The Times - Tuesday, April 30, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT, April 29.
(Before Mr. Justice Charles.)
The trial of OSCAR WILDE, 40, author, and ALFRED TAYLOR, 33, upon an indictment charging them under section 11 of tho Criminal Law Amendment Act with committing acts of gross indecency, some of the counts charging Taylor with procuring the commission of those acts, and other counts charging the prisoners with conspiring together to commit and to procure the commission of those acts, was resumed.
The trial of OSCAR WILDE, 40, author, and ALFRED TAYLOR, 33, upon an indictment charging them under section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act with committing acts of gross indecency, some of the counts charging Taylor with procuring the commission of those acts, and other counts charging the prisoners with conspiring together to commit and to procure the commission of those acts, was resumed.
The trial of Mr. Oscar Wilde, 40, author, and Alfred Taylor, 33, upon an indictment charging them, under section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, with committing acts of gross indecency, some of the counts charging Taylor with procuring the commission of these acts, and other counts charging the prisoners with conspiring together to commit and to procure the commission of these acts, was resumed.
The trial of OSCAR WILDE, 40, author, and ALFRED TAYLOR, 33, upon an indictment charging them under section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act with the commission of acts of gross indecency, some of the counts charging Taylor with procuring the commission of those acts, and other counts charging the prisoners with conspiring to commit and to procure the commission of those acts, was resumed.
OSCAR WILDE, 40, author, and ALFRED TAYLOR, 33, were indicted under Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act for the commission of acts of gross indecency, some of the counts charging Taylor with procuring the commission of those acts, and there were other counts charging the prisoners with conspiring together to commit and to procure the commission of those acts, the charge being one of misdemeanour
Mr. C. F. Gill and Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on the part of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Sir Edward Clarke, Q. C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde; and Mr. J . P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor. Mr. Leonard Kershaw and Mr. A. F. S. Pasmore held watching briefs.
Mr. F.C. Gill and Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on the part of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde; and Mr. J.P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor. Mr. Leonard Kershaw and A.F.S Pasmore held watching briefs.
Mr. C.F. Gill and Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on the part of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde, and Mr. J.P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor. Mr. Leonard Kershaw held a watching brief.
Mr. C.F.Gill and Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on the part of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr.Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde; and Mr.J,P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor. Mr. Leonard Kershaw held a watching brief.
Mr. C. F. Gill with Mr. Horace Avory conducted the prosecution on behalf of the Public Prosecutor; Sir E. Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Wilde; Mr. J. P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Taylor; and Mr. Leonard Kershaw watched the case on behalf of certain parties interested.
Mr. C. F. Gill and Mr. H. Avory prosecuted on behalf of the Treasury; Sir Edward Clarke, Q.C., Mr. Charles Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys defended Oscar Wilde; Mr. J. P. Grain and Mr. Paul Taylor defended Alfred Taylor; Mr. Leonard Kershaw watched the case on behalf of persons interested.
Mr. GRAIN said he desired to say that before the magistrate the witness Shelley said that Taylor was a stranger to him, and he should like that to be added to his Lordship's note of Shelley's evidence.
Mr. GILL said that Shelley did not mention Taylor.
Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES said he quite understood that Shelley's evidence did not affect Taylor. He would add to his note of Shelley's evidence, ``Taylor is a stranger to me."
Evidence was then given by shorthand writers, who stated that they took shorthand notes of the evidence given by Wilde at this Court on the hearing of the charge of libel brought by him against the Marquis of Queensberry.
Witnesses were called from the Savoy Hotel, who spoke to Wilde having stayed there.
Sergeant Harris gave evidence as to having watched Taylor's rooms in Little College-street. The witness also deposed to arresting Taylor on April 6 upon the charge.
Inspector Richards deposed that on the evening of April 5 he arrested Wilde upon the charge. Wilde said, "Where shall I be taken to?" Witness replied, "To Scotland-yard and then to Bow-street." Wilde said, "Can I have bail?" Witness replied, ``I do not think you can."
Inspector Brockwell said that on the evening of April 5 he was at Scotland-yard. Wilde was brought there by Inspector Richards, and witness read the warrant for his arrest to him. Wilde said, "Let me read it." Witness replied, "I cannot do that. If there is anything you do not understand I will read it to you again." Wilde said, "What are the dates mentioned?" Witness replied, ``March 11 and divers other dates.''
SIR EDWARD CLARKE asked that a letter found on Wilde should be read.
Sir Edward Clarke then asked that a letter which was found upon Wilde should be read.
Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES, having looked at the letter, said, it was only a sympathetic letter from a friend, and he did not see what bearing it had.
SIR EDWARD CLAEKE said that some letters had been put in, and he thought that letter might also be read.
Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES said he would leave it to Mr. Gill.
SIR EDWARD CLARKE said he accepted his Lordship s expression of opinion. The writer of the letter was a distinguished literary man.
Mr. JUSTICE CHARLES said he thought that what he had said sufficiently indicated what the letter was. It was a sympathetic letter from a literary friend expressing the strongest feeling as to the charge made against Wilde.
The shorthand notes of the concluding portion of the evidence given by Wilde
he shorthand notes of the concluding portion of the evidence given by Wilde at the hearing at this Court of the charge of libel brought by him against the Marquis of Queensberry, in which Wilde said that there was no truth in the allegations in the plea of justification which was put in, were read by Mr. GILL. The short-hand notes of Wilde's cross-examination were also read by Mr. Gill and Mr. Avory, who were assisted in the reading of them by Mr. A. Gill. The shorthand notes of Wilde's re-examination were read by Sir Edward Clarke.
Mr. Gill said the evidence for the prosecution was concluded.
Sir Edward Clarke handed in a formal demurrer written on parchment to the indictment.
The hearing of the case was adjourned until to-morrow.