Compare Documents

At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, before Mr. Justice Charles, Oscar Wilde, aged 40, author, and Alfred Taylor, aged 33, of no occupation, were severally indicted for certain misdemeanours under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885.

Mr. C. F. Gill with Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on behalf of the Public Prosecutor; Sir E. Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde; Mr. J. P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor; and Mr. Leonard Kershaw watched the case on behalf of certain parties interested.

Before the prisoners were called upon to plead, Sir Edward Clarke moved to quash certain counts of the indictment on the ground that they had been unlawfully joined. In regard to certain of these counts, the Legislature made the accused a competent but not a compellable witness. As to the counts for conspiracy contained in the indictment, and joined unlawfully, as he submitted, to those for alleged offences in regard to which the accused could give evidence, they did not admit of that provision, and consequently, if on the hearing of the first set of charges the accused gave evidence, he would be cross-examined, and the result of that cross-examination might tend to prejudice the case in regard to the subsequent charge, that of conspiracy, in respect of which the accused could not give evidence.

Mr. Gill contended that the counts were in law properly joined, and in support of his contention he referred to the case of "The Queen v. Owen" to show that the joining of the counts for conspiracy with the counts preferred under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act was not inconsistent.

Mr. Justice Charles admitted that the law as it stood presented inconveniences, but he could not concur with the view expressed by the learned counsel (Sir Edward Clarke) that the counts had been improperly joined, as, in his opinion, it was not in accordance with the general law applicable to the indictment.

Sir Edward Clarke asked next that the prosecution should elect upon which of the set of charges they would proceed, whether the conspiracy charge or the charge in regard to which the accused were competent witnesses.

Mr. Justice Charles said that it was impossible to put the prosecution to the election asked for.

Mr. Gill having related the facts of the case to the Jury, evidence was given by witnesses named Charles Parker, William Parker, Alfred Wood, and others. The case for the prosecution had not concluded when the Court adjourned till to-day.

At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, before Mr. Justice Charles, the trial was resumed of Oscar Wilde, 40, author, and Alfred Taylor, 33, of no occupation, on an indictment charging them with certain misdemeanours.

Mr. C. F. Gill and Mr. H. Avory prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Oscar Wilde; Mr. J. P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Alfred Taylor; Mr. Leonard Kershaw watched the case on behalf of persons interested.

Further evidence was given in support of the case for the prosecution.—A transcript of the shorthand note taken of the proceedings at this Court at the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry was produced and sworn to be correct.—Two employees from the Savoy Hotel gave evidence relative to what happened at the hotel while Oscar Wilde stayed there.—Sergeant Harris said that, acting on instructions, he obtained access to the rooms occupied by the prisoner Taylor in Little College-street. The witness described liow the rooms were furnished, &c. On the morning of the 6th inst. he arrested Alfred Taylor in Denbigh-place. Taylor, when he heard the charge, said "Very well; I expected you last night. What are you going to do with me?" Taylor had in his possession a subpoena for his attendance at this Court as a witness at the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry.—By Mr. Grain: He did not remember that Taylor said that he had heard that a warrant was out for his arrest and was about to surrender himself.—Detective-inspector Richards, of the Criminal Investigation Department, of Scotland-yard, proved the arrest of Oscar Wilde at the Cadogan Hotel, Sloane-street, and to conveying him to Scotland-yard, where the warrant was read to him. He made no answer to the charge. Taylor was also taken to Bow-street. Oscar Wilde applied for bail.—Detective-inspector Brockwell, who held the warrant for the arrest of Wilde, spoke to finding a number of banknotes on the prisoner and certain memoranda.— Reference was made to a sympathetic letter found on Wylde, and written to him by a literary friend, which Sir Edward Clarke asked might be read to the Jury —Mr. Justice Charles did not think that the letter was relevant to the issue.—The transcript of the shorthand note taken of the denial of Oscar Wilde to the charges contained in the plea of justification filed by the Marquis of Queensberry, and of his cross examination by Mr. Carson, Q.C., was put in and read, a proceeding which occupied the Court a considerable time.—The case for the Crown was concluded, and the trial was adjourned.