Belfast News-Letter - Saturday, April 6, 1895

THE QUEENSBERRY LIBEL CASE.
SENSATIONAL SCENE.
THE CHARGE WITHDRAWN.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
BY OUR PRIVATE WIRE.

London, Friday. The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry for an alleged criminal libel upon Mr. Oscar Wilde entered upon its third day of hearing at the Old Bailey this morning before Mr. Justice Collins and a jury. As on the two previous occasions, the small, dingy court was crowded. The interest taken in the unsavoury proceedings seemed unabated. No sooner were the doors of the court opened than the public gallery was again besieged. In the body of the court there was not that eager rush for seats on the part of the Junior Bar that was apparent on the two previous days. At ten o'clock the gangways were not blocked, as hitherto had been the case, and it seemed evident that more stringent efforts were being taken by the officials of the court to prevent the inconvenient crushing and crowding so characteristic a feature since the opening of the action.

The prosecutor was represented by Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C, M.P.; Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys. Mr. Carson, Q.C, M.P.; Mr. C. F. Gill, and Mr. A. Gill were for the defence; and watching briefs were held by Mr. Besley, Q.C, and Mr. Monckton.

As soon as the Marquis of Queensberry arrived he went to the dock, and took a seat, where he read a newspaper, pending the arrival of the judge. Mr. Wilde had not yet appeared, but his solicitor was chatting with Sir Edward Clarke.

MR. CARSON'S PAINFUL DUTY.

When the Court rose yesterday Mr. Carson had not finished his opening address to the jury. Resuming this morning, he said it would be his painful duty to bring before the jury the young men mentioned in the case who had unfortunately allowed themselves to be dominated by Mr. Oscar Wilde, and had been more sinned against than sinning. They were none of them educated persons or Mr. Wilde's equals in years, and the excuse put forward by the prosecutor to account for those friendships was onlv a travesty of facts. There was an extraordinary similarity in the history of all these sad cases, all leading up to the inevitable conclusion that there was something criminal in the relations between these young men and the prosecutor. How could one believe that Taylor was the kind of man that Mr. Wilde pretended him to be? There could be no possible doubt, viewing all the circumstances and admissions, that Taylor was employed by Wilde.

THE LAST SCENE AND VERDICT.

Amid impressive silence Sir E. Clarke, pale and trembling, and evidently feeling his position very acutely, rose, and asked leave to withdraw from the case. Addressing his Lordship with some emotion, he said perhaps he would allow him to interrupt at that moment, and make a statement. His learned friend had addressed the Jury upon the question of the literature involved in this case and upon the inferences to be drawn from the admissions made with regard to letters by Mr. Oscar Wilde on the previous day. His learned friend began his address that morning by saying he hoped that he said enough in dealing with those topics in detail to have prevented the necessity of referring in detail to the other issues in the case. Be thought it must have been present to the mind of his Lordship that those who represented Mr. Wilde on this case had before them a very terrible anxiety. They could not conceal from themselves that the judgment which might be formed with regard to the literature and to the conduct, which had been admitted was such as might induce the jury to say that there was ground for justification on the part of Lord Queensberry in using the words that he was posing as a man of immoral character, it being the clear view of himself and his learned frineds, who desired to be associated with him in this matter, that might not improbably be the result upon that part of the case. They had to look forward to this, that a verdict given in favour of the defendant in reference to that might be regarded as a conclusive finding as to all parts of the case. The position, therefore, in which they stood was this, that without expecting to gain a verdict in this case, they would be going through day after day a large amount of evidence in the investigation of matters of the most appalling character. In these circumstances he hoped his Lordship would think that he (counsel) was taking the right course which he was about to take after consulting with Mr. Wilde—that was to say, that, having regard to what had already been referred to him by his learned friend Mr. Carson in respect to the literature and the letters, he felt it would not be right to resist a verdict of "not guilty" in reference to the words "posing as" an immoral person. Under these circumstances he (the learned counsel) thought he was not going beyond the bounds of duty and doing something to save and prevent what would be a most terrible case, however it might close, if he now interposed on behalf of Mr. Wilde, and stated that he would withdraw from the prosecution, and he was prepared on Mr. Wilde's behalf to submit to a verdict of not guilty.

Mr. Carson, Q.C, said he did not think that he had any right whatever to interfere in any way with such an application his learned friend had made. He could only say that, as far as Lord Queensberry was concerned, if there was to be a verdict of "not guilty," the verdict must involve that his Lordship had succeeded in his plea of justification. With that understanding he (the learned counsel) would be quite satisfied to adopt the course proposed. Of course, his learned friend would admit they must succeed on that plea, and that being so it rested entirely with his Lordship as to whether the course suggested by his learned friend was to be adopted.

THE JUDGE'S RULING.

Mr. Justice Collins was understood to say that it rested with the jury to say whether they were prepared to acquiesce in that verdict of "not guilty" against the accused. It was not part of the duty of the judge or jury to go into the details bearing upon the matter, but the jury could not place any limitation to their verdict. A plea of justification was made, and the charge was that of "posing" as a person of immoral character. If it was justified it was justified ; if it was not it was not ; and the verdict of the jury must be "guilty" or "not guilty." He understood that the learned counsel (Sir E. Clarke) had said that the prosecutor was willing to agree to a verdict of "not guilty.' There could be no terms, no limitation. The verdict must be "guilty" or "not guilty." He understood the learned counsel for Wilde to assent to a verdict of "not guilty," and the jury would, therefore, return that verdict.

Mr. Justice Collins said he should have to tell the jury that two things must be established. First, that the plea of justification was true in substance, and, in fact, that the prosecutor had "posed" as a person of immoral character, and he should also have to tell them that they would have to find that the statement was published in such a manner as to be for the public benefit. If they found on these two points in favour of the defendant, then the verdict would be "not guilty." In that way they would say whether they found the plea of justification proved or not.

NOT GUILTY

After a few moments' consultation together on the part of the jury, the foreman intimated that they had arrived at their verdict.

The Clerk of Arraigns—Do you find the plea, of justifcation proved? Yes.
And do you find the defendant not guilty? Yes
And that is the verdict of you all? Yes.
And also that it was published for the public benefit? Yes.

The result was received with loud cheers by the crowded court.

The Marquis of Queensberry was then formally discharged, and left the dock.

The learned judge made an order allowing the costs of the defence.

THE PROSECUTOR'S MOVEMENTS.

An "Echo" reporter, who called this morning at the residence of Mr. Oscar Wilde, in Tite Street, Chelsea, learnt that he left home between 9-30 and 10 o'clock this morning, and drove to an hotel in Sloane Street. There he had some refreshment, asked if there were any letters for him, and then drove away in a cab. Here the Exchange Telegraph Company takes up his movements. In a message sent across the wires shortly after twelve, the company says:—"Oscar Wilde went to the Old Bailey this morning, but did not enter the precincts of the court. He had a consultation with Sir Edward Clarke in a room off the court, and while the learned gentleman was making his statement to the judge Wilde hurriedly left the building."

Another report says:—It was at first stated that Mr. Wilde had left London by the boat train for Dover, but this rumour probably arose from the fact of his having written a letter to a contemporary from the Holborn Viaduct Hotel explaining his reason for the withdrawal of the charge, which was that he could only prove his case by putting Lord Alfred Douglas into the witness-box against his father. The "Globe's" representative on calling at the hotel was told by the manager that Mr. Oscar Wilde had not been staying there, nor was he there then. "Mr. Wilde was here this morning," added the manager, "but he has left." Asked for how long a period Mr Wilde remained, and at what time he left, the manager expressed himself unable to answer either questions. Our representative was informed later that several friends of Mr. Wilde were with him at the hotel, and that they all left together early in the afternoon.

Another representative called at the Cadogan Hotel, Sloane Street, where Mr. Wilde was said by another authority to have gone. Asking to see Mr. Wilde, he was told that he declined to be interviewed ; but the reporter saw Lord Alfred Douglas, who, in reply, said that Mr. Wilde had not the least intention of leaving the country, but would remain "to face whatever there was to face."

The Exchange Telegraph Company confirms this statement, and adds that the name of Mr. Oscar Wilde has been removed from the playbills and programmes of the Haymarket Theatre.

LETTER TO THE PUBLIC PROSECUTOR.

On leaving the court this forenoon, Mr. Charles Russell, Lord Queensberry's solicitor, addressed the following letter to the Public Prosecutor:—"37, Norfolk Street, Strand.
"The Honourable Hamilton Cuffe, Esq., Director of Prosecutions. "Dear Sir—In order that there may be no miscarriage of justice, I think it my duty at once to send you a copy of all our witnesses' statements, together with a copy of the shorthand notes of the trial.
Yours faithfully, Charles Russell.
"The Treasury, Whitehall."

A WARRANT ISSUED.

A report from Bow Street states—"It is understood that a warrant in connection with the Wilde case was applied for at five o'clock thia afternoon, and it is believed that it was granted. The application was made to Sir John Bridge in his private room, and the officials were naturally reticent on the subject. Mr. Charles Russell (son of the Lord Chief Justice) and Mr. Angus Lewis of the Treasury, with two witnesses, were in attendance, and it is understood that the application for the warrant was made by them.