Compare Documents

LONDON, Friday Night.— The trial of Oscar Wilde was continued at the Central Criminal Court to-day. He is charged with offences under the 11th section of the Criminal Law Amendment Act.

Wilde to-day gave evidence on his own behalf. He was allowed to be seated in the witness-box, and appeared to be very weak. He gave a general denial to the whole of the charges. He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man; and in referring to the station in life of the young men with whom he had associated, he said the reason of his friendship with them was that he personally liked praise, and to be lionised was delightful.

Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., M.P., in addressing the jury on behalf of Wilde, declared the witnesses to be blackmailers, whose evidence it was impossible to believe.

LONDON, Saturday Night.— The trial of Oscar Wilde concluded to-day.

The jury, after an absence of two hours, returned into court with a verdict of guilty on all the counts submitted to them.

Wilde and Alfred Taylor (his associate, who was found guilty on two charges on Tuesday) were then brought up for sentence.

In passing sentence, Mr. Justice Wills was deeply affected. He spoke with great emotion, and evidently experienced some difficulty in restraining his feelings. He said that the verdict was correct beyond the shadow of a doubt, and it was useless to address the prisoners at any length, as they were dead to all sense of shame. It was the worst case he had ever tried, and he must pass the severest sentence the law permitted. He regretted that this was totally inadequate for their offence. He then sentenced Wilde and Taylor each to two years' imprisonment, with hard labor.

Taylor left the dock with a firm step, but Wilde had a haggard look, and appeared to be dazed. He gazed in a despairing manner at the judge, and was apparently horror-stricken at the sentence. In a weak voice he muttered a request to be permitted to address the judge, but this was unheeded, and the warders immediately called upon him to leave the dock.

After sentence had been passed upon Wilde and Taylor, the jury asked whether it was intended to arrest Lord Alfred Douglas.

Mr. Justice Wills replied that he was not aware of what was intended to be done, but pointed out that Lord Alfred Douglas was not affected by the present trial.

The jury contended that if the letters addressed by Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas showed Wilde to be guilty, the guilt applied equally to Lord Alfred Douglas.

Mr. Justice Wills concurred in this remark, and added that any suspicion that might exist that Lord Alfred Douglas would be allowed to escape owing to his high family connections, was not only unfounded, but impossible.

LONDON, Sunday.— The Marquis of Queensberry and his son, Lord Douglas of Hawick, witnessed the end of the trial.

London, May 25.

The trial of Oscar Wilde concluded today.

The summing up of the Judge occupied three hours, and the jury were absent two hours in considering their verdict.

At the end of that time they returned with a verdict of guilty on all counts.

His Honor, in sentencing the prisoners Wilde and Taylor, spoke with great emotion. He said that to his mind the verdict was a correct one beyond all shadow of doubt, and it appeared to him useless to address the prisoners, who were evidently dead to all sense of shame. The case was the worst of its kind he had ever had before him; and in passing the most severe sentence the law permitted, he regretted that it was totally inadequate to the dastardly nature of the offence.

He then sentenced each of the prisoners to two years' hard labour.

Taylor left the dock with a firm step, but Wilde appeared haggard and dazed.

Special.—Received May 27, 1.30 a.m.

London, May 26.

Wilde after being sentenced appeared quite dazed and horror-struck.

In his despair he weakly muttered a request to be permitted to address the Court, but this was unheeded, and the warders hurried him off to his cell.

During the trial Wilde, who appeared to be suffering from weakness, was allowed to remain seated in the witness-box while giving evidence on his own behalf.

He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man, and, referring to his association with him, said the reason for the friendship was because he personally liked praise, and lionising was delightful to him.

Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., counsel for the accused, declared that the witnesses for the prosecution were blackmailers, and that it was impossible to believe them.

The jury asked whether it was intended to arrest Lord Alfred Douglas.

The Judge replied that he was not aware of the intention of the police, but in any case it did not affect the present trial.

The jury thought that if Wilde's letter showed him to be guilty, the guilt applied equally to Lord Alfred Douglas.

His Honor concurred in this opinion, but added that the suspicion of the jury that the son of the Marquis of Queensberry was being allowed to escape owing to his connections was both unfounded and impossible.