The Pall Mall Gazette - Wednesday, May 22, 1895

OSCAR WILDE AT THE OLD BAILEY.
THE SECOND TRIAL.
CASE OPENED BY THE SOLICITOR-GENERAL.

Oscar Wilde again surrendered at the Old Bailey to-day, before Mr. Justice Wills, to take his trial upon an indictment alleging several offences against the Criminal Law Amendment Act, upon occasions ranging from the 20th of February, 1892, to the 22nd of October, 1893. The Solicitor-General (Sir F. Lockwood), Mr. Sutton, Mr. C. F. Gill, and Mr. Horace Avory prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury; while Sir Edward Clarke, Mr. C. Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended. The Solicitor-General said the most convenient way of conducting the trial would be, he thought, to take the proof of the offences in their chronological order. The first case would be that of Edward Shelley, the lad who, at the time he made Wilde's acquaintance, was employed at the establishment of Wilde's publishers at a salary of 15s. a week, afterwards raised to 25s. Corroboration of Shelley's evidence would be found in the testimony of the proprietor of the Hotel Albemarle, and of Mr. Elkin Mathews, who saw a letter in Wilde's handwriting addressed to Shelley. The next offence charged was in respect of Alfred Wood, and then came those with persons unknown at the Savoy Hotel, with regard to which the evidence was, he thought, very direct, and well worthy of their acceptance. There was corroboration of very material particulars, too, in the case of Charles Parker. For instance, Parker described a supper he had with Wilde at the Savoy Hotel, and a Savoy waiter was forthcoming to prove that although he could not identify Parker, not having taken any notice of him, yet he recollected taking up the very cold chicken and champagne of which Parker had spoken, there being with Wilde at the time he did so a young fellow. Edward Shelley was then called and examined by Mr. Gill.