believe that any book could affect the conduct of the reader.
Pressed to say whether the articles in the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr. Wilde replied: "They were worse - they were badly written." Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair - a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. Carson, and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas which was read in court was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter apart from art. He denied that he had "madly adored" a man twenty years his junior - he did not adore any one except himself. The case was adjourned until to-morrow.
Mr. Wilde said that he gave Wood the £15 because Lord Alfred Douglas had asked him to assist wood. He admitted that he thought the matter was blackmail, yet he gave the man £5 besides his dinner the next day and saw him off for America. Throughout his testimony Mr. Wilde maintained perfect composure. He frequently ran his fingers through his hair-a habit which is peculiar to him. Several times he propounded paradoxes to Mr. carson and in the course of the questioning contended that the letter addressed to Lord Douglas, which was read in court, was beautiful, but that it could not be judged as a letter, apart from art. He denied that he had madly adored "a man twenty years his junior; he did not adore anyone except himself, nor did he believe that any book affected the conduct of its reader."
"I don’t care tuppence what is thought about my writings," he said. "I don’t believe what I write."
BEERBOHM TREE’S CONTEMPT
He Declines to Discuss the Matter of the
Anonymous Letter.
WASHINGTON, April 3. – Beerbohm Tree, the English actor, was shown today a copy of the report of the hearing in the Queensberry-Wilde case, in which Mr. Tree is mentioned as having had in his possession a letter purporting to have been written by Wilde, and on which a man named Allen attempted to levy blackmail on the esthete.
Washington, April 3. — Mr. Beerbohm Tree, the English actor, who closed an engagement in Washington tonight, was shown today a copy of the report of the hearing in the Queensberry-Wilde libel case in London, in which Mr. Tree is mentioned as having had in his possession a letter purporting to have been written by Wilde and on which a man named Allen attempted to levy blackmail on the Aesthete.
Mr. Beerbohm Tree, the English actor, who closed an engagement in Washington last night, was shown yesterday a copy of the report of the hearing in the Queensberry-Wilde libel case in London, in which Mr. Tree is mentioned as having had in his possession a letter purporting to have been written by Wilde, and on which a man named Allen attempted to levy blackmail on the aesthete.
"I know nothing more about the matter than is stated in the dispatch," said Mr. Tree; "but I always treat anonymous letters with contempt."
"I know nothing more about the matter than is stated in the dispatch," said Mr. Tree. "I always treat an anonymous letter with contempt."
Mr. Tree declined to discuss the matter further.