The Morning Post - Tuesday, April 30, 1895

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.

The Times - Tuesday, April 30, 1895

The trial of OSCAR WILDE, 40, author, and ALFRED TAYLOR, 33, upon an indictment charging them under section 11 of tho Criminal Law Amendment Act with committing acts of gross indecency, some of the counts charging Taylor with procuring the commission of those acts, and other counts charging the prisoners with conspiring together to commit and to procure the commission of those acts, was resumed.

Mr. C. F. Gill and Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on the part of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Sir Edward Clarke, Q. C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde; and Mr. J . P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor. Mr. Leonard Kershaw and Mr. A. F. S. Pasmore held watching briefs.

Mr. GRAIN said he desired to say that before the magistrate the witness Shelley said that Taylor was a stranger to him, and he should like that to be added to his Lordship's note of Shelley's evidence.

Mr. GILL said that Shelley did not mention Taylor.

Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES said he quite understood that Shelley's evidence did not affect Taylor. He would add to his note of Shelley's evidence, ``Taylor is a stranger to me."

Evidence was then given by shorthand writers, who stated that they took shorthand notes of the evidence given by Wilde at this Court on the hearing of the charge of libel brought by him against the Marquis of Queensberry.

Witnesses were called from the Savoy Hotel, who spoke to Wilde having stayed there.

Sergeant Harris gave evidence as to having watched Taylor's rooms in Little College-street. The witness also deposed to arresting Taylor on April 6 upon the charge.

Inspector Richards deposed that on the evening of April 5 he arrested Wilde upon the charge. Wilde said, "Where shall I be taken to?" Witness replied, "To Scotland-yard and then to Bow-street." Wilde said, "Can I have bail?" Witness replied, ``I do not think you can."

Inspector Brockwell said that on the evening of April 5 he was at Scotland-yard. Wilde was brought there by Inspector Richards, and witness read the warrant for his arrest to him. Wilde said, "Let me read it." Witness replied, "I cannot do that. If there is anything you do not understand I will read it to you again." Wilde said, "What are the dates mentioned?" Witness replied, ``March 11 and divers other dates.''

SIR EDWARD CLARKE asked that a letter found on Wilde should be read.

Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES, having looked at the letter, said, it was only a sympathetic letter from a friend, and he did not see what bearing it had.

SIR EDWARD CLAEKE said that some letters had been put in, and he thought that letter might also be read.

Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES said he would leave it to Mr. Gill.

SIR EDWARD CLARKE said he accepted his Lordship s expression of opinion. The writer of the letter was a distinguished literary man.

Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES said he thought that what he had said sufficiently indicated what the letter was. It was a sympathetic letter from a literary friend expressing the strongest feeling as to the charge made against Wilde.

The shorthand notes of the concluding portion of the evidence given by Wilde

he shorthand notes of the concluding portion of the evidence given by Wilde at the hearing at this Court of the charge of libel brought by him against the Marquis of Queensberry, in which Wilde said that there was no truth in the allegations in the plea of justification which was put in, were read by Mr. GILL. The short-hand notes of Wilde's cross-examination were also read by Mr. Gill and Mr. Avory, who were assisted in the reading of them by Mr. A. Gill. The shorthand notes of Wilde's re-examination were read by Sir Edward Clarke.

Mr. Gill said the evidence for the prosecution was concluded.

Sir Edward Clarke handed in a formal demurrer written on parchment to the indictment.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until to-morrow.

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