Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-04
Hearing Of the Libel Case in
London.
'HE ARGUMENT FOR TEE DEFENSE
Terrible Denunciation of the Play
wright.
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS

LONDON, April 4.-There was undated
interest today at the Old Bailey in the
taking of testimony on the second day of
the trial of the suit for libel brought by
Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of
Queensberry- The audience was largely
composed of lawyers and reporters There
were few notable persons present The
plaintiff arrived in court at an early hour
and took his seat at the table reserved for
tie solicitors. The Marquis of Queens
Derry entered a few minutes later, looking
jaunty and confident Several of his
friends rushed forward and shook the de-
fendants hand as he entered the dock
Mr.. Carson's croSs-examindtion of the
plalntin was concluded at noon, having
over six hours.
Wilde, in his answers to the questions
put to him, exhibited confusion and con-
tradicted himself frequently. He also lost
MS temper. Alr. CarSonS questions were,
In the main. pitiless and unprintable
Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for
Wilde, then began the redirect examina-
ton of his client by putting in certain let
ters of the Marquis of Queensberry, in
which he called upon his son, Lord Alfred
Douglass to cease his Infamous init
macy with the plaintiff, saying that his
blood turned cold at the sight of their
infamous faces" He added, Il hear that
Wilde's wife will petition for a DIVORCE on
the ground of unnatural crimes. If you do
EOt cease 10 let MIN disgrace us, L shall
feel testified in shooting him on sight"
To this letter Lord Alfred Douglass re-
piled by telegraph to his father, saying:
What funny little man You are"
After the noon recess the crowd in the
court room was larger than ever, and the
hall and stairs leading to it were filled ten
deep with well-dressed men, who were
awaiting chance to enter
The Marquis of Queensberry lunched with
several of his friends, and the sympathy Of
all present in court seems to be with him.
Wilde kept the court waiting for ten min
utes, for which he apologized to Justice
Collins. saying that he had been consulting
his doctor
After the production of other letters the
case for the plaintiff was closed, and Mr.
Carson began his speech for the defense.
1t was terribly denunciatory OF Wilde who
left the court room as socn as counsel for
the defendant began to speak.
The speech of Mr.. Carson for the defense
lasted until the court adjourned at pm,
and was not finished at that time He
carefully reviewed the evidence, point by
point, denounced Wilde and said that the
Witnesses he would produce would prove to
plaintiff.
During the course of his remarks Mr.
Carson alluded in complimentary terms to
the course of Mr.. Beerbohm Tree in for
warding to the plaintiff a copy Of the
anonymous letter handed to the Eng
lish actor, whereupon Justice Collins said:
There is no occasion to mention the name
of Mr.. Beerbohm Tree
Mr.. Carson, in reply, remarked: Nor
should do so, my lord, had 1t not been
that 1 received a cable message from Mr..
Tree today asking that his conuec ton with
the case be fully explained
Every one understands that Mr. Trees
connection with the case is in every way
honorable and praiseworthy," said the
justice, in conclusion.
Wilde returned to the court room for
few minutes before the adjournment
Among the letters produced in court and
addressed by the Marquis of Queensberry
to his son. Lord Alfred Douglass, was one
saying that Wilde was "a cur and a cow
ard of the Rosebery type"
Such was the interest in the proceedings
of police were required outside the Old
Bailey in order to disperse the large crowds
which assembled in the neighborhood IN
order to see the principals in this notorious
case.
Lord Alfred Douglass was present in
court for n short time during the morning,
but he did not return in the afternoon.
Most Of the newspapers are printing the
testimony in the suit almost verbatim. but
the character Of the testimony was such to-
day that the st. James Gazette says:
THE nature Of the evidence and the
whole circumstances of the case prove to
be of such a character that We cannot re-
pert it" The GaZ tie adds: THE English
public is at the present moment involved
in one Of those orgies Of indecency per-
mitted by the operations of open law courts
and an enterprising press" The Gazette
urges that all such cases should be heard