The Times - Monday, April 29, 1895

The trial of OSCAR WILDE, 40, author, and ALFRED TAYLOR, 33, upon an indictment charging them under section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act with the commission of 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 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 held a watching brief.

The witness Alfred Wood, who gave evidence yesterday, was now cross-examined by Sir EDWARD CLARKE. The witness said that he told Wilde that he wanted to go to America to get away from certain persons, and it was for that reason that Wilde gave him £30. He went to America and got employment there. He subsequently returned to England. After his return from America witness and Allen between them got £300 from a gentleman, of which sum witness had £175. Allen might have given Charles Parker £30 of it.

Frederick Atkins gave evidence as to Wilde's having asked him whether he would go to Paris with him as his private secretary, to which he replied he would. He went with Wilde to Paris.

In cross-examination by Sir EDWARD CLARKE the witness said that no act of indecency ever took place between him and Wilde. Witness and a man named Burton had never got money from men by threatening to accuse them. On June 10, 1891, witness and Burton did not get a large sum of money from a gentleman. Burton did not demand money from a gentleman, and witness did not take the gentleman's watch and chain and give it to Burton. Witness and Burton were not taken to Rochester-row Police-station, and witness did not give up the watch and chain there. A gentleman did not give Burton a cheque for £200, to witness's knowledge. Burton did not extort a large sum of money from two American gentlemen.

Sidney Arthur Mavor stated that he was introduced to Wilde at a dinner at a restaurant. Some time after he went to the Albemarle Hotel one evening as Wilde's guest. Nothing improper took place between them.

Edward Shelley, a young man who had been in the employment of a firm of publishers, said that in 1891 Wilde came to his employers' shop on business. Witness became acquainted with Wilde, and in 1892 dined with him at the Albemarle Hotel.

In cross-examination by Sir EDWARD CLARKE the witness, alluding to a passage in a letter written by him, said he had the impression at the time he wrote it that people thought he was not quite right in his mind; he had been overstudying, and he felt that his mind was overstrained and that he wanted rest.

The witness Frederick Atkins was re-called, and, in reply to further questions from SIR EDWARD CLARKE, he said that on June 10, 1891, Burton and he were taken to Rochester-row Police-station for hitting a gentleman. The gentleman declined to prosecute, and Burton and witness were allowed to go. The reason why witness said that Burton and he were not taken to Rochester-row Police-station was because he did not remember.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until Monday.

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.

Highlighted DifferencesNot significantly similar