3 Apr 1895 - The Echo (London)
Page 3, Column 2, Link
Quite an hour before the day's business opened at the Old Bailey this moring people were using every effort to gain admission to the old Court, in which such cases as come before Her Majesty's judges are usually tried. With the exception, perhaps, of some strangers in the gallery, admission was limited to representatives of the Bar, Corporation, magnates, and people actually concerned in the case that was down for hearing - that of "Wilde v. Queensberry." The Marquis of Queensberry, it will be remembered, stood committed from the Marlborough-street Police-court on a charge of libelling Mr. Oscar Fingal O'Flaherty Wilde, playwright. The case came on late in the present Sessions because a plea of justification had been put in, and would, in fact, have gone over to the next Sessions had not both parties been anxious to have it disposed of forthwith.
COUNSEL IN THE CASE
The counsel for the prosecution were Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., M.P., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphres; the accused was represented by Mr. Carson, Q.C., M.P., Mr. C. F. Gill, and Mr. A. Gill; while Mr. Besley, Q.C., and Mr. Monckton watched the case on behalf of Lord Douglas of Hawick, son of the Marquis of Queensberry.
The accused entered the Court shortly after ten o'clock in company with his solicitor, Mr. Charles Russell. Mr. Oscar Wilde, who appeared ten minutes later, was also accompanied by his solicitor, Mr. Humphreys. By that time the Court was crowded almost to suffocation, and scores of barristers were unable to obtain seats.
Mr. Justice Collins took his seat on the Bench at half-past ten o'clock. The judge was accompanied on the Bench by Alderman Sir Reginald Hanson, Bart., M. P., Alderman Faudel PHillips, Alderman Davies, Alderman Vaughan Morgan, and Alderman and Sheriff Samuel.
THE MARQUIS'S PLEA
The accused took his seat at once in the dock, and, in answer to the customary question, pleaded "not guilty," and put in a further plea of justification.
SIR E. CLARKE'S OPENING SPEECH
In opening the case for the prosecution Sir Edward Clarke pointed out the enormous gravity of the accusation levelled agaisnt Mr. Wilde by the Marquis of Queensberry. But the defendant's plea raised a much graver issue, for in the that plea it was alleged that the complainant had solicited various persons to commit an offence. It was for those who had put those allegations in the plea to prove them to the satisfaction of the jury. The learned counsel then briefly traced the career of Mr. Wilde, who was, he said, a son of Sir William Wilde, and had had a brilliant University career both at Dublin and at Oxford. In 1882 he published a volume of poems, laughted at by some but appreciated by many, and, at all events, representing the thoughts of a man of high culture. In 1891 he was introduced to Lord Alfred Douglas, a son of the defendant, and from that time he had been the friend, not only of Lord Alfred, but of Lord Douglas of Hawick, and of the mother of those gentlemen. Up to 1892 Mr. Wilde did not know the defendant, with the excedption of a meeting about 1881.
THE LUNCH AT THE CAFE ROYAL
In November 1892, Mr. Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas were lunching together at the Cafe Royal, when the defendant entered, and at Mr. Wilde's suggestion the son shook hands with his father, and seemed to be reconciled. The three had a firendly chat, and parted good friends. Mr. Wilde did not see the Marquis again until early in 1894. But meanwhile Mr. Wilde became aware of statements that had been made affecting his character. Some letters of Mr. Wilde's and of Lord Alfred Douglas were being handed about, and a man named Wood was represented as desiring to be assisted to America. As a matter of fact, Mr. Wilde gave Wood some assistance.
"IT IS A WORK OF ART"
At that time Mr. Wilde's play, A Woman of No Importance, was being prepared for the Haymarket Theatre. One day Mr. Beerbohm-Tree received a note requesting him to forward to Mr. Wilde what purported to be a copy of an incriminating letter written by Mr. Wilde. Mr. Tree sent it on. Shortly afterwards a man named Allen brought Mr. Wilde the original, and wanted to sell it; but Mr. Wilde replied, "It is a work of art. I shoul dhave desired to possess a copy. Now you have been good enough to send me a copy, I don't want the original." (Laughter) There was another letter written to Lord Alfred Douglas, and couched in poetical language, which could not, the learned counsel suggested, by properly appreciated by people accustomed only to commercial correspondence. (Laughter) That letter was not capable of the base interpretation that had been placed upon it.
AN EXTRACT FROM THE LETTER
Mr. Wilde addressed Lord Douglas as "My own boy," and, after referring to his sonnet as quite lovely, went on :-
"Why are you alone in London, and when do you go to Salisbury? Do go there and cool your hand in the grey twilight of Gothic things. Come when ever you like, but go to Salisbury first. With undying love."
The words of the letter, observed Sir Edward, appeared extravagant to those who were only in the habit of writing commercial correspondence (laughter), or those wordy letters which the necessities of life forced upon one every day. It was a letter of which Mr. Wilde was in no way ashamed, and with regard to any imputation that might be associated with it, he was absolutely indifferent. He said it was the expressino of poetical feeling, and had no relation whatever to the hateful suggestions which were made. In the middle of 1894 there was an interview between the complainant and the defendant upon which he would not dwell.