The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-16 00:00:00

The Extraordinary Libel Case.

DUBLIN, Thursday Morning.
The public interest in the case of " Travers v.
Wilde" continues unabated, and the entrance or the
Court cf Common Pleas is every morning besieged
by the crowds who are anxious to gain admittance.
As telegraphed last night, the plaintiff was under
examination during the whole of yesterday. It has
been already stated that the action is one of libel,
brought by Mies Travers egainst Sir William and
Lady Wilde, the female defendant having written
to the plaintiff's father a letter, which, it is alleged,
reflected on his daughter's chastity. All the parties
belong to Dublin. Sir Willieen Wilde is a well-
known oculist and aurist. His wife, who has
written under the name of " Speranza," is a poetess
of some repute ; and the plaintiff is the daughter of
Dr. Travers, sub-librarian in Marsh's Library, and
a very distinguished scholar. The letter complained
of stated that it was necessary for Lady IViide to
warn Dr. Travers that his daughter was wishing
to make it be thought that she had an intrigue
with Sir William Wilde, and that she was
endeavouring, by issuing offensive placards,
and pamphlets, to extort money from Sir William
and his wifo on that account. In the pleas for the
defence, Lady Wilde declared that she had believed
in the entire truthfulness of the statements she had
made, and she also referred to a pamphlet in which
the plaintiff had given a description of the circum-
stances attending the intrigue, or, at least, one of
its most prominent incidents. The plaintiff's re-
joinder to this is that the Editir in question was not
an "intrigue," but comet hing very different, inas-
much as Sir William Wilde had on one occasion, on
the 14ia of Oct., 1882, violated her person in his
own study. The plaintiff had originally made the
acquaintance of Sir William Wilde in 1854, and had
subsequently been introduced to Lady Wilde. Miss
Travers had been on very intimate terms with the
Wilde family, and Sir William had for several years
taken a special interest in her, lending her money,
and ma4,ing her presents ; and this may be the pro-
per place to mention that the plaintiff was in rather
straitened circumstances. and required this monetary
assistance from time to time. In 1861, however, the
conduct of Sir William excited her suspicions, es he
gave her to understand that Lady Wilde was ice.
ions of her. She asked for explanations, and some
remarkable letters were written by Sir William be-
tween that date and February, 1862, when he one
day clasped Miss Travers in his arms as he was ex-
amining her professionally, and wanted her to call
him by his Christian name, which she refused,
Their acquaintance, however, was not broken off by
this occurrence, and on October 14, 1862, the viola-
tion is stated to have taken piece. Miss Travers
had called upon him, and saw Sir ',William is his
study. After some conversation he pretended, as
the plaintiff sates, to examine her throat, pressed
his knuckles into it, and rendered her insensible.
While unconscious, her person was violated. This
is the history of the affair given by the plaintiff,
who afterwards pubiished a number of pamphlets
and placards eZpoeing Sir 'William and his miscon-
duct, and thus taking 'that revenge which, as she
says, he had always feared shat she was meditating.
On the plaintiff's direct examination, which began
on Tuesday, after the completion of Sergeant Arm-
strong's statement on her behalf, sho swore to the
violation on Oct, 14, 1862. At the sitting of the
court yesterday her examination was resumed by
Mr Butt, Q C., and she went into a variety of de-
tails in sustentatioa of Sergeant Armstrong's elate.
went. She had been thinking of going to Australia

after the affAir of October, 1862, and Sir 'William

Wilde had sent her money, but she changed her
mind and returned it. On one occasion she had pro-
cured laudanum, and taken it in Sir William's
study. When he saw her do that, " he threw him-
self upon the flior and shouted Revenge, revenge!
People will say I poisoned you, but 1 will have the
police in.' He begged her to procure an antidote,
enjoining her to say that she had when the poison
accidentally. Sae went to D Walsh's, in West-
land-row, and got an emetic." In allusion to her
limited mean 9, and her araLiety to repay him the
loans of money, Sir William spoke of her "starving
herself," and declared that 4' she would be found
dead in her bad from starvation some day," and
that "that would he another piece of revenge." Miss
Travers conf(ssed to having isEond the pamphlets

and pkcards for the parpose of annoying iody
Wilde. She was anxious, the p•aintff said, for an
explanatory interview with that lady and her hus-
band- Among other devices, she had forwarded to
Sir William, while in the country, a printed slip,
with a false announcement of her death—" Sud-
denly, at her father's residence, Williamstown-
avenue, Mary Josephine, daughter of Robt. Travers,
M.D." She had last applied to Sir William Wilde
for money in February or March, 1864. That was
after the publication of the offensive pamphlet. She
said, "If you do not choose to send it, see what
will happen." He had also sent her money with-
out asking. The last money which she had received
from Sir William Wilde was in August, 1863.
The plaintiff was cross-examiaed at great length by Ser-
geant Sullivan. whose questions she answered with much
coolness and apparent steadiness. Considering the extent
of the eross-examination, the utmost that can be done is to
give some of the questions and answers.
Sergeant Sullivan—When did you first determine to exe-
cute your vengeance against Sir William and Lady Wilde ?
—I never had any vengeance against Lady Wilde. I had
a pique against her.
When did you determine to execute it against Sir Wm,
Wilde P—On the 16th October, 1862.
That was two days after the day of the alleged outrage P
—No, on that day ; I cannot swear to the 14th or the 16th.
What was y.ur first act of vengeance P—l cannot tell you
either my first or my second act.
Was not the publication of the pamphlet the first P—No.
What was before it ?—I aickened him in his study with
garlic in June, 1863.
How did you administer the garlic P—From a bottle. I
got his handkerchief and se.turated it with the garlic. I
did not tell him what to do with it.

What did you give it him for ? was it to pay him off for
the wrong ho had done you?—lt was a part of a 'cries of
annoyances I intended giving him.

Ad you bring any other mixture after that Y—Yes, I
brought more garlic and water, and put it into the eoaptray
in the:rcom where he received his patients, in order that he
might feel some discomfort in that room.
The room in which you say the offence took place P—Yes.
What was your next act of vengeance ?—I reviewed the
"First Temptation," translated by Lady Wilde,

The publication of the pamphlets, the issuing of the
placards, and the emplo3ing of the boys to ring the bells so.
as to attract attention to the exposure having been spoken
of, the examination proceeded.

Sergeant Sullivan—Did you send copies of the pamphlet
to Sir W. Wilde's family and patients P—To his relatives,
yes; but I won't be sure about his patients.
Did you send Lady Wilde the announcement of your
death, as if it were cut out of a newspaper P—Yes.
For what 2—For amusement.

You sent it for amusement to the wife of the man who
wronged you 2—He believed it was a notice of my death,
Wh( n you went to Btay, did you take down your
pamphlet with you, and employ the newspaper boys to
sell it ?—Yes.

Did you employ them to go to Lady Wil.le's house ?
I desired ihtm to go along the eniire beach, not excluding
her house. It was for the purpose of circulating them in Bray.
Did you send this to Si: William Wilde, with a pin stuck
through it, and in an open envelope ?—I did.
Listen to this :

" Your progeny is quite a pest
To those who hate such critters;'
some sport I'll have, or I'm blest
I'll fry the Wilde breed in the West;
Then you can call them Fritters.
The name is not equivocal,
They dare not by their mother call,
Nor by their father, though he's Sir.
A gouty knight, a mangy cur;
He dare not even call them Frits—
H )w much he'd with that I'd say Quits.

"For Next Week's Handbills—the Miss Fritters 11 1 with
most affectionate rf gards.—Please show this to her ladyship
at tho dessert I I 1 "

Sergeant Sullivan : What is the meaning of all this ?
The meaning is that Sir I,VilliamlNilde was so very core (3
the eubject of any person alluding to his children, or, as he
called them hie " breed," that I wrote this for the purpose
of making him think ho would be exposed, and that he
might try to prevent my taking any legal means, or get the
interference of my family to prevent me from annoying
him, because I wanted to give my explanation of all that
had gone on in his house during my intercourse with hire.
As to the expression " mangy cur," it was in reference to
the remark of a friend that whoever wrote a certain letter
which I showed him was a mangy cur.
And you sent that with your most affectionate wishes?
—Yee.
To the man who had outraged you ?—Yea.
Is this your handwriting ?—lt is.
Listen to this—" Now, spiteful old lunatic, since you
want to do something for me, please cut my corn that, you