The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-04
OSCAR WILDE'S LIBEL SUIT.
Trial Of The Authors Case AGAINST ihe
EarquiS Of QUesnsbuFy.
DENIES THE CHARGES OF INMOUALITY
On the stand Wilde Tes'i That lie Did
Not Adore Anyone Exert Himself and
Rare Believed What lie Wrote.
The Marquis Shows Fight.

The Marquis Shows Fight.
LONDON. April 3.-The Central crimi-
nal Court Of ,Old Bailey was densely
packed with PEOPLE long before the hour
Of opening QOsO A. ID to-day. the at
traction being che trial OF the action
Of oscar Wilde against the Marquis OF
Ouoonsbury for libel Justice Collins
took his seat on the bench promptly at
1Oso and the case was called
The prosecution is conducte by Sir hd-
ward Clarke. @. c.. NJ. j., and the Mar
quis Of Queensbury was DEFENDED by
Edward II. Carson, Q. C., VI. J.. La"ye
Basley watched the proceedings on De-
half of Lord Alfred Douglas OF NaTWlck-
oscar Wilde. wearing light blue over
coat entered the courtroom IN conn any
with his solicitor, Mr. Humphreys he
resolutelv maintained an air OF nncon-
corn. despite the fact thal eVeiyhpAs
was staring az him. and TOOK scat i'
front Of SIR Edward Clarke.
rle MARQUIS of Queensbrry entered
the dock. and in answer 10 the usial
questions. pleaded not guilty. adding .nhl
fine so-callcd libel was true and had
been made known I'm the interest of puD-
lie morality
Sir Edward Clarke. I'm opening, reviewed
the evidence taken in the Police Court
Dwelling upon the writing on tne caid'
which was construed AS the libel COM
planned Of This writing allegei that
Wilde had been posing immorally Ut
had been noticed. he said that il was
not CHARGED that there was any grave OF
fence. but the gravity Of the case co.,
sisted I'm the fact that the llDels COM
plained of had extended over long pc
riod OF time The Marquis OF Queens
bury Sir Edward said had also
accused wilde OF having solicited a NUM-
Der Of gentlemen TO engage with MIN IN
a series of grave offences. Several or
the Gentlemen would Dee called 90 deny
what the Marquis might say on cross
examination.
THE MARQUIS SHOWS FIGHT'
At this point the Marquis who with
clnchcd net was glaring at Wilde. MADE
a movement as though he intended TO
attack him. and he undoubtedly would
have done so had 81 not been for persons
between them
Sir Edward. continuing, said that Mr.
wilde had been q close friend Of the
Ouceisbury family until 1893. when he
leai1 ed Cf the offensive statements be
ing made against him by a man nameI
Weed no had either stolen or found
some letters written hy Mr Niiue 10
Lord Alfred Douglas lie offered 10 re-
turn these letters for mon ~ ana AFTER
wards. at Woods earnest entrcaty, MI
wilde pr-d his fare TO America Latter
Mr. wilde leaned that two men named
Kneblev ard Allen pretended 10 nave IN
fh sir ucssreqior cofurr lmfiiur letters,
but Ar. wilde refused 70 purchase tnen
Mr.. Wilde, he said. admitted having
written in -'93 a niosi eXiravasan' ieiief
10 Lord Alfred DOUG as, in answer 10
foero the latter had vri.t31. Despite the
eel.tinents expressed in this letter the
iu.v must take into consiieriron tire
artistic circle in which Mr Wilde NOV
ei Mr. Wilde himself des ribbed this let
Ger as a prose s1nEet'
-rxr OF TIE PROSE SONNET"
In 1893. Sir Edward said. the MARQUIS Of
Oueenslury openly hDeled Mr.. Wade in
the latter's own house ana was shc"n
fine door I'm the presence Of servants, and
refused further admltiance. The annoy
ance was agg-dvatcd by the behavior OF
fre MARQUIS Of Qu-eushiry on the hiss
night of the production OF many 0i AIR.
Wildc's plays.
The letter which Mr.. Wild had written
10 Lord Douglas was real as follows.
"My dear boy
your sonnet is quite lovely. our
rose-lcaf lips seem made no less Tor the
nn.ic OF s.ng than for The madness OF
kss4s. Your slim. gilt soul walks be-
tween poetry and passion. ! know that
Hyacinthus. who was loved by Apollo,
US vou in the Greek 0ays. Why are
you alone n. London. and amer 40 you
eo to Salisbury? 10 you sleep In the
gray twilight of Gothic things Coz
Pere wherever you IKE, but 90 20 sails
bury FIRST
Tne MARQUIS. Sir Edward Clark said.
now attacked Mr.. Wide respecting ms
Dorian Grey ard ms articles ln '".
Chameleon. which 1t Is alleged that he
published i'm the interests and Tor the
furtherauce Of immoral practices
OSCAR wuDE's rfsTIMoNY.
Air. Wilde was then called TO the stand
and detailed his relations with the iani-
lv OF the Marquis. His testimony fol-
lowed the lines of his counscls address.
lie said that ne had TO connection Win
the Chameleon, and strongly disapproNed
cf the article emitted "Acoiyte and
Priest" which had been published there
in. AS res ardng Dorian Grey Mr.
wilde said il had first appeared as
serial in IIpincOtrs Magazine, but had
been altered when published In book
form.
Cross-examir ed by Mr. Carson. Mr..
Wild, said be was aware that Lord Al
fred had written articles in the Chame-
leon. one Of them, entitled Two Loves,
ne did not regard as improper, though the
Loves" were Toys. he regarded portions
of priest and AcOlyte' a. disgustins,
put did not think IL was blaspnemous.
He knew that the Chameleon had cir
culation an crg the students OF OXFORD
University Referring to his publication
"Philosophy for the Young" Mr.. Carson
asked Mr.. Wilde If he believed what he
had written. Mr.. Wilde answered;
II rarely write what l believe Is true.
Continuing Nr Wilde said mat he
believed that the realization Of self was
the primal end of life.
Mr. Wilde said that the man Allen
when endea voring to obtain money Tor
the copy Of the letter in his possession,
had remarked that it might bear curious
meaning. To this Nh Wilde testified
that he replied: Art is rarely intelligioie
TO the criminal classes
ADoRED 40 ONE BUT HIMsxLF.
Pressed 10 say whether the articles In
the Chameleon were not immoral, Mr..
Wilde replied
They were worse; they were badly
written"
NyiIda danind oaporallv and snocf6cailv