CHARGE AGAINST AUTHOR

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 17 April 1914, Page 5

CHARGE AGAINST AUTHOR

ALLEGED CONSPIRACY

LONDON, April 13. To-day, T. -W. H. Cros'and, a wellknown writer, was charged at the Marylebone Police Court -with 'conspiring with Lord Alfred Douglas in accusing Robert Baldwin Ross (literary executor for Oscar Wilde) of committing a serious offence. He was remanded. Lord Douglas is still in France. THE WILDE TRIALS. It was in 1895 that the famous trials were held, in which Oscar Wilde was the principal person concerned, and Lord Alfred Douglas an important witness. Lord Alfred Douglas is the second son of the late Marquis of QUeensberry: Consequent upon the marquis's suspicions of the relations existing between Wilde and Lord Alfred, the inarquis bombarded Wilde with postcards, alleging against hirr criminal practices. Wilde thereupon brought an action for libel against the marquis, but after two days' hearing the case was withdrawn. This was followed immediately by Wilde's being sir res tad on the criminal charge, together with a companion named Alfred Taylor. Lord Alfred Douglas was one of the witnesses in the trial, which resulted in the conviction of both Wilde and aylor, and their sentence to two years' imprisonment with hard labour. Lord Alfred Douglas is now known as an accomplished- writer on literary topics. For some years he owned and edited the "Academy," which he sold two years ago. His poems have also' received high praise from the critics. Mr T. H. Crosland, who was born in Yorkshire, is best known as the author of "The Unspeakable Scot."