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.
REFUSED A SEAT AT THE HAYMARKET
On Feb. 14th last Mr. Wilde's play, The Importance of Being Earnest, was being produced at the St. James's Theatre. Lord Queensberry had paid for a seat, but his money was returned when he presented himself at the theatre with a bouquet composed of vegetables. He even tried to get into the gallery, but the police prevented him. There was reason to fear that the defendant would make a disturbance at the performance in the same way as he rasied a protest on behalf of Agnosticism at the production of Lord Tennyson's Promise of May. Nothing more was heard until February 28th, when Mr. Wilde had occasion to visit the Albemarle Club, fo which he was a member.
THE CARD AT THE ALBEMARLE
The porter handed to Mr. Wilde a card that had been left by Lord Queensberry, and upon that card the charge against the defendant turned. He (Sir Edward Clarke) did not intend to mention the names alluded to in the pleadings, but he would deal with certain suggestions made in those pleadings that Mr. Wilde was the writer, or at all events the publisher, of articles of a remarkable and unnatural tendency. One of the publications called in question was the "Picture of Dorien Gray" a book that, strangely enough, had been publicly sold for several years. The learned counsel outlined the story, and defied the other side to prove that the uathor had done more than use the novelist's privilege to pourtray the vices and passions of human nature.
THE FIRST WITNESS
Sidney Wright, hall porter at the Albemarle Club, examined by Mr. Mathews, deposed that on February 18th the defendant handed him a card, upon which he wrote words accusing the complainant of a serious crime. The defendant requested him to give it to Mr. Wilde. The witness placed the card in an envelope and kept it until Feb. 28th, when Mr. Wilde visited the club. He then handed the envelope with the card to Mr. Wilde.
MR. WILDE IN THE BOX
Mr. Oscar Wilde was next sworn. In answer to Sir E. Clarke, he said he was 39 years old. He was formerly a student at Trinity College, Dublin, and at Oxford. He won several honours, including the Newdigate Prize for English verse. He took his degree in 1878. From that time he had devoted himself to art and literature. He had lectured in England and America, and written many essays. During the last few years he had paid speical attention to dramatic literature. Four of his plays were produced between February, 1892, and February, 1895. He had written articles on different subjects. In 1884 he married Miss Lloyd, and had lived with her ever since at Tite-street, Chelsea, Worthing, Torquay, and elsewhere. In 1891 he made the acquaintance of Lord Alfred Douglas. He had been Lady Queensberry's guest at Wokingham and Salisbury. He had been on friendly terms with Lord Douglas of Hawick. Lord Alfred Douglas had been with him to Tite-street and the Albemarle Club. They had also stayed together at Cromer, Worthing, and Torquay. In November, 1892, he was lunching with Lord Alfred Douglas at the Cafe Royal, and he effected what appeared to be a reconciliation between Lord Alfred and the Marquis of Queensberry. He did not see Lord Queensberry again until March, 1894.
THE LETTERS
In 1893 a man named Wood met him at the rooms of Mr. Taylor, who showed him some letters, and suggested that he wanted money for them. The witness said he did not consider they were of any value at all. Wood made a very strong appeal to enable him to go to New York. The witness gave him 15 for his passage to New York, and the interview ended. In April, 1893, a man named Allen called at his house, produced a copy of a letter, and said a very "curious construction" could be placed upon the letter, whereupon the witness replied that art was rarely intelligible to the masses. Allen valued it at 60, and the witness said he was very glad to find that it was so highly appreciated. (Laughter) The witness declined