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Auckland Star - Monday, May 27, 1895
Oscar Wilde has been sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour.
Kerry Weekly Reporter - Saturday, June 1, 1895
The trial of Oscar Wilde was resumed at the Old Bailey on Saturday before Mr Justice Wills. The prisoner, who looked ill and anxious, having entered the dock, the Solicitor-General resumed his speech in reply for the prosecution. He asked what was the relationship of the prisoner with Lord Alfred Douglas, and said though Lord Queensbery repeated the intimacy between the prisoner and Lord Alfred, the prisoner continued the intimacy and flaunted Lord Alfred at hotels in London and the country. He contended that it had been shown that the prisoner was closely intimate with Taylor.
Sir Edward Clarke said that was not borne out by evidence.
The Solicitor-General said that it appeared as if counsel for the defence desired that one man should go down and another be saved because of a false glamour of art.
Sir Edward Clarke protested against this mode of appeal to the jury.
His Lordship, in summing up, thought that Wild had not suffered by Taylor being tried first. With regard to Wood's case, he regretted that he must deal with matters affecting Lord Alfred Douglas, who was not a part to these proceedings and could not get evidence——A juror—He could be here.
His Lordship said he could not volunteer to give evidence. With regard to the letters referred to, it was for the jury to say whether they pointed to unclean relations and appetites on both sides. Lord Alfred Douglas was the person who sent Wood to Wilde, and the jury had to consider whether that introduction was for the purpose of charity or for a wicked purpose.
The foreman of the jury said they were anxious to know whether the warrant for the arrest of Lord Alfred Douglas had ever been issued?
His Lordship said the warrant had not issued.
In answer to another question by the foreman, his lordship said the receipt of this letter and the continuance of the intimacy was as damaging to the reputation of the recipient as the sender, but that had nothing to do with the case. The question was whether guilt had been brought home to the man in the dock. Lord Alfred Douglas if guilty would not be spared because he was Lord Alfred Douglas. As to where he would be tried he knew nothing. It might be there was no evidence against him. The question before the jury was whether the man in the dock had been guilty of the immoral practices with certain persons of whom Lord Alfred Douglas was not one.
The jury retired at 3.30.
THE VERDICT.
The jury returned a verdict of guilty.
Wilde and Taylor were each sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour.