The Yorkshire Evening Post - Saturday, April 27, 1895

The trial of Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor was resumed to-day at the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Justice Charles and a common jury. When the jury answered to their names there was a much smaller attendance of the public than yesterday. The prisoners took their seats in the dock at half-past ten, and Sir Edward Clarke, on behalf of Wilde, resumed the cross-examination of Alfred Wood.

The witness said it was after he told Wilde in 1893 that he wished to get away from the persons with whom up to that time he was associated, that Wilde gave him the money with which he went to America. He returned in 1894 ill, and had not yet fully recovered.

May I take it that you have been in no employment since?—Yes. He received £175 altogether from the man Allan. He got employment in America with a chance of leading a decent life, but he returned and got associated with these people again.

Witness wrote the name of the place where he was last employed. His work was that of junior clerk. He did not remember when he left that situation. He had money left him by his father.

The learned counsel next addressed questions to Wood on the subject of the letters of Wilde to Lord A. Douglas. At the time he was supposed to have given up the letters there was one remaining which was not given up. It was in the possession of Allen, and never came back into his own possession. He knew that particular letter was copied. He was the worse for drink when he first went with Wilde to Tite Street, Chelsea.

Re-examined by Mr. Gill, Wood said he was first introduced to Taylor by a gentleman whose name had not been mentioned in this case. He found the letters in the pockets of some clothes given to him by Lord Alfred Douglas at Oxford.

Thomas Price, waiter, 10 and 11, St. James's Place, proved Wilde's occupancy of rooms at that address. Wilde was visited there by Taylor, Parker, Atkins, Scarfe, and other young men. Wilde did not often sleep at St. James's Place.

Cross-examined: Wilde had books and papers there, and his suite of rooms was near the street.

Frederick Atkins deposed that he knew both prisoners. A gentleman introduced him to Taylor, and Taylor introduced him to Wilde at the Café Florence. Wilde invited witness to go to Paris as his private secretary, and be accepted. He again described the visit to the hairdresser's, where Wilde and the operator conversed in French, and witness's hair was curled. (Laughter.) Wilde asked him not to visit the Moulin Rouge. He went. (Laughter.)

His Lordship: Have you told us all he said?

Atkins: Wilde said, "Don't go The frequenters of that place will ruin you." Wilde said this on several occasions.

Further examined, he described what took place in Paris.

Has any act of impropriety ever taken place between you and Wilde?—No. He had assisted Burton as bookmaker's clerk since Christmas, 1891. Witness had also acted as a comedian.

Have you and Burton been jointly engaged in the business of blackmailing?—I don't remember. (Laughter.)

Sir Edward handed a slip of paper to Atkins, accompanying it by the question, Do you know the name written there?—Atkins: No.

Do you know anything about a Birmingham gentleman?—No.

Did a Birmingham gentleman go with you on the 9th June, 1891, to Tachbrook Street? Did Burton come into the room shortly afterwards, and did you and Burton between you get a large sum of money from this gentleman?—No.

You swear nothing of the kind took place?—I swear it.

Had "Denis J. Burton" taken the rooms in Tachbrook Street for you?—No. He took them for himself.

Did you on the 9th June, 1891, meet the gentleman, whose name I have written down, at the Criterion?—No.

Did not the gentleman go with you to the rooms in Tachbrook Street from the Criterion, and did not Burton come in, demand money, and threaten to have him looked up?—No.

Did you take the gentleman's watch and chain and give it to Burton?—No.

And were you and Burton taken to Rochester Street Police Station, and did you there give up the watch and chain?—No.

You say nothing of the kind happened?—No.

Have you occupied rooms in Pimlico?—Yes.

Did not Burton find you in the company of a gentleman, and did he not get from that gentleman a cheque for £200?—Not to my knowledge.

Did you and Burton about two years ago extort a large sum of money from two American gentlemen at the Hotel Victoria, Northumberland Avenue?—No. I have never been there.

Did you and Burton attempt to blackmail a gentleman at Gaze's Hotel, Nice?—No.

Was there a quarrel between you and Burton?—There might have been a little row. Burton was known in the betting ring as "Watson" and witness was called "Fred."

Cross-examined by Mr. Grain: He was at Scarborough about a year ago fulfilling a singing engagement at the Aquarium there. He heard the name of a foreign count whose yacht was in the bay. He did not know the count. He did not obtain nearly £500 from this foreign nobleman, neither did Burton to his knowledge. He did not, while living in Buckingham Palace Road, steal a pocket-book belonging to an old city gentleman, then go to his office and threaten to expose the contents of the book unless he received a certain sum of money.

Mrs. Applegate, of Osnaburgh Street, deposed to visits of Taylor and Wilde to Atkins at that address.

Sidney Mavor, who described himself as holding a partnership in the City, was called and examined by Mr. Gill. He was introduced to Taylor at the theatre, and stayed with him at Little College Street. He was introduced to Wilde at a dinner at Kettner's. Wilde sent him a cigarette case. He stayed at the Albemarle Hotel on one occasion.

By Sir Edward Clarke: Nothing improper took place.

Edward Shelley, an assistant to a Vigo Street firm of publishers, who acted for Wilde in 1891, was the next witness. Shelley described Wilde's professed interest in his literary studies and his acceptance of an invitation to dinner at the Albemarle. When asked to tell the jury what afterwards took place he pathetically appealed to counsel to spare him. Mr. Avory continued the examination by informing the witness that it would be necessary to answer unpleasant questions. Shelley then deposed to Wilde's treatment of him at the Albemarle Hotel on two separate occasions.

The Court adjourned for luncheon.

Witness was cross-examined at some length. The confessed that his father told him to leave his house because he knew that he had become acquainted with the prisoner Wilde. In one letter he called his former employer. Mr. John Lane "a viper," but that was because his (Shelly's) mind was disordered.

The case was adjourned.

(Continued from Page Three.)

In the Wilde case to-day, when the examination of Shelley was concluded, Sir Edward Clarke asked that Atkins might be re-called, and at the same time handed a document to the Bench.

His Lordship thereupon warned Atkins to be careful how he answered the questions addressed to him.

Atkins then admitted that in June, 1891, he and Burton were taken to a police station charged with "hitting" a gentleman.

Two hours ago you swore that you had never been in custody at all on any charge of this kind. Why did you tell these lies?—Because I did not remember it. (Sensation.)

The case was adjourned till Monday.

London Star - Saturday, April 27, 1895

The second day of the trial of Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor at the Old Bailey on charges of gross immorality is not likely to be made notable by any dramatic surprises. The gravity of the case remains, but its interest has been largely discounted by the Queensberry trial and the police-court proceedings. It is possible, but not now probable, that the case may terminate to-day. This would involve sitting late into the evening, however, and as the prisoners are only charged with misdemeanors, which do not involve the locking up of the jury, it is more than likely that the case will be again adjourned till Monday.

All the counsel engaged in the case were early in attendance, and Mr. Charles Mathews again passed through the dock to consult with Wilde in the cells below. There is a mistaken impression that the prisoners have passed the night in Newgate Prison. As a fact, they were taken back

IN THE PRISON VAN

to Holloway and slept in their accustomed cells. There was demonstration when the can arrived at the Central Criminal Court this morning. The prisoners were dressed as yesterday, and took sears at opposite ends of the dock. At no stage of the proceedings has there been any perceptible communication between the two. Wilde seems oblivious of Taylor's presence, but Taylor occasionally looks furtively across at his companion.

The lad Alfred Wood was recalled for cross-examination, and Sir Edward Clarke, first ascertaining that the witness returned from [...] asked "Did you come back to respectable employment?"

"I was taken very ill," he replied, in low, even tones, "and I have been very ill ever since."

I take this to mean you have not been in any describable employment? - Yes.

Parker has told us that you and Allen obtained £300 from a man, and that you gave him (Parker) £30. Is that true? - The witness hesitated, then replied, "I didn't get the money. It was not paid to me."

To whom, then? - To Allan, think.

You gave £30 to Parker? - I don't know what he had.

HOW MUCH DID YOU HAVE?

- £175.

What for? - Well, it was given to me by Allan.

Then Mr. Wilde's giving you £30 to get away from this class of persons had not had a very satisfactory result? - I was in employment all the time I went to America.

How did you live when you came back? - On some money left by my father. I was not of age when I went to America.

Was that money spent before you had the £175? - No.

Cross-examined about the letters from Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas, the witness admitted that he received a letter from Sir George Lewis asking him to go to Ely-place about them. he did not go, but it was not true that he had already had the letters copied. When Wilde asked him to give the letters up, witness returned two of them, but he knew that a third was in the possession of Allan. He did not know that Allan had had that letter copied. Pursuing his inquiry into the witness's present mode of life, Sir Edward Clarke found that he was now living in Holloway, and since his return from America had visited Charles Parker. he denied that he had described himself as Parker's brother.

Re-examined by Mr. Gill, the witness positively denied that he had known any of the people mentioned in this case, or had been guilty of any improper conduct before he fell in with Taylor, to whom he was introduced by a gentleman.

Mr. Gill: Any person whose name has been mentioned in this case? - No, said the witness, adding that there were

OTHER PEOPLE

whom he wished to escape by going to America besides those mentioned in the case.

Thomas Preece, a servant at 10, St. James's-place, which is a private hotel, described the rooms which Wilde occupied there from October, 1893, to April, 1894.

Atkins was the next witness. he was originally introduced to Taylor by one Schwabe, and by Taylor to Wilde and Alfred Douglas, at a dinner at the Hotel Florence, where, he swore, Wilde kissed the waiter. He went to Paris with Wilde as his private secretary.

Atkins described Schwabe as "about as old as I am--about 22," and describable queer incidents at the hotel in the Boulevard des Capucines, denying that he was himself guilty of any impropriety. Later this witness had an attack of smallpox, he added in cross-examination, and Wilde again came to see him at his own request, and promised to send him money. As to the witness's occupation, he had been living for three years with a man of 50 called Surtes, a bookmaker, as whose clerk he attended race meetings. they lived first at 124, Tachbrook-st., Pimlico, afterwards at Osnaburgh-st. The witness had also acted at music halls.

Sir Edward Clarke: Have you also been engaged to the business of

BLACKMAILING

- I don't remember. (Laughter.)

Has Burton not obtained money from persons on the ground that they have committed indecent acts with you? - No, sir.

Have you ever gone out into the streets in woman's dress? - (The witness laughed.) I swear I have not.

Sir Edward Clarke wrote out the name of a gentleman on a piece of paper. The witness swore he had never seen it before. He swore positively that he and Burton did not extort a large sum of money from a Birminghampton gentleman on 9 June, 1891. He admitted having passed by the name of Fred Lenney.

Were you and Burton ever taken to Rochester-row Police-station? - No.

Did not a gentleman go home with you from the Criterion to Tachbrook-st., and did not Burton come in a few minutes later and threaten that if the gentleman did not pay you would accuse him? - No.

Did you not take the gentleman's watch and chain, and give them to Burton? - No.

Were you not both taken to Rochester-row the next night, and did you not then give up the watch and chain? - No.

Sir Edward Clarke pursued the matter, but the witness

SULLENLY REPLIED NO

and no to every question. He admitted having lived at 35, Alderney-st., Pimlico, but denied that in August, 1892, dressed as a woman, he took a gentleman to the house. "I have never dressed as a woman in my life," he said.

Did not a gentleman give Burton a cheque for £200, made out in the name of St. Denis, which he supposed to be your name? - I swear that never happened.

Have you ever been to the Hotel Victoria in Northumberland-avenue? - I have never been inside it.

About two years ago did not you and someone else go there with two American gentleman? - I never did.

And did Burton appear there and extort a large sum of money from those gentleman? - I have never been there.

The witness admitted he had been with Burton to Nice and Monte Carlo in the spring of last year. They were simply amusing themselves there, and there was no quarrel. On their return the witness gave up what Sir Edward Clarke called "this old-established connection," and

HAD SEEN LITTLE

of Burton since. He heard from him at Monte Carlo about a week ago. Being pressed, he admitted that "there might have been a little row" at Nice, but there was no question of blackmailing a gentleman there. in the betting ring Burton was known as Watson.

The Mr. Grain took the witness in hand. "Ever been to Scarborough?" he asked. Yes, the witness had been with Burton to Scarborough to sing at the Aquarius. Did not meet the foreign nobleman whose name Mr. Grain wrote on a piece of paper, but heard his name mentioned by other young men. He had a big yacht lying out in the bay.

"Now I put it to you," said Mr. Grain, "did not you and Burton obtain money from that nobleman to the amount of nearly £500?"? No, the witness knew nothing of any such transaction. He had lived in the Bookingham Palace-rd. "Then look at the name on that piece of paper please," said Mr. Grain, producing another of the pipelights which have become so common in the case, and about which there is

UNBOUNDED CURIOUSITY.

But no, the witness had never heard the name and he was quite certain he never took an elderly City man to his room and robbed him of his pocket-book. Neither he not Burton afterwards went to the gentleman's office and threatened to expose the contents of the pocket-book unless the received a large sum of money. On the race-course he had met a man named Driver, a mere acquaintance, but Driver had not accompanied him on any of his singing tours.

The prisoners had followed this cross-examination with close attention. Taylor showed some excitement, but Wilde, lolling wearily on the corner of the dock with his head on his hands, was inscrutable. When the witness left the box Taylor raked the court with a bold stare, seeming specially to explore the dark corners of the gallery. His eyes soon returned to the witness-box when Sidney Arthur Mavor was called, and a slim, dandified young man, in a painfully high and stiff collar, stepped up to be sworn. He repeated his previous evidence, and said he was now in partnership with a friend in the City, and lives in North Kensington.

The case is proceeding.

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