Sydney Evening News - Monday, May 27, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
NEWS BY CABLE
(From Evening News Correspondents.)
The London Scandal
The Trials Concluded
Conviction of Wilde.
The Opinion of the Judge.
The Sentences.
Lord Alfred Douglas.
London, May 24. --While giving evidence to-day, Oscar Wilde, who. appeared very weak, was allowed to be seated in the witness box. He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man. Referring to the station in life of the people with whom he had associated, he said the reason for his friendship with them, was that he personally liked praise, and lionising was delightful.
London, May 24. -- While giving evidence to-day, Oscar Wilde, who appeared very weak, was allowed to be seated in the witness box. He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man. Referring to the station in life of the people with whom he had associated, he said the reason for his friendship with them was that he personally liked praise, and lionising was delightful.
London, May 24.—While giving evidence to-day, Oscar Wide, who appeared very weak, was allowed to be seated in the witness box. He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man. Referring to the station in life of the people with whom he had associated, he said the reason for his friendship with them was that he personally liked praise, and lionising was delightful.
Wilde to-day gave evidence on his own behalf. He was allowed to be seated in the witness-box, and appeared to be very weak. He gave a general denial to the whole of the charges. He said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man; and in referring to the station in life of the young men with whom he had associated, he said the reason of his friendship with them was that he personally liked praise, and to be lionised was delightful.
During the trial Wilde, who appeared to be suffering from weakness, said he always understood Taylor to be a respectable man and referring to his associations with him said the reason for his friendship was because he personally liked praise and lionising was delightful.
Sir Edward Clarke, in addressing the jury for the defence, said the witnesses were blackmailers, whose evidence it was impossible to believe.
Sir Edward Clarke, in addressing the jury for the defence, said the witnesses were blackmailers, whose evidence it was impossible to believe.
Sir Edward Clarke, in addressing the jury for the defence, said the witnesses were blackmailers, whose evidence it was impossible to believe.
Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., M.P., in addressing the jury on behalf of Wilde, declared the witnesses to be blackmailers, whose evidence it was impossible to believe.
Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., counsel for the accused, declared that the witnesses were blackmailers, and that it was impossible to believe them.
Sir Edward Clark, Q.C., counsel for the accused, declared that the witnesses were blackmailers, and that it was impossible to believe them.
Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., addressing the jury for the defence in the Wilde scandal, described some of the witnesses as blackmailers whose evidence could not be relied upon.
London, May 25. -- The trial of Oscar Wilde concluded to-day.
Mr. Justice Wills at great length summed up the case to the jury, placing the facts with great care before them. His speech occupied three hours. The jury then retired and, after an absence of two hours, returned into court with a verdict of guilty on all counts submitted. Wilde and Alfred Taylor, his associate, who was found guilty on two charges on Tuesday were then brought up for sentence. In passing sentence, Mr. Justice Wills was deeply affected. He spoke with great emotion, and evidently experienced some difficulty in restraining his feelings. He said, that the verdict was correct beyond the shadow of a doubt. It was useless to address the prisoners at any length, as they were dead to all sense of shame. It was the worst case he had ever tried, and he must pass the severest sentence the law permitted. He regretted that this was totally inadequate for their offence. He then, sentenced Wilde and Taylor each to two years' imprisonment, with hard labor. Taylor left the dock with a firm step, but Wilde had a haggard look, and appeared to be dazed. He gazed in a despairing manner at the judge, and was apparently horror-stricken, at the sentence. In a weak voice he muttered a request to be permitted to address the judge, but this was unheeded, and he was immediately re-moved by the warders from the dock. After sentence had been passed upon Wilde and. Taylor, the jury asked whether it was intended to arrest Lord Alfred Douglas. Mr. Justice Wills replied that he was not aware of what was intended to be done, but pointed out that Lord Alfred Douglas was not affected by the present trial. The jury said that if the letters addressed by Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas showed Wilde to be guilty, the guilt applied equally to Lord Alfred Douglas.Mr. Justice Wills concurred in this remark, and added that any suspicion that might exist that Lord Alfred Douglas would be allowed to escape owing to his high family connections, was not only unfounded, but impossible. The Marquis of Queensberry and his son, Lord Douglas of Hawick witnessed the end of the trial.