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Original paragraph in
Daily Times - Saturday, May 25, 1895
Daily Times - Saturday, May 25, 1895
Most similar paragraph from
The Evening Star - Saturday, July 6, 1895
The Evening Star - Saturday, July 6, 1895
Difference
London, May 25.— There was the usual crowd of interested spectators in the court room of the Old Bailey this morning to witness the trial
of Oscar Wilde. When the court adjourned yesterday, Sir F. Lockwood, solicitor-general, had just commenced his address to the jury on behalf of the
prosecution, and it was expected he would denounce Wilde in strong language when he resumed his argument to-day. Wilde took his seat in the prisoners’
dock facing the jury and looking extremely anxious. As expected, when Sir Frank Lockwood resumed his speech, he dealt very severely with Wilde in his
reference to the prisoner’s intimacy with Lord Alfred Douglas. Referring to the much-commented-upon letters which Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas,
counsel said the jury had been told they were too low to appreciate such poetry, and he, Sir Frank, thanked God it was so, as he hoped they were above the
level of beasts. (Applause.) Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for Wilde, here interposed objections to such appeals as that just made by sir Frank
Lockwood, which counsel claimed should not be allowed. Sir Frank continued his speech. HE warned the jury to render a verdict which would prevent such a
detestable and abominable practice to rear its head unblushingly in this country. Justice Wills began his summing up at 1:30 p.m. The general tenor of his
address to the jury was favorable to Wilde. The jury retired at 3:30 p.m.
The jury found Wilde guilty on all the counts of the indictment, including the charge with reference to persons unknown, who were also
pronounced to be guilty. After a short interval the judge called Wilde and Taylor to the bar and each was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard
labor.
While the jury were out, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, Wilde’s counsel procured the following signed
statement from Wilde, who was waiting with the prisoners in the room below the dock: "The charge alleged against me are entirely untrue. Youths of every
form are always attractive, because youth has naturally the temperament to which the artist has to try to attain. All works of art are works produced in a
moment of youth, and I have seen all the several grades. I love the society of the rich and well-born, on account of the luxury, culture and grace of
their lives, but any one, ploughboy or street arab, has interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful, I do not ask of the young men what they do, I do
not care who they are. Their ignorance has its mode of wisdom, their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions. [signed.) Oscar
Wilde." The document of the above statement was written throughout in Wilde's own writing.
While the jury were out, Wilde's counsel procured from him, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, the following
signed statement:—"The charges against me are entirely untrue. Youth in every form always fascinated me because youth has naturally that temperament to
which the artists try to attain. All works of art are produced in the moment of youth. I have no sense at all of social grades. I love society and the
rich and well-born on account of their luxury, culture, the grace of their lives, and the external accidents of comely life. But anyone, a ploughboy,
fisherman, or street arab has an interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful. I do not ask of the young what they do. I don't care who they are. Their
ignorance has its mode of wisdom. Their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions.