The San Francisco Examiner - Friday, May 3, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
OSCAR WILDE TO
PLEAD INSANITY.
This Course Taken by His Coun-
sel in Opposition to
Family
Wishes.
Doctors Delighted at Making the
Subject of Heredity a
Point of Law.
TALK OF SCIENTIFIC RESTRAINT.
The Poet's Father
Was Very Eccentric,
and Wilde Himself Has Always
Had a Craze for Notoriety.
NEW YORK, May 2. - A London cable to a morning paper says: Oscar Wilde is now said by his friends to be the victim of mania. Dr. Forbes Winslow and Dr. Blandford, eminent psychologists and specialists in diseases of the mind, are busily occupied in investigating the record of the Wilde family and preparing a diagnosis of the patient's mental and physical condition.
It's more than likely that when Oscar Wilde is next placed on trial the testimony of these learned men will be made a feature of the defense in order to offset the possibility of the next jury finding him guilty of the charges brought against him. The plea will be made that he, guilty or innocent of the charge, is a subject for pathological treatment, and not for the laws of vengeance. This course is said to be contemplated by Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., in opposition to the wishes of Wilde’s relatives. Great secrecy is being observed in the matter, and none of those concerned will talk about it.
Oscar Wilde is now said by his friends to be the victim of mania. Dr. Forbes Winslow and Dr. Blandford, eminent psychologists and specialists in diseases of the mind, are busy in investigating the record of the Wilde family and preparing a diagnosis of the patient's mental and physical condition. It is much more than likely that when Oscar Wilde is next placed on trial the testimony of these learned men will be made a feature of the defense in order to offset the possibility of the next jury finding him guilty of the charges brought against him. The plea will be made that he, guilty or innocent of the crime, is a subject for pathological treatment and not for the laws of vengeance. This course is said to be contemplated by Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., in opposition to Wilde’s relatives. Secrecy is being observed in the matter and none of those concerned will talk about it.
Members of the bar are wondering whether, in order to save his client from imprisonment in the event of an adverse verdict, Sir Edward Clarke is prepared to consent to Wilde being placed under scientific restraint.
There is no suggestion that any of Wilde's ancestors were afflicted, even in a remote way, with the form of degeneracy attributed to him. The heredity problem is far more complex than that. Many forms of nervous disease in parents might produce in the child pathological conditions that would, if unchecked, bring him within the reach of the law. This is generally recognized by physicians, and the profession is delighted at the prospect of this point becoming the issue at law.
There is no suggestion that any of Wilde's ancestors were affected, even in a remote way, with the form of degeneracy attributed to him. The heredity problem is far more complex than that. Many forms of nervous disease in parents might produce in the child pathological conditions that would, if unchecked, bring him within the reach of the law. This is generally recognized by physicians and the profession is delighted at the prospect of this point becoming the issue at law. Sir William Wilde, Oscar's father, was remarkably eccentric, although almost a genius as an oculist and as an antiquarian. Oscar Wilde has long been regarded as a subject of the form of insanity called by the French "folie ambitieuse," the signs of which are inordinate vanity and a thirst for notoriety.
Sir William Wilde, Oscar's father, was remarkably eccentric, although almost a genius as an oculist and as an antiquarian. Oscar Wilde has long been regarded as a subject of the form of insanity called by the French "folie ambitieuse," the signs of which are inordinate vanity and a thirst for notoriety. That this infliction should be associated with other forms of mental disease would not be surprising.
WILDE WANTS BAIL.
Application Will Be Made to the Court
of Queen's Bench.
LONDON, May 2. - Counsel for Oscar Wilde will to-morrow make application before Baron Pollock, in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice for the admission of Wilde to bail, pending the retrial of his case. Hitherto it has been the practice to grant applications for bail in all cases of misdemeanor, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the Court. The next session of the Old Bailey court will begin on May 20th.
London, May 2.- Counsel for Oscar Wilde will to-morrow make application before Baron Pollock, in the Queen’s Bench division of the High Court of Justice, for the admission of Wilde to bail pending the re-trial of his case. Hitherto it has been the practice to grant applications for bail in all cases of misdemeanour, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the court. The next session of the Old Bailey Court will begin on May 20.
London, May 2.- Counsel for Oscar Wilde will to-morrow make application before Baron Pollock in the Queen's bench division of the High Court of Justice for the admission of Wilde to bail, pending the re-trial of his case. Hitherto it has been the practice to grant applications for bail in all cases od misdemeanor, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the court. The next session of the Old Bailey court will begin on May 20.
LONDON, May 2. - The counsel for Oscar Wilde will to-morrow make application before Baron Pollock, in the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, for the admission of Wilde to bail, pending the retrial of his case. Hitherto it has been the practice to grant applications for bail in all cases of misdemeanor, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the court. The next session of the Old Bailey Court will begin on May 20.
London, May 2. - Counsel for Oscar Wilde will tomorrow make application before Maron Pollock in the Queen's bench division of the high court of justice for the admission of Wilde to bail pending the retrial of his case. Hitherto it hats been the practice to grant applications for bail in all causes of misdemeanor, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the court.
The disagreement of the jury in the Wilde case caused much surprise in London. Several newspapers incline to the opinion that Wilde’s speech, which elicited applause in the Court room, may have saved him from a verdict of guilty. Counsel for Oscar Wilde will tomorrow make application before Baron Pollock, in the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice, for the admission of Wilde to bail, pending the trial of his case. Hitherto it has been the practice to grant applications for bail in all cases of misdemeanor, but the matter rests solely upon the discretion of the Court. The next session of Old Bailey Court will begin on May 20.
Although Oscar Wilde's fine collection of prints, Morrish pottery and bric-a-brac has been sold at auction, no receiving order in bankruptcy against him has yet been applied for.
Although Oscar Wilde's fine collection of prints, Morrish poetry, bric-à-brac, &., has been sold at auction, no receiving order in bankruptcy against him has yet been applied for.
LONDON, May 2. -- Although Oscar Wilde's fine collection of prints, Moorish pottery, and bric-a-brac has been sold by auction, no receiving order in bankruptcy against him has yet been applied for.
London, May 2.- Although Oscar Wilde’s fine collection of prints, Moorish pottery, bric-a-brac, etc., has been sold at auction, no receiving order in bankruptcy against him has yet been applied for.
LONDON, May 2 - Although Oscar Wilde's fine collection of prints, Moorish pottery, bric-a-brac, etc, has been sold at auction no receiving order in bankruptcy against him has yet been applied for.