The Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser - Saturday, June 1, 1895

The trial of Alfred Taylor, the associate of Oscar Wilde, was continued to-day at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, before Mr. Justice Wills.

The jury, after a brief retirement, found the accused guilty on two counts connected with Charles and William Parker. The accused was remanded for sentence.

MAY 22.

After the trial of Taylor to-day the Marquis of Queensberry met his son, Lord Douglas of Hawick, in Piccadilly, and severely chastised him. Both the Marquis and Lord Douglas of Hawick were arrested and were taken to the police station. They were afterwards released on bail.

It appears that Lord Douglas of Hawick commenced the quarrel by accusing the Marquis of Queensberry of sending insulting letters to Lady Douglas of Hawick because her husband bailed out Oscar Wilde. Lord Douglas of Hawick called his father a "liar and a slanderer." The Marquis eventually knocked his son down, and a furious struggle ensued until the parties were separated by the police. A large crowd gathered round and cheered the Marquis.

The Marquis of Queensberry is anxious to renew the fight with Lord Douglas of Hawick for £10,000.

Later.

The Marquis of Queensberry and Lord Douglas of Hawick were brought up at the Police Court this morning. They were ordered to be bound over in their own recognisances of £500 each to keep the peace.

MAY 26.

The case against Oscar Wilde was concluded at the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, yesterday.

Mr. Justice Wills summed up the case to the jury, his speech extending over three hours.

The jury then retired, and after a lapse of two hours brought in a verdict of guilty.

Wilde and his associate, Alfred Taylor, who had previously been found guilty on two separate counts, were sentenced together.

Mr. Justice Wills, in addressing the prisoners, regretted that he was only able to pass a sentence of two years, which in his opinion was totally inadequate for the crime of which they had been convicted.

The prisoners were then each sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

The Herald - Saturday, May 25, 1895

The trial of Oscar Wilde was continued to-day at the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Wills.

The great public interest displayed in the proceedings on the two previous days was fully maintained, and the Court and its precincts were crowded.

There was an expectation that the case would be concluded, and the verdict of the jury pronounced to-day, but that expectation was not fulfilled, the case being still unfinished when the Court adjourned until to-morrow.

The prisoner elected to go into the witness box himself, and denied on oath all the charges brought against him. He declared that he was the victim of the machinations of blackmailers.

Wilde further stated that he had always understood Taylor to be a respectable man. The extraordinary friendship which he had contracted with Taylor and his associates was, the prisoner explained, due to the fact that he (Wilde) personally liked praise. "Lionising and being lionised were delightful," he said.

The accused was very weak and ill in appearance, and at the request of his counsel was accommodated with a seat in the witness-box.

Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., then addressed the jury for the defence. He urged that the witnesses for the Crown were nothing more than blackmailers, and as such quite disentitled to belief. It was impossible, he urged, that the jury could accept their stories, and blast the character of an admittedly indiscreet, but not the less innocent man. The trial, he declared, was apparently an act of indemnity for all the blackmailers in London. Those who had given evidence for the Crown had been fed and clothed by the Crown and the Marquis of Queensberry. If their evidence were accepted, blackmail would be more deadly than ever. The accused had for the third time been assailed by tainted witnesses, and had given his replies in the witness-box in a candid and lucid manner. He asked the jury to believe Wilde, and declare him innocent of the vile charges made against him.

Sir F. Lockwood, the Solicitor-General, in his address, said that in the Queensberry trial the downfall of Oscar Wilde's reputation took place. The prisoner had actually admitted as true what he had first complained of as a libel. And that amounted in substance to an admission of the truth of the present charges.

The Court then adjourned until to-morrow.

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