New York Herald - Tuesday, May 21, 1895

LONDON, May 20 1895. Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor were arraigned in the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, this morning for retrial. Wilde was accompanied by his sureties, Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam, and entered the dock smilingly. He is obviously very much improved in health, and spirits as well.

Sir Edward Clarke asked for a separate trial for Wilde on the ground that the indictment against him differed from that against Taylor. The Court granted Wilde a separate trial. Then Sir Edward Clarke urged that Wilde be tried first.

The Judge said he h|ped that it would not make the least difference which of the prisoners was tried first, fHe and the jury, he said, would do their best to see that the interests of neither were prejudiced.

A VERY DIFFICULT CASE

Sir Edward Clarke said he had never known a case more difficult than Wilde's. Unless Wilde was tried first he must ask that the case be postponed until the next sessions and his client be release under bail in the meantime. The Judge said in regard to postponing Wilde's trial until the next sessions that he would wait and see the result of Taylor's case.

Wilde was released on bail, his former sureties being renewed, until the conclusion of Taylor's trial.

When the case against Taylor proceeded Charles and William Parker, the brothers who gave evidence at the first trial, were again called as witnesses, and repeated the testimony they gave before, except that the cross-examination to which they were subjected elicited from them further admissions as to their blackmailing practices.

The Evening Journal - Tuesday, May 21, 1895

London, May 20.- Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor were arraigned in the Central Criminal Court Old Bailey, this morning, for re-trial. Wilde was accompanied by his sureties, Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stuart Hedlam, and entered the dock smilingly. He is obviously very much improved in health and spirits as well.

Sir Edward Clarke asked for a separate trial for Wilde on the ground that the indictment against him differed from that against Taylor.

The court granted Wilde a separate trial, and the first case, that against Taylor, proceeded.

Charles and William Parker, the brothers who gave evidence at the first trial were again called as witnesses and repeated the testimony they gave before, except that the cross-examination to which they were subjected elicited from them further admissions as to their blackmailing practices.

Counsel for Taylor instanced four cases in which the Parker brothers separately or conjointly with Wood and Allen had extorted hush money.

Today's Proceedings.

London, May 21.- The trial of Alfred Taylor was resumed in the Old Bailey Court this morning. Taylor was called to the stand and repeated the statements he made in the witness box at his previous trial. In reply to a question in regard to the visitors at his rooms Taylor asked to be allowed to write their names. The Judge said : "If the names are written I will read them aloud. I don't approve of mystery." Taylor did not write them, but mentioned a few which have already been connected with the case. There were no notable names among them. He denied that he had gone through a marriage ceremony with a man named Mason.

After the libel trial of Wilde against Lord Queensberry, the latter's solicitor he said, had asked him to make a statement against Wilde, but this he had refused to do. He admitted that he had written a letter to the man Mason signing himself "with love."

The evidence was concluded with Taylor's testimony and counsel began his address to the jury.

The Verdict.

The Judge, in summoning up the evidence directed the judge to acquit Taylor as regarded his complicity with the young man Wood, leaving them to decide upon the three charges in which Taylor is alleged to be directly guilty. The jury retired at 3:25 and found Taylor guilty on several accounts in the indictment. The court deferred sentence.

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