Mr. AVORY.--"How old are you?"
WITNESS.--"I am 20 years old."
Mr. AVORY.--"What is your business?"
WITNESS.--"I have been a billiard-marker."
Mr. AVORY.--"You are doing nothing now?"
WITNESS.--"No."
Mr. AVORY.--"Who introduced you to Wilde?"
WITNESS.--"I was introduced to him by Schwabe in November, 1892."
Mr. AVORY.--"Have you met Lord Alfred Douglas?"
WITNESS.--"I have. I dined with him and Wilde on several occasions. They pressed me to go to Paris."
Mr. AVORY.--"You went with them?"
WITNESS.--"Yes."
Mr. AVORY.--"You told Wilde on one occasion while in Paris that you had spent the previous night with a woman?"
WITNESS.--"No. I had arranged to meet a girl at the Moulin Rouge, and Wilde told me not to go. However, I did go, but the woman was not there."
Mr. AVORY.--"You returned to London with Wilde?"
WITNESS.--"Yes."
Mr. AVORY.--"Did he give you money?"
WITNESS.--"He gave me a cigarette-case."
Mr. AVORY.--"You were then the best of friends?"
WITNESS.--"He called me Fred and I addressed him as Oscar. We liked each other, but there was no harm in it."
Mr. AVORY.--"Did you visit Wilde on your return?"
WITNESS.--"Yes, at t.i.te Street. Wilde also called upon me at Osnaburgh Street. On the latter occasion one of the Parkers was present."
Mr. AVORY.--"You know most of these youths. Do you know Sidney Mavor?"
WITNESS.--"Only by sight."
Sir EDWARD CLARKE.--"Were you ill at Osnaburgh Street?"
WITNESS.--"Yes, I had small-pox and was removed to the hospital ship.
Before I went I wrote to Parker asking him to write to Wilde and request him to come and see me, and he did so."
Sir EDWARD.--"You are sure you returned from Paris with Mr. Wilde?"
WITNESS.--"Yes."
Sir EDWARD.--"Did any impropriety ever take place between you and Wilde?"
WITNESS.--"Never."
Sir EDWARD.--"Have you ever lived with a man named Burton?"
WITNESS.--"Yes."
Sir EDWARD.--"What was he?"
WITNESS.--"A bookmaker."
Sir EDWARD.--"Have you and this Burton been engaged in the business of blackmailing?"
WITNESS.--"I have a professional name. I have sometimes called myself Denny."
Sir EDWARD.--"Has this man Burton, to your knowledge, obtained money from gentlemen by accusing them or threatening to accuse them of certain offences?"
WITNESS.--"Not to my knowledge."
Sir EDWARD.--"Not in respect to a certain Birmingham gentleman?"
WITNESS.--"No."
Sir EDWARD.--"That being your answer, I must particularize. On June 9th, 1891, did you and Burton obtain a large sum of money from a Birmingham gentleman?"
WITNESS.--"Certainly not."
Sir EDWARD.--"Then I ask you if in June, "91, Burton did not take rooms for you in Tatchbrook Street?"
WITNESS.--"Yes; and he lived with me there."
Sir EDWARD.--"You were in the habit of taking men home with you then?"
WITNESS.--"Not for the purposes of blackmail."
Sir EDWARD.--"Well, for indecent purposes."
WITNESS.--"No."
Sir EDWARD.--"Give me the names of two or three of the people whom you have taken home to that address?"