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This page compares two reports at the document level. The column on the left shows the first report and the column in the middle shows the second. The column on the right highlights any differences between the two documents. Pink shows differences in the first report and purple in the second report. The Match percentage shows the percentage of similarity between the two documents.
Daily Star and Herald - Saturday, June 8, 1895
London news reports that after two hours' deliberation the jury on Saturday, May 25, convicted Oscar Wilde for immorality. Mr. Justice Willis in delivering sentence declared that the finding of the jury was a just one and that he never knew of a more shocking case, and regretted that he was unable to impose a sentence over the maximum penalty of two years' hard labor on both Wilde and Taylor. Wilde's appearance in the dock was that of an utter nervous physical wreck. On the sentence of the Court being delivered the audience cried shame. On Sunday, 26th, both Wilde and Taylor attended divine service in Petonville Chapel with their hair cropped and wearing the army prison garb.
It is also stated that the London police are in possession of a list of a large number of persons who will probably be notified to leave the country to avoid criminal proceedings.
At the end of the trial the foreman of the jury asked whether a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Lord Alfred Douglas.
The conduct in court of the Marquis of Queensberry and Lord Douglas, his son, was so unseemly on the 23rd that they had to be severely rebuked by the presiding Magistrate who dismissed them under bonds to keep the peace.
The New York Times - Sunday, May 26, 1895
LONDON, May 25. -- The jury returned a verdict of guilty and the Judge sentenced Wilde and Taylor, the latter's sentence having been suspended pending the result of the trial of Wilde, to two years at hard labor each.
The Judge, in his charge, dealt with each of the counts of the indictment. His opinion was plainly and strongly against the prisoner.
In regard to Wilde's letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, he said they might be "prose poems," and nonetheless poison to a young man's mind. Their writer was clearly not a desirable companion for the young.
Before the jury retired the foreman asked the court if a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Lord Alfred Douglas.
The Judge said that no warrant had been issued, whereupon the foreman said: "But if we must consider these letters as evidence of guilt, they surely show that Lord Douglas's guilt is equal to that of Wilde's."
The jury occupied two hours in the consideration of the case. After their verdict had been rendered, Sir Edward Clarke, on behalf of Wilde, and the counsel for Alfred Taylor, made application for a postponement of sentence. The Judge peremptorily refused to grant the application.
When the sentence was pronounced, Wilde appeared to be stunned. As the last word of the sentence was uttered he was hurried to his cell.