The Morning Post - Wednesday, May 8, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
RELEASE OF OSCAR WILDE.
At Bow-street Police Court yesterday, before Mr. Vaughan, Mr. Travers Humphreys made an application in regard to this case. He said Mr. Oscar Wilde was tried at the last Sessions of the Central Criminal Court on an indictment containing several counts charging him with misdemeanor. The Jury, while acquitting Mr. Wilde on some of the counts, were unable to come to any verdict on the rest. Under these circumstances an application was made to Mr. Baron Pollock, the Judge in Chambers, on Friday last, to admit Mr. Wilde to bail. The Judge, having read the depositions, fixed the amount of the bail at Mr. Wilde's own recognisances of £2,500 and two sureties of £1,250 each. He (the learned counsel) had now to present two gentlemen who desired to become bail for Mr. Wilde. Mr. Angus Lewis was present to represent the Treasury, and the police had made the necessary inquiries.
Mr. Vaughan—Who are the gentlemen?
Mr. Humphreys—Lord Douglas of Hawick and the Rev. Stewart Headlam.
Mr. Vaughan—Is there any objection to this bail on behalf of the Treasury.
Mr. Vaughan: Is there any objection to this bail on the part of the Treasury?
Mr. A. Lewis—No, sir; no objection.
The Rev. S. D. Headlam then went into the witness-box. Answering Mr. Humphreys, he said he lived at 31, Upper Bedford-place, and was worth £1,250 when all his debts were paid. He was willing to give bail for the appearance of Mr. Oscar Wilde at the next Sessions of the Central Criminal Court.
Lord Douglas of Hawick, who said his present address was Chalk House, Long Ditton, gave a similar assurance.
Mr. Vaughan—Have you any other name?
Witness—Yes, Percy Sholto Douglas.
Mr. Vaughan—Let these gentlemen go into the office and enter into their recognisances. Some officer must go with my order to the gaol, so that the defendant might be brought here in a cab at once.
Later in the day Mr. Wilde was brought from Holloway to Bow-street in the custody of Sergeant White, the chief gaoler at Bow-street, and Sergeant Brockwell, and taken into the clerk's office, where he was joined by his sureties. The formal proceedings of signing the bonds and the bail books here took place, and Mr.. Wilde, with his friends, then left the building by the magistrate's private door.