The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-05
OSCAR WILDE SCORED
ROUGHLY HANDLED BY THE MAR
GUS OF QUEENsBERRY'S COUNSEL.
Damaging Admi ssions by the Plaintiff
in the Sensational Libel Case
Countess RusseIIs Petition.

LONDON, April 4-There was undated
interest, to-day, 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
Ilaintiff arrived in court at early hour
and took his seat at the table reserved
for the solicitors. The Marquis of Queens
berry entered few minutes later, looking
jaunty and confident. Several of his
friends rushed forward and shook the de-
fendant's hand as he entered the dock.
Oscar Wilde, on resuming his place on
the witness stand admitted that he had at
tended tea parties in the rooms of a man
named Taylor, which were artistically fur
nished, and in which perfumes were burn
ing. He denied, however, that he had seen
Taylor in woman's costume. Further ques-
tions on the part of Mr.. Carson, counsel
for the Marquis of Queensberry, brought
forth the admission that Taylor introduced
to Wilde five youths to whom Wilde gave
money and took them to restaurant
The plaintiff admitted that he was not
aware THAT one of them was valet and
another a coachman. or that Taylor had
roy square. Wilde, in his answers to the
questions put to him. exhibited confusion
and contradicted himself frequently. He
also lost his temper. Mr.. Carson's ques-
lions were, in the main, pitiless and UNI
printable. Mr.. Carson's cross-examination
of the plaintiff was concluded at noon
after having lasted, including the time of
yesterday, over six hours.
Sir Edward Clarke leading counsel for
Wilde, then began the examination of his
client by putting in certain letters of the
Marquis of Queensberry in which he called
on his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, to cease
saying that his blood turned cold at the
sight of their infamous faces" He added:
a divorce. If you do not cease to let him
disgrace us, shall feel justified in shooting
Douglas replied by telegraph to his father,
a sasing; What a funny little man you
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 a 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 minutes, for
which he apologized to Justice Collins. say
After the production of other letters the
case for the plaintiff was closed and Mr..
carson began MS speech Tor the DEFENSE.
It was terribly denunciatory of Wilde who
left the court room as soon as counsel for
the defendant began to speak. Lord Alfred
Douglas was present in court for a short
time during the morning, but he did not re-
turn in the afternoon. Mr.. Carsons speech
for the defense lasted until adjournment,
at p. m, and was not finished He care
fully reviewed the evidence, point by point,
led oa aod ad wd 5ha pre e w to
the jury, beyond any doubt,<the guilt of
ee pa d Dgrng a the IS OF bis
mentary terms, to the course of Mr.. Beer
bohm Tree in forwarding to the plaintiff
the English actor, whereupon Justice Col
Inns said: There is no occasion to mem
ton the name of Mr.. Beerb ,.a. Tree rec
should do SO, my Lord had it not been
that received cable message from Mr..
with the case be fully explained
Every one understands that Mr.. Trees
m ana eese d
Justice in conclusion.
Wilde returned to the court room for
Among the letters produced in court and
addressed by the Marquis of Queensberry
saying Wide was "a cur and coward of
the Rosebery type"
ceedines t today that the services OF n an eD
ira force of police were required outside
the Old Bailey in order to dispense the
neighborhood in order to see the principals
in this notorious case.
Most of the newspapers are printing the
testimony in the suit almost verbatim. but
the character of the testimony in such to-
nature of the evidence and the whole cir
Gums tances of the case prove to be of such
character that we cannot print it, The
st. James Gazette adds: 1.-The En-
glish public is at the present moment in
yolved in of those orgies of indecency
permitted by the operation of open law
courts and an enterprising press. The
Gazette urges that all such cases should
be heard in camera.
Countess Russell In Court Again.
LONDON. April 4.-The case of Countess
Russell for restitution of her conjugal
rights was begun to-day before Baron Pol
lock. Sir Henry James, formerly Attorney
general for Earl Russell, contended that
the petition was not a bona fida one and
that the Countess was actuated by desire
to secure money. He said that it was in
conceivable that if a wife had occasion TO
bring such charges against her husband
The Russell divorce case caused a tre-
nendous scandal in London at the end OF
1891 Countess Russell petitioned for the
dissolution of her marriage Oil accuse ions
of extraordinary cruelty, and on charges
odfous that they could be only
briefly outlined IN rrint.., The story
it would have secured. for her. II was
claimed, more than judicial separation. But
her case broke down completely and a
verdict was given against her. In addi-
tion she was condemned to pay the costs
of the trial. amounting to over $500