New York Herald - Sunday, May 26, 1895

LONDON, May 25, 1895. The trial of Oscar Wilde was resumed in the Old Bailey Court this morning, Sir Frank Lockwood continuing his address to the jury for the prosecution. He dilated upon the intimacy of Wilde with Taylor, and said that leniency ought not to be shown to one and refused to the other because of the position and intellect of the one.

Sir Edward Clarke protested against counsel's confusing Taylor's case with Wilde's.

Sir Frank Lockwood expressed the hope that the jury would not regard Wilde's letters as "prose poems," but would appreciate them at their proper level, which was rather lower than that of beasts.

COUNSEL WRANGLE.

Sir Edward Clarke angrily objected to the language used by the prosecuting counsel, and a heated argument between the two ensued. After a protracted wrangle the Judge interfered, and advised Sir Frank Lockwood to confine himself to discussion of the evidence, and not to start out upon any rhetorical denunciations of the prisoner. Mr. Lockwood finished his address by saying that Wilde's own admissions pointed conclusively to his guilt.

The Judge, in summing up, said that Wilde had confessed that his conduct in regard to Lord Alfred Douglas had been such that he, the Judge, could not ask the jury in the previous trial to say that there was no ground for charging him with having posed as a criminal. The Judge, in the course of his charge to the jury, dealt with each of the charges contained in the indictment, his opinion being plainly and strongly against the prisoner.

In regard to Wilde's letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, he said they might be "prose poems,"but they were none the less poison to a young man's mind, and the writer was clearly not a desirable companion for the young. The Judge finished his charge at three o'clock and the jury retired.

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' guilt is equal to that of Wilde's."

THE VERDICT

The jury occupied two hours in the consideration of the case. When they returned it was with a verdict of guilty against Wilde on every count of the indictment, except the one with reference to Shelley. Sir Edward Clarke, on behalf of Wilde, and counsel for Alfred Taylor, made application for a postponement of sentence. The judge peremptorily refused to grant the application.

ADDRESSED THE PRISONERS

Taylor was brought from his cell and placed in the dock with Wilde, after the ineffectual attempt of Sir Edward Clarke to get the passing of sentence postponed until the next sessions in order that the legality of the first indictment might be argued.

The Judge then addressed the prisoners. He said that the case was the worst one he ever had to deal with. The verdict of the jury was right. He could not persuade himself to entertain a shadow of doubt that persons who could do the things of which the prisoners had been found guilty were dead to every sense of shame. It would be a waste of words to address them further. He could not do anything except to pass the extreme sentence allowed by law namely, two years' imprisonment with hard labor, which, in his judgment, was totally inadequate.

The judge's view was apparently shared by the spectators, as, after Wilde and Taylor had been sentenced, many persons present cried "Shame." When the sentence was pronounced Wilde appeared to be stunned.

The Marquis of Queensberry had applied to the Treasury to recoup him the £2,000 expended in the Wilde case, The Treasury offered him £100. The Marquis, in reply to this offer, says that unless he is reimbursed he will raise the question in Parliament.

The Evening Journal - Monday, May 27, 1895

London, May 25.- The jury in the Wilde case occupied two hours in the consideration of the evidence. After their verdict had been rendered, Sir Edward Clarke, on behalf of Wilde and counsel tor Alfred Taylor, made application for postponement of sentence. The judge peremptorily refused to grant the application, and in his remarks described the offences of which the prisoner was guilty as the most heinous that had ever come to his notice.

When the sentence was pronounced Wilde appeared to be stunned, and sank down a pitiable object, an utter wreck. As the last word of the sentence was uttered the apostle of aestheticism was hurried to his cell a felon.

Burning Words.

Later.- The verdict was guilty on every count of the indictment, except the one with reference to Shelley. Taylor was brought from his cell and placed in the dock with Wilde.

The judge then addressed the prisoners. He said that the case was the worst he ever had dealt with. The verdict of the jury was right. He could not persuade himself to entertain a shadow of doubt that persons who could do the thing of which the prisoners bad been found guilty were dead to every sense of shame. It would be a waste of words to address them further. He could not do anything except to pass the extreme sentence of the law, which, is his judgment, was totally inadequate.

Queensberry Made a Mistake.

London, May 25.- Before the verdict in the Wilde case the Marquis of Queensberry was interviewed. He said: "I do not wish to see Wilde further punished. He has suffered enough. I only want to keep the beast from my son. You know I have carried my point and that I have been praised by the best elected jury which ever sat in God's or man's jury box. Consequently, I do not care what else is now done to Wilde. One of his companions has been found guilty, and everyone in London knows that Wilde is no better than Alfred Taylor."

When the Marquis of Queensberry was asked what he thought would be the verdict in Oscar Wilde's case, he said:

"I am willing to forfeit £1,000 to any one that Wilde is acquitted. There are many names back of this thing that say so. I have as much chance of dropping dead in the street to-day as Oscar Wilde has of being found guilty."

The Popular Feeling Against Wilde.

New York, May 28.- The London cable of the Sun, dealing with Wilde's sentence says: The passionate shout which went up from the nation when Wilde's impudent libel action against the Marquis of Queensberry designed to stop the mouths of his accusers, ignobly collapsed, compelled the government to take action against him and his foul accomplice, Taylor, but Lord Alfred Douglas and other men, whose evidence would have made the case against Wilde and others even more complete and irrefutable, were allowed to leave the country. They are still abroad, but doubtless they will turn to this country in a short time secure against punishment. Possibly it is as well, for Wilde's conviction can scarcely fail to prove an effectual deterrent for years to come, and it will be to the public interest to let this awful scandal become forgotten.

Wilde's Collapse.

Honest men from the first displayed an unusual, perhaps unchristian desire for conviction in this case. During the first two or three days fierce and universal resentment has been spoken and shown at what appeared to the superficial observers almost collusion on the part of the judge and the lawyers in order to save Wilde. But Justice Willis' summing up, which unexpectedly proved to be a strictly judicial piece of work, together with the solicitor general's masterly speech and the common sense of a jury of plain citizens finally prevailed. Wilde was full of confidence to the last so that the result was a staggering blow to him. He strove to say something, but his tongue clove to the roof of his mouth and he sank back in his chair a mental and physical wreck. The final scene was truly fittingly dramatic.

Highlighted DifferencesNot significantly similar