Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-04-05
A NASTY MISS
The Libel suit of Oscar Wilde A gainst
the Creat Duke Of MARI
borough.
OSCAR IS IN A BAD LIGHT
Testimony in the Case such that 1t
Shocks 'he Newspapers of
London

LONDON, April 4.--There was notable
interest today at the old Bailey in the
taking of testimony in the suit for libel
brought by Oscar Wilde against the
marquis of Quecnsbury. The audience
was largely composed Of lawyers and
reporters, The plaintiff arrived at an
early hour and took seat at the table
reserved for the solicitors. The Marquis
of Queenebury entered few minutes
later, looking jaunty and confident. Sew
era Of his friends shook the defendants
hand as he entered the dock. Oscar
Wilde, upon resuming his place on the
witness stand, admitted that he had
attended tea parties in the rooms of
man named Taylor, which we're artist.
ically furnished and in which perfumes
were burning. He denied, however, that
he had seen Taylor in womans cos
tune Further questions upon the part
of Mr.. Carson, counsel for the marquis
of Queensbury, brought forth the admis
sion that Taylor introduced to Wilde
five youths, whom Wilde gave money to
and took to restaurants. Plaintiff ad-
mitted that he was not aware that one
Of them was d valet and another coach
| man, or that Taylor had been arrested
in Il raid Of the house in i'itzroy square.
Wilde, ia his answers to the questions,
exhibited confusion and contradcted
himself frequently. He also lost bis
temper CareOn's questions were d the
main pitl.ees and unprintable. CHrscu's
cross examination Of the plaintiff was
concluded at noon, having lasted over
six hours Sir Edward Clarke, leading
counsel for Wilde, then began the exam.
ination Of his client, by putting in several
letters Of the ma!quis of Queensbury. III
which he called upon his son, Lord
| Alfred Douglas. "to cease his infamous
intimacy with the plaintiff, sayiug his
blood turne1t cold at the sight Of their
Infamous faces He added: II hear
Wilde's wife will petition for a divorce
on The grounds Of unnatural crimes If
you do not cease to let him disgrace US.
| shal! feel justified IN ehnoting him on
sight" 10 the letter Lord Alfred re-.
piled: What ii funny little man you
are" Most Of the newspapers are print
| ing the testimouy in the suit almost
verbatim, but the character Of the les
! tlmony is such today that the st janss
Gazette says: "'rhc nature Of the evi-
denCe and TIE whole circumstances OF
the case prove To be o such a character
that We cannot repeat it, and adds:
The IoclIsh public is at the present
moment involved in one of those orgies
of indecency permitted by the operations
of the open law cunrte and the euterprs-
ing press 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 vel, dressed
men waiting to enter. Wide kept the
court waiting ten minutes for which he
apologized so Justice Collins, saying he
had been consulting his doctor. After
the production of other letters the case
for the plaintiff Was closed and Carson
began his speech for the defense. 1t was
terribly denunciatory of Wilde, who left
the court room as soon as counsel for
defendant began to speak. Lord Alfred
Douglas was present in court short
time during The morning, but did not
return.