Editing 3 Apr 1895 - The Globe (London)

<b>[[Case File: Oscar Wilde]]</b>

Page 5, Column 1, Link

<b><center>MR. OSCAR WILDE AND LORD QUEENSBERRY</center></b>
<center>TRIAL AT THE OLD BAILEY</center>

All the appearance of a sensational trial were presented at the Old Bailey to-day, when the Marquis of Queensberry entered the dock to answer the charge of criminally libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde. Although influential people and the ordinary public clamoured at the doors for admission soon after eight o'clock in the morning, it was only the privilege few who gained entry within the judicial precincts. At the best the Old Bailey is not particularly accommodating, even in the way of standing room; and it is hardly necessary to indicate that, with half a hundred seats taken up by the junior bar, and the main gangway blocked by another score of the same inquisitive gentlemen, there was but little room left for Press and public. Necessarily, from the peculiar nature of the case, the proceedings were expected to be of a character such as to preclude the admission to the court of any but the sterner sex. The Marquis was the first to appear, and was soon followed by Mr. Oscar Wilde, who took a seat at the solicitor's table. By the time Mr. Justice Collins took his seat on the bench the court was crammed; and the counsel engaged were busy with their blue papers. Sir E. Clarke, Q.C., Mr. C. Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys appeared to prosecute; while Mr. Carston, Q.C., Mr. C. F. Gill, and Mr. A. Gill (instructed by Mr. Charles Russell) represented the Marquis of Queensberry; Mr. Besley, Q.C., with Mr. Monckton, watching the proceedings on behalf of Lord Douglas of Hawick, the eldest son of the Marquis.

The Clerk read out the indictment to the effect that the Marquis "did unlawfully and maliciously write and publish a false, malicious, and defamatory libel" concerning Mr. O. Wilde, in the form of a card directed to him.

The Marquis said he pleaded not guilty, and that the libel was true, and that it was for the public benefit that it should be published.

Sir E. Clarke, in opening the case for the prosecution, said the card was a visiting card of the Marquis of Queensberry, and had written upon it: "To Oscar Wilde, posing as ----" (an expression which we are unable to print). Of course it was a matter of serious moment that such a word as that should in any way be connected with the name of a gentleman who had borne a high reputation in this country. It was an accusation of the graest of all offences. The accusation of posing no doubt appeared to suggest that there was no guilt of the actual offence, but that in some way or another the person of whom these words were written desired to appear to be a person guilty of that gravest of all offences. 

The case is proceeding.