The Irish News and Belfast Morning News - Wednesday, May 8, 1895

LONDON, TUESDAY.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 sureties. Both of them were persons of substance, and their names had been submitted to and approved by the Treasury. One was Rev. Stewart Headlam, and the other Lord Douglas, of Hawick, otherwise Viscount Drumlanrig. Both these gentlemen were called, and swore that they were worth £1,250, the amount of bail fixed for each surety by Baron Pollock. Mr. Vaughan said 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 reason 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.

Detective-Inspector Brockwell, Sergeant White, jailer at Bow Street, and a clerk of Messrs. Humphreys & Son, Wilde’s solicitors, arrived at Holloway Prison at twenty minutes past one this afternoon for the purpose of receiving Oscar Wilde, and taking him to Bow Street, so that he might enter into his own recognizance before being restored to liberty. The necessary formalities at the prison took some little time, but just before two the party emerged through the wicket door, and took seats in a waiting cab. Wilde wore a dark cloth overcoat, grey trousers, and a silk hat. There was a wearied expression about his pale features strongly indicative of sleepless nights, and it could plainly be seen he was in anything but robots health. His body also seemed slightly bent.

Neither at the prison gate nor at Bow Street was there the slightest demonstration, and during the journey Wilde is stated to have maintained almost absolute silence, being seemingly intensely absorbed in thought.

At Bow Street the two sureties—Rev. Stewart Headlam and Lord Douglas Hawick—were waiting, and the proceedings in connection with Wilde’s recognisances of £2,500 having been completed, the accused was released. He immediately drove to the Midland Hotel, St. Pancras, accompanied by his sureties, and it was subsequently stated he was suffering from extreme prostration, and quite unable to undergo the fatigue of an interview.

It is expected he will leave London to-morrow, and his solicitors, at his own request, have offered to keep the authorities fully informed of his movements and precise whereabouts between now and the 20th inst, when he will in due course give himself up to the police. In the course of the afternoon it was stated that Wilde had an interview at the Law Courts with Sir Edward Clarke.

London Star - Tuesday, May 7, 1895

The newest surprise in the Wilde case is in regard to the personality of the two sureties accepted this morning by Mr. Vaughan at Bow-st., for the prisoner's reappearance if admitted to bail. Mr. Travers Humphreys, the prisoner's junior counsel, instructed by his brother, Mr. Humphreys, the solicitor, reminded the learned magistrate of the circumstances under which the jury at the Old Bailey had acquitted the prisoner on some counts of the indictment, while being unable to agree upon others, and the subsequent consent of Baron Pollock to

ENLARGE THE PRISONER,

pending his re-trial, on his own recognisances, in £2,500 and two sureties of £1,250 each. He was now provided with two sureties to whom Mr. Angus Lewis (who was present on behalf of the Treasury) would offer no objection, and with whom the police, after making inquiries, were perfectly satisfied. They were Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam.

Mr. Vaughan asked, "Is there any objection?" and Mr. Angus Lewis replied, "No objection at all." "Let them appear," said the magistrate, and Mr.

STEWART HEADLAM,

blue-shaven and semi-clerical, stepped into the witness-box, and was sworn. He deposed that he lived at 31, Upper Bedford-place, W.C.

"And you are worth £1,250 after all your just debts are paid?"

"I am!" replied the Rev. Stewart, in the solemn tones of a man brought suddenly to face with the marriage ceremony

"Are you willing to become bail for the appearance of Oscar Wilde?''

"I am."

Then Lord Douglas of Hawick was sworn. he gave his name as Percy Sholto Douglas, and is of course the eldest surviving son of the Marquess of Queensberry. Although older brother to the "slim-gilt soul," he

IN NO WAY RESEMBLES

him, being rather fleshy than thin, dark instead of fair, and dressed after the manner of the philistines, in black frock-coat with silk lapels and the ordinary stand-up collar and black cravat of Piccadilly. He gave as his address Chalcot House, Long Ditton, and seemed confident that he, too, was worth £1,250 after all his just debts are paid. He was also willing to become bail.

"Very well," said Mr. Vaughan, in this curt manner indicating that the sureties were accepted. It remained to deal with the prisoner's personal recognisances, and Mr. Vaughan directed that he should be at once brought from Holloway to Bow-st. in a cab.

Interview with Mr. Headlam:

The Rev. Stewart Headlam, interviewed by a Press Association representative at the close of the proceedings at Bow-st., as to the reasons which induced him to become surety of Mr. Wilde, made the following statement:--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 hi, to stand his trial in good health and spirits.

At the close of the case Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam, accompanied by one of Messrs. Humphreys's clerks, entered a cab and drove to Holloway Gaol.

Wilde's Own Recognisances.

Mr. Oscar Wilde will attend at Bow-st. Police Court to-day to enter into his own recognisances in £2,500 before his release.

At a quarter past two Wilde had not arrived at Bow-st., but was said to have left Holloway in charge of Sergeant White, the chief gaoler. The necessary formalities connected with the giving up of a prisoner had no doubt caused this delay. Lord Douglas of Hawick returned to the court about two o'clock and was joined by the Rev. Stewart Headlam, who had been smoking a meditative cigarette on the sunny side of Bow-st. It was said that Mr. Vaughan would see Wilde in his private room.

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