6 Apr 1895 - The Globe (London)
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FRIDAY, 5th The Marquis of Queensberry acquitted at Central Criminal Court of the charge of libelling Oscar Wilde, who was afterwards arrested.
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ARREST OF TAYLOR[edit]
There was the same scene of excitement at Bow-street Police-court this morning as had been witnessed for the past three days at the Old Bailey. The Extradition Court, usually give up to special cases, was soon crowded, and outside a force of police was requisitioned to keep order among the throng clamouring for admission. One or two well-known persons were present as spectators during the proceedings, and one woman was permitted to have a seat behind the dock. Brought up from the cells soon after eleven o'clock, Oscar Wilde, was at once placed in the dock, and a gaoler stationed by his side. With an air of apparent unconcern, and leaning on the iron rail in the same nonchalant attitude as previously adopted in the witness-box, the prisoner listened to the opening statement of Mr. Gill
At Bow-street this morning, before Sir John Bridge, who sat specially in the Extradition Court, Mr. Oscar Wilde, of 16, Tite-street, Chelsea, was charged on a warrant signed by Sir John Bridge, with having, on March 20, 1893, and on other days committed acts of impropriety with one Charles Parker. The charge sheet was signed by Inspector T. Brockwell, and on it was further stated that the prisoner was taken into custody by Inspectors Brockwell and Richards at New Scotland-yard, and that the property found on him included twenty ₤5 notes. The charge was taken by Sub-Divisional-Inspector Digby, of the E Division, at Bow-street Police-station. There was great excitement in the vicinity of the court, and hundreds of persons remained outside after having applied in vain for admission. Mr. C. F. Gill, instructed by Mr. Angus Lewis, of the Treasury, prosecuted; Mr. Humphreys, solicitor, appeared for the defense.
Sir J. Bridge took his seat at 11.5, and at the same moment Mr. Wilde was place in the dock.
Mr. Gill said he appeared in this case on behalf of the Public Prosecutor to prosecute the prisoner on a series of charges, partly under the 11th section of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, but having regard to the nature of the case, he (counsel) did not think it desirable that he should trouble the magistrate with many opening observations. No good purpose would be served by going into the matter in an opening speech, and he would therefore only indicate generally what the character of the evidence was that he proposed to introduce, and after that he would ask that the prisoner should be formally committed. The case which he proposed to go into, in the first instance, related to the conduct of the prisoner as regarded a young man named Charles Parker. It would appear that at the end of 1893, the prisoner was staying at the Savoy Hotel. He stayed there from March 2 to March 29. At the same time there was living at Little College-street, Westminster, in the upper part of the house, a man named Alfred Taylor. He was a man closely connect with Wilde, and the evidence would disclose that he was a person engaged to act for the prisoner in certain ways. The prisoner was in the habit of visiting Taylor at Little College-street, and in the course of the case the court would hear of the condition of things that existed at this house, and of the rooms occupied by this man. Parker was a servant out of a place, but he had been in the employment of a gentlemen as a valet. Being out of employment, he was in the company of his brother, William, who was a groom. At the end of February or the beginning of March, in St. James's Restaurant, they were approached by Alfred Taylor. Counsel then described the way in which the boys were introduced to Wilde, and various circumstances which subsequently occurred. Continuing, he said the police had had an enormously difficult task to obtain evidence, but they had some time ago been all over the house in College-street. There were also several other cases of the same kind which it was proposed to go into.
Charles Parker was then called, and gave evidence bearing out the opening statement.
In the course of his examination, Mr. Gill interrupted the proceedings to state that he had just been informed that the man, Alfred Taylor, had been arrested, and it would save time if he were now brought into the dock, so that he might also hear the evidence.
Sir J. Bridge: Very well.
Mr. Humphresy, representing Mr. Wilde, asked how long the case would not go on.
Sr. J. Bridge: A case of this sort ought to be dealt with as speedily as possible, and I shall propose to sit until four or five o'clock, if necessary.
The proceedings were stopped for several minutes, and when Taylor, a smart-looking man, entered the dock, Wilde bowed to him.
Sir Jr. Bridge explained to Taylor that the evidence already given related also to a charge against him, and it should therefore, be read over.
This having been done, Parker continued his statement.
The case is proceeding.
HOW MR. WILDE'S ARREST WAS EFFECTED[edit]
As we stated last evening, Lord Queensberry's solicitors yesterday intimated that it was not his lordship's intention to take the initiative in any criminal prosecution of Mr. Wilde, but after the finding of the jury in the libel action the whole of the documents, with proofs of the evidence upon which the defense had intended to rely, were forwarded to the Public Prosecutor. Immediately after the House of Commons met in the afternoon, a representative of the Public Prosecutor had an interview with the Home Secretary, the Attorney-General, and the Solicitor-General in regard to the case. It was at once agreed that a warrant should be applied for, and Mr. Asquith gave instructions that, wherever Wilde might be found, he should be stopped.
Mr. Oscar Wilde, on leaving the Court yesterday morning, proceeded in company with Lord. A. Douglas and other friends to the Holborn-viaduct Hotel. The party remained in conference in a private room until one o'clock, when they partook of luncheon. At a quarter past two the four men drove off in Mr. Wilde's brougham, which had been waiting outside the hotel for a considerable time. Their destination was a bank in St. James's, where a large sum of money was drawn out on a cheque payable to "self".
There was a great deal of excitement at Bow-street during the afternoon, in consequence of a report that a warrant would be applied for. Sir John Bridge was the presiding magistrate, having taken the place of Mr. Vaughan early in the morning. When Sir John Bridge took his seat after the luncheon interval, Mr. Angus Lewis, of the Treasury, intimated that he would like speak to him privately. Sir John assented, and the magistrate and barrister carried on a whispered conversation for a few minutes. What actually took place did not transpire, but it was understood that Mr. Lewis intimated to Sir John Bridge that he might have an important application to make to him later in the afternoon. Detective-Inspector Brockwell was also in attendance. With him were two youths whose names figured prominently in the Wilde v. Queensberry case. Sir John Bridge did not return to the Court after disposing of the summonses, but it is understood that he saw Mr. Angus Lewis, Mr. C. F. Gill, and Mr. Charles Russell in his private room, and afterwards granted a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Wilde.
The arrest was made by Inspector Richards last evening at the Cadogan Hotel, Sloane-street, to which place Mr. Wilde drove after leaving the Holborn Viaduct Hotel. The Inspector, who had with him Sergeant Allen, made the arrest about half-past six o'clock. On the senior officer asking for Mr. Wilde he was told he was not there; but on the inspector insisting, he was conducted to his room. Mr. Wilde had with him two friends, and the inspector stated the object of his visit. Mr. Wilde made no reply, and the party at once drove to Scotland-yard to meet Inspector Brockwell, who had the warrant for the arrest. The warrant was read to the prisoner, who made no reply, and after some delay he was taken to Bow-street Police-station, arriving there at 8.10 in a four-wheel cab. Mr. Wilde, who was the first to alight, walked straight into the station, followed by the detectives. He was dressed in a long black frock coat, dark trousers, and silk hat, and did not appear in the slightest way to be affected by the circumstances of his position. He was at once placed in the dock, and stood there with his hands in his pockets while the charge was taken down by Inspector Digby. When the charge ;had been entered Mr. Wilde was escorted to the cells.
Shortly after the prisoner's arrival at Bow-street a friend of Mr. Wilde drove up with a small bag, containing a change of clothes and other necessaries for Mr. Wilde, but, after a short interview with the inspector on duty, that gentleman returned to his cab with the bag, not being allowed to leave it. Later on Lord Alfred Douglas visited Bow-street to see if he would bail out Mr. Wilde, and appeared much distressed when he was informed that on no consideration could his application be entertained. He then offered to procure extra comforts in the shape of bedding for his friend, but this offer was also refused by the office on duty. Mr. Wilde occupies an ordinary cell, but was allowed to supply himself with any extra food he thought fit.
The Marquis of Queensberry states that as soon as the trial ended yesterday, he sent this message to Mr. Oscar Wilde: - "If the country allows you to leave, all the better for the country, but if you take my son with you, I will follow you wherever you go and shoot you."
WILDE'S PLAYS IN AMERICA[edit]
A New York telegram to Reuter says that the management of the Lyceum Theatre, where Oscar Wilde's play "An Ideal Husband" is now running, have decided to remove the author's name from the bills and programmes. Miss Rose Coghlan, who has been playing "A Woman of No Importance" in the Western States, has resolved to omit the play from her repertoire.
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