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The Thames Advertiser - Monday, May 27, 1895
London, May 25.
The trial of Oscar Wilde was concluded to-day. The summing up of the Judge occupied three hours and the jury were absent two hours in considering the verdict. At the end of that time they returned with a verdict of guilty on all counts.
His Honour, in sentencing the prisoners (Wilde and Taylor), spoke with great emotion. The verdict to his mind was a correct one beyond all shadow of a doubt and it appeared to him useless to address the prisoners, who were evidently dead to all sense of shame. The case was the worst of its kind he had ever had before him, and in passing the most severe sentence the law permitted he regretted that it was totally inadequate to the dastardly nature of the offence. He then sentenced each prisoner to two years' hard labour. Taylor left the dock with a firm step, but Wilde appeared haggard and dazed.
Manawatu Herald - Tuesday, May 28, 1895
The trial of Oscar Wilde is concluded.
The summing up of the Judge occupied three hours, and the jury were absent two hours in considering their verdict.
At the end of that time they returned with a verdict of guilty on all counts.
His Honor, in sentencing the prisoners Wilde and Taylor, spoke with great emotion. He said that to his mind the verdict was a correct one beyond all shadow of doubt, and it appeared to him useless to address the prisoners, who were evidently dead to all sense of shame. The case was the worst of its kind he had ever had before him; and in passing the most severe sentence the law permitted, he regretted that it was totally inadequate to the dastardly nature of the offence.
He then sentenced each of the prisoner's to two years' had labour.
Taylor left the dock with a firm step, but Wilde appeared haggard and dazed.
In his despair he weakly uttered a request to be permitted to address the Court, but this was unheeded, and the warders hurried him off to his cell.
During the trial Wilde, who appeared to be suffering from weakness, was allowed to be seated in the witness-box, while giving evidence on his own behalf.
He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man, and, referring to his association with him, said the reason for the friendship was because he personally liked praise, and lionising was delightful to him.
Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., counsel for the accused, declared that the witnesses for the prosecution were blackmailers, and that it was impossible to believe them.
The jury asked whether it was intended to arrest Lord Alfred Douglas.
The judge replied that he was not aware of the intention of the police, but it did not affect the present trial.
The jury though that if Wilde's letter showed him to be guilty, the guilt applied equally to Lord Alfred Douglas.
His Honor concurred in this opinion, but added that the suspicion of the jury that the son of the Marquis of Queensbury was being allowed to escape owing to his connections was both unfounded and impossible.