The Advertiser - Monday, May 27, 1895

The case against Oscar Wilde was concluded to-day.

The jury having retired, were absent for two hours considering their verdict and at the expiration of that time they returned into court, the foreman announcing that they had found the prisoner guilty on all the counts mentioned in the indictment.

Mr. Justice Wills, in passing sentence upon Wilde and Taylor, spoke in tones of great emotion, and evidently found it extremely difficult to restrain his feelings. He asserted that the verdict returned by the jury was correct beyond the shadow of a doubt, and declared that it was useless attempting to address the prisoners, who were evidently dead to all sense of shame.

The case, continued Mr. Justice Wills, was the worst he had ever tried, and although he intended to pass the most severe sentence the law permitted he regretted that it was totally inadequate to the horrible crime of which the prisoners had been found guilty.

Wilde and Taylor were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labor.

Taylor left the court with a firm step, but Wilde, who looked worn and haggard, appeared to be completely dazed.

LONDON, May 26.

The Marquis of Queensberry and his eldest son Lord Douglas of Hawick witnessed the conclusion of the trial of the charges against Oscar Wilde, and were present when both prisoners were sentenced.

The Evening Journal - Saturday, May 25, 1895

London, May 26.- The trial of Oscar Wilde was resumed in the Old Bailey court this morning. Sir Frank Lockwood addressed the jury for the prosecution. He dilated upon the intimacy of Wilde with Taylor, and said that leniency ought not to be shown to one and not to the other because of the position and intellect of the one.

Sir Ed's Protest.

Sir Edward Clarke protested against counsel's confusing Taylor's case with Wilde.

Sir F. Lockwood expressed the hope that the jury would not regard Wilde's letters as "prose poems", but would appreciate them at their proper level which was rather lower than that of beasts.

Sir Edward Clarke objected to the language used by the prosecuting counsel and a heated argument between the two ensued. After a protracted wrangle the judge interfered, and advised Lockwood to confine himself to a discussion of the evidence and not start out upon any rhetorical denunciations of the prisoner.

Lockwood finished his address by saying that Wilde's own admissions proved conclusively his guilt.

The Judge’s Charge.

The judge in summing up said that Wylde had confessed that his conduct in regard to Lord Alfred Douglas had been such that he (the judge) could not ask the jury as in previous trials to say that there was no ground for charging him with having posed as a criminal.

In regard to Wilde’s letters to Lord Douglas, he said they might be "prose poems," but they were none the less poison to a young man's mind, and the writer was clearly not a desirable companion tor the young.

Douglas Equally Guilty.

The Judge finished his charge at three o'clock, and the jury retired. Before the jury retired the foreman asked the court if a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Lord Alfred Douglas. The judge said no warrant had been issued, whereupon the foreman said: "But if we must consider these letters as evidence of guilt they surely show that Lord Douglas' guilt is equal to that of Wilde."

The Verdict.

Wilde and Taylor have both been sentenced to two years at hard labor.

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