London Star - Wednesday, April 24, 1895

WILDE CASE.
MR. CHARLES MATHEWS
APPLIES FOR POSTPONEMENT.
>Mr. Wilde's Solicitor is of Opinion that in
the Present State of Public Feeling it
would be Difficult to have an Impartial
Trial--Case will be Tried on Friday.

Before the adjournment for luncheon Mr. Charles Mathews applied to Mr. Justice Charles on behalf of Wilde that the trial may stand adjourned to the next sessions. he put in an affidavit by Mr. Robert Humphreys, the prisoner's solicitor, for the purpose of showing that there had not been proper time for the preparation of the defence. The trial of the case against Lord Queensberry only terminated on 5 April. On the same day Wilde was arrested, and was brought before Sir John Bridge on Saturday, 6 April, Thursday, 11 April, and Friday last, 19 April, when he was committed for trial. Full copies of the police-court depositions were not obtained by Mr. Humphreys till Saturday afternoon, and the true bill against Wilde and Taylor was not found by the grand jury till yesterday afternoon. Under these circumstances, Mr. Wilde was not prepared with his defence. The present application was based on the further ground that in the present

STATE OF PUBLIC FEELING

Mr. Humphreys is of opinion that a fair and impartial trial of Wilde may be difficult to obtain, while the lapse of a month will give time for that feeling to subside and increase the chances of a fair and impartial hearing. Mr. Mathews did not know whether the application would be opposed, but he pointed out that Wilde is in custody, and urged that it was an all but invariable rule that where a prisoner under such circumstances made it clear that he was not prepared for trial a postponement should be granted.

Mr. J.P. Grain, Q.C., said he was instructed to defend the second prisoner, Taylor. and could not concur with Mr. Mathews's application, Taylor desiring to have the case tried at the earliest possible moment.

Mr. Gill said that he must oppose the application to postpone the trial as strongly as he could on behalf of the prosecution. He was surprised, indeed, that such an application should be made after what happened at the police-court, where it was stated, on behalf of Wilde, that he desired to have the case brought

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

to trial. To that end the evidence before the magistrate was taken as shortly as possible, in order to have the prisoners committed to the present missions, As to Wilde not being prepared with his defence, the plea of justification in the case against Lord Queensberry was delivered as long ago as 30 March, and was as carefully drawn as an indictment, accurately informing Wilde of the nature of the charges which were to be made against him.

Mr. Justice Charles asked if the prisoners were charged with any offences not mentioned in the plea of justification, and

Mr. Gill replied, that on the contrary, the plea of justification included much that was not now charged against the prisoners. "There are many reasons why I oppose the application," said Mr. Gill. "In a case of this kind it is important that witnesses should give their evidence as soon as they possibly can. I oppose it on the ground that there might be a miscarriage of justice if the case were not soon brought to trial."

Mr. Mathews said he was told by Mr. Humphreys that the proceedings were taken briefly at the police-court because it was thought desirable in the public interest, and no anxiety was expressed by Wilde to be tried at these sessions.

Mr. Justice Charles said he had carefully listened to the application, and read Mr. Humphreys's affidavit, and must own he did not feel that upon these materials he could accede to the application. He

COULD NOT BELIEVE

that the prisoners would not be prejudiced by trial at these sessions as compared with any other, and it seemed clear that the plea of justification disclosed more than all the charges now made against the prisoners, and was delivered as long ago as 30 March. Moreover, the prisoner Taylor did not concur with wilde in the desire for a postponement, which his lordship felt himself obliged to refuse.

It was arranged that the trial shall begin on Friday morning.

Counsel in the Trial.

Mr. C.F. Gill will conduct the prosecution. Wilde will be represented by Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys; and Taylor will be defended by Mr. J.P. Grain, Q.C.