Trial of Oscar Wilde (Dramatic Reading) — Section 4

This concluded the evidence of this witness for the time being.

Mary Applegate, employed as a housekeeper at Osnaburgh Street, said Atkins used to lodge there and left about a month ago.

Wilde visited him at this house on two occasions that she was cognisant of.

She stated that one of the housemaids came to her and complained of the state of the sheets of the bed in which Atkins slept after Wilde's first visit.

The sheets were stained in a peculiar way.

It may be explained here, in order to make the witness's evidence understood, that the sodomistic act has much the same effect as an enema inserted up the rectum.

There is an almost immediate discharge, though not, of course, to the extent produced by the enema operation.

The next witness called was Sidney Mavor, a smooth-faced young fellow with dark hair and eyes.

He stated that he was now in partnership with a friend in the City.

He first made the acquaintance of the prisoner Taylor at the Gaiety Theatre in 1892. He afterwards visited him at Little College Street.

Taylor was very civil and friendly and introduced him to different people.

The witness did not think at that time that Taylor had any ulterior designs.

One day, however, Taylor said to him, "I know a man, in an influential position, who could be of great use to you, Mavor.

He likes young men when they're modest and nice in manners and appearance.

I'll introduce you."

It was arranged that they should dine at Kettner's Restaurant the next evening.

He called for Taylor, who said, "I am glad you've made yourself pretty.

Mr. Wilde likes nice, clean boys."

That was the first time Wilde's name was mentioned.

Arrived at the restaurant, they were shown into a private room.

A man named Schwabe and Wilde and another gentleman came in later.

He believed the other gentleman to be Lord Alfred Douglas.

The conversation at dinner was, the witness thought, peculiar, but he knew Wilde was a Bohemian and he did not think the talk strange.

He was placed next to Wilde, who used occasionally to pull his ear or chuck him under the chin, but he did nothing that was actually objectionable.

He, Wilde, said to Taylor, "Our little lad has pleasing manners; we must see more of him."

Wilde took his address and the witness soon after received a silver cigarette-case inscribed "Sidney, from O. W.

October 1892." "It was," said the innocent-looking witness, "quite a surprise to me!"

In the same month he received a letter making an appointment at the Albemarle Hotel and he went there and saw Wilde.

The witness explained that after he saw Mr. Russell, the solicitor, on March 30th, he did not visit Taylor, nor did he receive a letter from Taylor.

Sir EDWARD CLARKE.

--"With regard to a certain dinner at which you were present.

Was the gentleman who gave the dinner of some social position?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Mr. GRAIN.

--"Taylor sent or gave you some cheques, I believe?"

WITNESS.

--"He did."

Mr. GRAIN.

--"Were they in payment of money you had advanced to him, merely?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Mr. C. F.

GILL.

--"The gentleman--'of position'--who gave the dinner was quite a young man, was he not?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Mr. GILL.

--"Was Taylor, and Wilde also, present?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Mr. GILL.

--"In fact, it was their first meeting, was it not?"

WITNESS.

--"So I understand."

Mavor being dismissed from the box, Edward Shelley was the next witness.

He gave his age as twenty-one and said that in 1891 he was employed by a firm of publishers in Vigo Street.

At that time Wilde's books were being published by that firm.

Wilde was in the habit of coming to the firm's place of business and he seemed to take note of the witness and generally stopped and spoke to him for a few moments.

As Wilde was leaving Vigo Street one day he invited him to dine with him at the Albemarle Hotel.

The witness kept the appointment--he was proud of the invitation--and they dined together in a public room.

Wilde was very kind and attentive, pressed witness to drink, said he could get him on and finally invited him to go with him to Brighton, Cromer, and Paris.

The witness did not go.

Wilde made him a present of a set of his writings, including the notorious and objectionable "Dorian Gray."

Wilde wrote something in the books.

"To one I like well," or something to that effect, but the witness removed the pages bearing the inscription.

He only did that after the decision in the Queenberry case.

He was ashamed of the inscriptions and felt that they were open to misconception.

His father objected to his friendship with Wilde.

At first the witness thought that the latter was a kind of philanthropist, fond of youth and eager to be of assistance to young men of any promise.

Certain speeches and actions on the part of Wilde caused him to alter this opinion.

Pressed as to the nature of the actions he complained of, he said that Wilde once kissed him and put his arms round him.

The witness objected vigorously, according to his own statement, and Wilde later said he was sorry and that he had drank too much wine.

About two years ago--in 1893--he wrote a certain letter to Wilde.

Sir EDWARD CLARKE.

--"On what subject?"

WITNESS.

--"It was to break off the acquaintance."

Sir EDWARD.

--"How did the letter begin?"

WITNESS.

--"It began 'Sir'."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Give me the gist of it."

WITNESS.

--"I believe I said I have suffered more from my acquaintance with you than you are ever likely to know of.

I further said that he was an immoral man, and that I would never, if I could help it, see him again."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Did you ever see him again after that?"

WITNESS.

--"I did."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Why did you go and dine with Mr. Wilde a second time?"

WITNESS.

--"I suppose I was a young fool.

I tried to think the best of him."

Sir EDWARD.

--"You seem to have put the worst possible construction on his liking for you.

Did your friendly relations with Mr. Wilde remain unbroken until the time you wrote that letter in March, 1893?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Have you seen Mr. Wilde since then?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"After that letter?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Where did you see him?"

WITNESS.

--"I went to see him in Tite Street."

Sir EDWARD CLARKE then proceeded to question the witness with regard to letters which he had written to Wilde both before and after the visits to the Albemarle Hotel, and in the course of his replies the witness said that he formed the opinion that "Wilde was really sorry for what he had done."

Sir EDWARD CLARKE.

--"What do you mean by 'what he had done'?"

WITNESS.

--"His improper behaviour with young men."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Yet you say he never practised any actual improprieties upon you?"

WITNESS.

--"Because he saw that I would never allow anything of the kind.

He did not disguise from me what he wanted, or what his usual customs with young men were."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Yet you wrote him grateful letters breathing apparent friendship?"

WITNESS.

--"For the reason I have given."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Well, we'll leave that question.

Now, tell me, why did you leave the Vigo Street firm of publishers?"

WITNESS.

--"Because it got to be known that I was friendly with Oscar Wilde."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Did you leave the firm of your own accord?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Why?"

WITNESS.

--"People employed there--my fellow-clerks--chaffed me about my acquaintance with Wilde."

Sir EDWARD.

--"In what way?"

WITNESS.

--"They implied scandalous things.

They called me 'Mrs. Wilde' and 'Miss Oscar.'

" Sir EDWARD.

--"So you left?"

WITNESS.

--"I resolved to put an end to an intolerable position."

Sir EDWARD.

--"You were in bad odour at home too, I think?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes, a little."

Sir EDWARD.

--"I put it to you that your father requested you to leave his house?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes.

He strongly objected to my friendship with Wilde."

Sir EDWARD.

--"You were uneasy in your mind as to Wilde's object?"

WITNESS.

--"That is so."

Sir EDWARD.

--"When did your mental balance, if I can put it so, recover itself?"

WITNESS.

--"About October or November last."

Sir EDWARD.

--"And have you remained well ever since?"

WITNESS.

--"I think so."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Yet I find that in January of this year you were in serious trouble?"

WITNESS.

--"In what way?"

Sir EDWARD.

--"You were arrested for an assault upon your father?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes, I was."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Where were you taken?"

WITNESS.

--"To the Fulham Police Station."

Sir EDWARD.

--"You were offered bail?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Did you send to Wilde and ask him to bail you out?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"What happened?"

WITNESS.

--"In an hour my father went to the station and I was liberated."

This witness now being released, the previous witness, Atkins, was recalled and a very sensational incident arose.

During the luncheon interval, Mr. Robert Humphreys, Wilde's solicitor, had been busy.

Not satisfied with Atkins's replies to the questions put to him in cross-examination, he had searched the records at Scotland Yard and Rochester Road and made some startling discoveries.

A folded document was handed up to the Judge.

Mr. Justice Charles, who read it at once, assumed a severe expression.

The document was understood to be a copy of a record from Rochester Road.

Atkins, looking very sheepish and uncomfortable, re-entered the witness-box and the Court prepared itself for some startling disclosures.

Sir EDWARD CLARKE.

--"Now, I warn you to attend and to be very careful.

I

am going to ask you a question; think before you reply."

The JUDGE.

--"Just be careful now, Atkins."

Sir EDWARD.

--"On June 10th, 1891, you were living at Tatchbrook Street?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"In Pimlico?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"James Burton was living there with you?"

WITNESS.

--"He was."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Were you both taken by two constables, 396 A & 500 A--you may have forgotten the officer's numbers--to Rochester Road Police Station and charged with demanding money from a gentleman with menaces.

You had threatened to accuse him of a disgusting offence?"

WITNESS.

--(huskily)--"I was not charged with that."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Were you taken to the police station?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"You, and Burton?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"What were you charged with?"

WITNESS.

--"With striking a gentleman."

Sir EDWARD.

--"In what place was it alleged this happened?"

WITNESS.

--"At the card-table."

Sir EDWARD.

--"In your own room at Tatchbrook Street?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"What was the name of the gentleman?"

WITNESS.

--"I don't know."

Sir EDWARD.

--"How long had you known him?"

WITNESS.

--"Only that night."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Where had you met him?"

WITNESS.

--"At the Alhambra."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Had you seen him before that time?"

WITNESS.

--"Not to speak to."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Meeting him at the Alhambra, did he accompany you to Tatchbrook Street?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes, to play cards."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Not to accuse him, when there, of attempting to indecently handle you?"

WITNESS.

--"No." Sir EDWARD.

--"Was Burton there?"

WITNESS.

--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Anyone else?"

WITNESS.

--"I don't think so."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Was the gentleman sober?"

WITNESS.

--"Oh, yes."

Sir EDWARD.

--"What room did you go into?"

WITNESS.

--"The sitting-room."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Who called the police?"

WITNESS.

--"I don't know."

Sir EDWARD.

--"The landlady, perhaps?"

WITNESS.

--"I believe she did."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Did the landlady give you and Burton into custody?"

WITNESS.

--"No; nobody did."

Sir EDWARD.

--"Some person must have done.

Who did?"

WITNESS.

--"All I can say is, I did not hear anybody."