Bristol Mercury - Friday, May 24, 1895

The trial of Mr Oscar Wilde was resumed at the Old Bailey, London, yesterday.

William Parker, brother of Charles Parker, was first called, and was followed by witnesses from the Savoy hotel, some of the evidence not having been given before. The prisoner's evidence in the Queensberry's trial was then read by counsel. At five minutes past three the Solicitor-General intimated that the case for the prosecution had closed.

Sir Edward Clarke, for the defence, first submitted that on the counts charging the prisoner with indecencies with persons unknown at the Savoy hotel on the 9th and 20th March, 1893, there was no evidence to go to the jury, on the ground that the evidence of the chambermaids was uncorroborated.

Mr Justice Wills thought his duty led him to submit these counts to the jury.

Sir Edward Clarke submitted in regard to Shelley that there was no corroboration.

His Lordship said Shelley must be treated as an accomplice, and at present he could see no corroboration. This charge would therefore be withdrawn.

Sir E. Clarke said in the case of Wood he should again submit that there was no corroboration of the charge.

The Solicitor-General protested against the charges being withdrawn other than by the jury under the direction of the Judge.

In the case of Wood he submitted that there was simple corroboration.

His Lordship said he should leave this case to the jury, but he should point out to them in what direction it went.

The case was adjourned until to-day.

The Weekly Times - Saturday, June 1, 1895

The trial of Oscar Wilde, the well-known dramatic author, on five charges of abominable indecency, was continued at the Old Bailey to-day, before Mr Justice Wills and a jury.

Public interest in the case was still maintained in a very high degree, and the court and its surroundings were crowded all day.

The accused, although still pale and haggard, giving exterior evidence of much mental suffering, was much firmer in his demeanor in the dock than he was yesterday.

There was little fresh in the evidence adduced, the statements of the several witnesses for the prosecution being much the same as those given at the previous trial, and not shaken in any essential particular by cross-examination.

The case for the Crown being closed, Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., who appeared for the prisoner, asked his Honor to withdraw from the jury the count alleging indecent conduct on the part of Wilde with the young valet out of work, Charles Parker, at the rooms occupied by the prisoner at the Savoy Hotel. Counsel urged that Parker's evidence was not corroborated and that there was no issue to send to a jury.

Mr Justice Wills said that in the part of the case relating to what had occurred at the Savoy Hotel, the testimony was so evenly balanced that the wiser course appeared to him to be to submit it to the jury. His duty prevented him from acceding to the request to withdraw the count from the jury, therefore Sir Edward Clarke's application could not be granted.

Sir Edward Clarke drew his Honor's attention to the count in relation to the young man Edward Shelley, a former employe of a firm of publishers, and urged that the Crown had in this instance failed to make out any case for the determination of a jury.

His Honor agreed with counsel for the defence and dismissed the count. In reviewing the relations between Wilde and young Shelley, the judge said that there had been no corroboration of the single Crown witness in support of its allegations. Shelley, it was apparent, suffered from delusions. He (the judge) could see nothing unnatural in the friendship which Wilde had formed for this young gentleman, who was imbued with strong literary tastes, and had been attracted to Wilde by a literary instinct. The evidence did not show that the friendship between Wilde and Shelley was other than a perfectly honorable one.

LONDON, May 24.

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.

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.

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.

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