The Boston Daily Advertiser - Monday, May 27, 1895

London, May 25. -- Oscar Wilde was today found guilty.

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 finished his charge at 3 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's guilt is equal to that of Wilde."

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.

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