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New York, May 26.- The Sun’s London cable says:- An Old Bailey jury, cautiously empanelled and as it seemed […] by the judge of the High Court, has declared Oscar Wilde guilty of the abominable offences charged against him. Public opinion, which is often on the side of the accused and almost invariably sympathetic in regard to any prisoner standing a second trial for the same crime, had from the first pronounced with nearly absolute unanimity, that he was guilty of everything set forth in the indictment, and of much more. The country judged him out of how one mouth and so did the jury to a large extent. Any other result would have been a disgrace to the intelligence of English jurymen and a crying shame upon British justice. It is impossible, however, to conceal the fact that from the first the common people believed that Wilde would never be convicted. Instinctively they felt the influence behind this

SHAMELESS FRIEND OF PRINCES

and nobles would prove too powerful for the ordinary judicial procedure. The police had placed the government in possession of names of men of rank, wealth and fashion who undeniably shared in some of Wilde’s orgies and had collected evidence amply sufficient to place them in the criminal dock with the hearty approval of all. But the Secretary of State took no step against them to vindicate the outraged morals or avenge flouted justice. The passionate shout which went up from the nation when Wilde’s impudent action designed to stop the mouths of his accusers, ignobly collapsed, compelled the government to take action against him and his […] accomplice, Taylor, but Lord Alfred Douglas and other men whose evidence would have made the case against Wilde and others even more complete and irrefutable, were allowed to leave the country. They are still abroad, but doubtless they will return to this country in a short time secure against punishment. Possibly it is as well, for Wilde’s conviction can scarcely fail to prove an effectual deterrent for years to come and it will be to the public interest to let

THIS AWFUL SCANDAL

become forgotten. Honest men have from the first displayed an unusual, perhaps unchristian desire for conviction in this case. During the first two or three days fierce and universal resentment has been spoken and shown at what appeared to the superficial observers almost collusion on the part of the judge and the lawyers in order to save Wilde. But Justice Willis’ summing up, which unexpectedly proved to be a strictly judicial piece of work, together with the solicitor general’s masterly speech and the common sense of a jury of plain citizens finally prevailed. Wilde was full of confidence to the last so that the result was a staggering blow to him. Ho strove to say something but his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth and he sank back in his chair a mental and physical wreck. The final scene was truly fittingly dramatic.

LONDON, May 25 - An Old Bailey jury, cautiously empanelled, and, as it seemed, carefully coached by the judge of a high court, has declared Oscar Wilde guilty of the abominable offenses charged against him.

Wilde was sentenced to two years in prison at hard labor.

Taylor, whose sentence had been suspended, was also given two years at hard labor.

Public opinion, which is usually on the side of the accused and almost invariably sympathetic in regard to any prisoner standing a second trial for the same crime, had from the first pronounced with nearly absolute unanimity that he was guilty of everything set forth in the indictment, and of much more. The country judged him out of his own mouth, and so did the jury to a large extent, and any other result would have been a disgrace to the intelligent English jurymen and a crying shame upon British justice.

It is impossible, however, to conceal the fact that from the first the common people believed that Wilde would never be convicted. Instinctively they felt that the influence behind this shameless friend of princes and nobles would prove too powerful for any ordinary judicial procedure.

The police had placed the government in possession of the names of men of rank, wealth and fashion who undeniably shared in some of Wilde’s orgies, and had collected evidence amply sufficient to place them in the criminal dock with the hearty approval of all clean men, but the secretary of state took no step against them to vindicate outraged morals.

Lord Alfred Douglas and other men whose evidence would have made the case against Wilde and others even more complete and irrefutable, were allowed to leave the country. They are still abroad, but doubtless they will return to this country in a short time, secure against punishment. Possibly it is as well, for Wilde’s conviction can scarcely fail to prove an effectual determent for years to come, and it will be to the public interest to let this awful scandal become forgotten.

Honest men have, from the first, displayed an unusual, perhaps an unchristian, eagerness for a conviction in this case during the last two or three days. A fierce and universal resentment was shown at what appeared to superficial observers to be almost a collusion between judge and lawyers in order to save Wilde, but Justice Willis’ summing up, which unexpectedly proved to a strictly judicial piece of work, together with the solicitor general's masterly speech and the common sense of the jury of plain citizens finally prevailed.

Wilde was full of confidence to the last, so that the result was a staggering blow to him. He strove to utter something, but his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth, and he sank back in his chair, a mental and physical wreck. The final scene was truly and perhaps fittingly dramatic.