London Star - Tuesday, May 7, 1895

The newest surprise in the Wilde case is in regard to the personality of the two sureties accepted this morning by Mr. Vaughan at Bow-st., for the prisoner's reappearance if admitted to bail. Mr. Travers Humphreys, the prisoner's junior counsel, instructed by his brother, Mr. Humphreys, the solicitor, reminded the learned magistrate of the circumstances under which the jury at the Old Bailey had acquitted the prisoner on some counts of the indictment, while being unable to agree upon others, and the subsequent consent of Baron Pollock to

ENLARGE THE PRISONER,

pending his re-trial, on his own recognisances, in £2,500 and two sureties of £1,250 each. He was now provided with two sureties to whom Mr. Angus Lewis (who was present on behalf of the Treasury) would offer no objection, and with whom the police, after making inquiries, were perfectly satisfied. They were Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam.

Mr. Vaughan asked, "Is there any objection?" and Mr. Angus Lewis replied, "No objection at all." "Let them appear," said the magistrate, and Mr.

STEWART HEADLAM,

blue-shaven and semi-clerical, stepped into the witness-box, and was sworn. He deposed that he lived at 31, Upper Bedford-place, W.C.

"And you are worth £1,250 after all your just debts are paid?"

"I am!" replied the Rev. Stewart, in the solemn tones of a man brought suddenly to face with the marriage ceremony

"Are you willing to become bail for the appearance of Oscar Wilde?''

"I am."

Then Lord Douglas of Hawick was sworn. he gave his name as Percy Sholto Douglas, and is of course the eldest surviving son of the Marquess of Queensberry. Although older brother to the "slim-gilt soul," he

IN NO WAY RESEMBLES

him, being rather fleshy than thin, dark instead of fair, and dressed after the manner of the philistines, in black frock-coat with silk lapels and the ordinary stand-up collar and black cravat of Piccadilly. He gave as his address Chalcot House, Long Ditton, and seemed confident that he, too, was worth £1,250 after all his just debts are paid. He was also willing to become bail.

"Very well," said Mr. Vaughan, in this curt manner indicating that the sureties were accepted. It remained to deal with the prisoner's personal recognisances, and Mr. Vaughan directed that he should be at once brought from Holloway to Bow-st. in a cab.

Interview with Mr. Headlam:

The Rev. Stewart Headlam, interviewed by a Press Association representative at the close of the proceedings at Bow-st., as to the reasons which induced him to become surety of Mr. Wilde, made the following statement:--I have undertaken this responsibility on public grounds. I felt that the public mind had been prejudiced before the case began, and I was anxious to give Mr. Wilde any help I could to enable hi, to stand his trial in good health and spirits.

At the close of the case Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam, accompanied by one of Messrs. Humphreys's clerks, entered a cab and drove to Holloway Gaol.

Wilde's Own Recognisances.

Mr. Oscar Wilde will attend at Bow-st. Police Court to-day to enter into his own recognisances in £2,500 before his release.

At a quarter past two Wilde had not arrived at Bow-st., but was said to have left Holloway in charge of Sergeant White, the chief gaoler. The necessary formalities connected with the giving up of a prisoner had no doubt caused this delay. Lord Douglas of Hawick returned to the court about two o'clock and was joined by the Rev. Stewart Headlam, who had been smoking a meditative cigarette on the sunny side of Bow-st. It was said that Mr. Vaughan would see Wilde in his private room.

The Evening News - Wednesday, May 8, 1895

Yesterday morning Mr. Travers Humphreys attended at Bow-street Police-court, before Mr. Vaughan, prepared with the necessary bail for the release of Oscar Wilde. He briefly stated the circumstances under which Wilde was committed, and produced the order of Baron Pollock to the effect that he should be released on entering into his own recognisances of £2,500 and two sureties of £1,250 each.

Mr. Vaughan: Who are the proposed sureties?

Mr. Humphreys: Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam.

Mr. Vaughan: Is there any objection to this bail on the part of the Treasury?

Mr. Angus Lewis: No, sir, there is no objection.

The Rev. Stewart Headlam, of 31, Upper Bedford-place, W.C., was then sworn, and in answer to Mr. Humphreys said when all his just debts were paid he was worth £1,250, and he was willing to become bail for the appearance of Oscar Wilde at the next sessions of the Central Criminal Court.

Percy Sholto Douglas, commonly called Lord Douglas of Hawick, went through a similar examination, and the two sureties were formally bound over.

Mr. Vaughan then ordered that the prisoner Oscar Wilde should be sent for from Holloway Prison, in order that his own recognisances might be taken.

MR. HEADLAM INTERVIEWED.

The Rev. Stewart Headlam, interviewed at the close of the proceedings as to the reasons which induced him to become surety for Wilde, made the following statement: "I have undertaken this responsibility on public grounds. I felt that the public mind had been prejudiced before the case began, and I was anxious to give Mr. Wilde any help I could to enable him to stand his trial in good health and spirits."

At the close of the case Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam, accompanied by one of Messrs. Humphreys’s clerks, entered a cab and drove to Holloway Gaol.

Oscar Wilde was released from Holloway Gaol at 1.55 in the afternoon.

A FREE MAN.

Wilde arrived at Bow-street at 2.25 in the custody of Sergeant White, chief gaoler at Bow-street, and Sergeant Brockwell. Immediately on his arrival he was escorted from the cab into the court, and at once joined his friends in the clerk’s office, where the formal document was signed, after which the three left the court in company.

WILDE’S MOVEMENTS.

On leaving Bow-street a free man Oscar Wilde, with Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam, entered a cab, which was driven at a rapid pace to the Midland Hotel at St. Paneras, which was reached about three o’clock. Here rooms were engaged by his lordship. Apparently a consultation was held between Wilde and his sureties, for it was not until four o’clock that the Rev. Stewart Headlam left the hotel by the main entrance. Later on in the afternoon Wilde was visited by an old personal friend, and he was also busily engaged for a considerable time with two of Messrs. Humphreys and Sons’ clerks over his private affairs, and the pending new trial. He was stated to be suffering from extreme prostration and weakness, and quite unable to undergo the fatigue of an interview. It is expected that he will leave London in the course of to-day though up to the time of writing he himself had not arrived at any decision as to his destination. Wilde’s solicitors, at their client’s own request, have intimated to the authorities that they are perfectly prepared to keep them fully informed as to his movements and precise whereabouts between now and the 20th inst., when Wilde will in due course give himself up to the police.

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