The New York Herald (European Edition) - Wednesday, May 8, 1895

LONDON, May 8.––Mr. Vaughan accepted Oscar Wilde’s bail at Bow Street yesterday morning, and early in the afternoon he was released. The bail was fixed at £2,500 in Wilde’s own recognizances, with two sureties of £1,250 each. The two sureties were Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam. The sureties afterwards proceeded to Holloway Jail and accompanied Wilde back to Bow Street to be formally set at liberty.

Wilde looked brighter and not much worse for his incarceration. The Rev. Stewart Headlam, in an interview as to his action, says: "I have undertaken this responsibility on public grounds. I felt that the public mind has been prejudiced before the case began, and I anxious to give Mr. Wilde any help I could to enable him to stand his trial in good health and spirits."

Evening Herald - Tuesday, May 7, 1895

The expected application for Mr Oscar Wilde to be released on bail was made at Bow street this morning before Mr Vaughan. Mr Travers Humphreys appeared on behalf of the prisoner, while the Treasury was represented by Mr Argus Lewis. Mr Humphreys briefly recapitulated the history of the case up to the application made yesterday to Baron Pollock, and said that he was now prepared with the necessary securities. Both of them were persons of substance, and their names had been submitted to and approved by the Treasury. One was the Rev Stewart Headlam and the other Lord Douglas of Hawick, otherwise Viscount Drumlanrig, eldest son of the Marquis of Queensberry.

Both these gentlemen were called, and swore that they were worth £1,250, the amount of the bail fixed for each surety by Baron Pollock.

Mr Vaughan said that he was perfectly satisfied with the bail tendered, and he ordered Wilde’s immediate release.

Mr Stewart Headlam, interviewed by a Press Association representative at the close of the proceedings, as to his reasons for becoming surety, said, "I have undertaken this responsibility on public grounds. I felt that the public mind had been prejudiced before the case began, and I was anxious to give Mr Wilde any help I could, to enable him to stand his trial in good health and spirits."

At the close of the hearing to-day Lord Douglas of Hawick and Rev Stewart Headlam, accompanied by one of Messrs Humphreys clerks, entered a cab and drove to Holloway Jail, where after, Mr Oscar Wilde has entered into his own recognisances before the governor of the prison, he will be at once released.

The Press Association states that Oscar Wilde left Holloway Jail this afternoon.

Wilde left Holloway Jail this afternoon. He drove from the jail in a four-wheeler to Bow street, where he went into the clerk’s room and signed what is known as the bail book, after which, accompanied by Lord Douglas of Hawick, he re-entered the cab and drove off.

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