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The final stage in the trial of Oscar Wilde was entered upon on Saturday at the Old Bailey, London. The Solicitor-General (Sir F. Lockwood), Mr C. F. Gill, and Mr H. Avory appeared on behalf of the Public Prosecutor; and Sir E. Clarke, Mr C Mathews, and Mr Travers Humphreys defended.

The Solicitor-General resumed his reply on the whole case.

The Judge, in summing up, referred to the difficulties and responsibilities imposed upon everyone connected with a case such as that before the court. He could not bring himself to give simply a colourless summing up, which was of no good to anybody; but expressed the hope that in respect of any persons which might be [...] at or conveyed [...] not as opinions to [...] to use whether [...] was the province of the jury themselves to decide, and it had been the aim of his judicial life, so far as he could, to preserve that province sacred. In concluding, he assured the jury that he had done his best to point out such things as he thought ought fairly to be said on behalf of the defendant, as well as what might be fairly relied upon on the other side; and he thanked the jury for their patient and impartial attention to the details of a disagreeable and anxious case.

The jury retired at 3.30.

At 5.25 the jury, who had previously sent a communication to the judge, returned into court. The foreman said they wished to hear the evidence of the waiter at 10 St. James’s street read over. The judge complied, and said there was not evidence that Parker slept at that house.

The jury then again retired, but after an absence of a few minutes returned with a verdict of "Guilty" upon all the counts in the indictment.

Taylor was then placed in the dock beside Wilde.

Sir Edward Clarke appealed for the postponement of sentence until next sessions on the ground that a demurrer that the indictment was bad had not been argued.

His lordship said the passing of sentence would not interfere with the argument, and he thought it right to complete the case at once. Addressing the defendants, he said that the jury had arrived at a correct verdict, and he could not entertain a shadow of a doubt. He hoped those who sometimes imagined that a judge was half-hearted in the cause of morality, because he took care that prejudice was not allowed to enter into the case, would see that that was consistent with a stern sense of indignation at the crime which had been brought home to both of them. In such circumstances he should pass the severest sentence which the law allowed him, and which was totally inadequate to such a case as this. Wilde and Taylor would each be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for two years.

Taylor, on hearing the sentence, hurried from the dock, but Wilde, who seemed quite dazed, stood with fixed gaze and trembling hands, and looking as if about to faint. Two warders were quickly at his side, but Wilde held up his hands as if to keep them off, and addressed the court in a few unintelligible words. He was then hurried below.

On Saturday evening, immediately following the passing of the sentence, the prisoners were removed to the cells in Newgate Prison adjoining the Central Criminal Court pending the preparations of the legal warrants authorising their detention for two years. Both were suffering from nervousness, and betrayed their mental anxiety. From the first they were seperated, but travelled in the same prison van to Pentonville Prison, where they will serve the preliminary portion of the sentence, a period to be eventually decided by the officials of the gaol. When handed over to the Governor of Pentonville the prisoners were taken separately to the reception ward.

At the Central Criminal Court on Saturday, before Mr. Justice Wills, the trial was resumed and concluded of Oscar Wilde, aged 40, author, on an indictment charging him with certain misdemeanours.

The Solicitor-General (Sir Frank Lockwood, Q.C.), Mr. C. F. Gill, and Mr. Horace Avory prosecuted; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended.

The Solicitor-General completed his speech in reply for the Crown. He submitted that the charges had been established beyond all reasonable doubt, and that the Jury could come to no conclusion other than that the accused was a guilty man.

His Lordship, in summing up, dealt at length with the specific charges, and commented on the evidence called by the Crown. The Jury ought not to act upon the evidence of accomplices unless it was substantially corroborated. Several of the matters that had been laid before them, upon which they were invited to act, were certainly open to suspicion. They ought to be influenced by the facts alone, and every other consideration not relevant to the issue should be excluded.

The Foreman of the Jury, interposing, asked if a warrant had been granted for the arrest of Lord Alfred Douglas, and, if not, whether it was contemplated.

His Lordship said he did not know. He would warn the Jury not to allow themselves to be influenced in the least by the absence of Lord Alfred Douglas. If it was necessary, he felt sure that the proper steps would be taken in regard to him.

The Jury retired to consider their verdict at half-past three o'clock. After a deliberation of over two hours they returned with a verdict of guilty on all the counts with the exception of that in respect to Shelley.

Alfred Taylor, who was convicted earlier in the week, was then placed in the dock for sentence. He appeared quite indifferent to his position.

Sir Edward Clarke applied for a postponement of sentence until the next Sessions, on the ground that a demurrer had to be argued affecting the validity of the indictment.

His Lordship pointed out that the fact of sentence being passed could not prejudice any argument raised on such a point.

Mr. C. F. Gill said that the matter was decided by Mr. Justice Charles at the last trial.

His Lordship declined to postpone sentence.

Addressing Oscar Wilde and Taylor, he said that their cases were the worst that he had ever tried. He quite agreed with the verdict of the Jury. The maximum sentence which he could pass was not adequate to meet the justice of the case. He ordered both the prisoners to be imprisoned and kept at hard labour for two years.

Wilde—May I say anything, my Lord?

He was not permitted to speak, a warder touching him on the shoulder, and he then turned and left the dock. Both the prisoners were conveyed the same evening to Pentonville Prison, where their sentences will be served.