Daily Times - Saturday, May 25, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
OSCAR IS FOUND GUILTY.
He and Taylor Sentenced to Two Years’ Imprisonment With Hard Labor.
[…]
London, May 25.— There was the usual crowd of interested spectators in the court room of the Old Bailey this morning to witness the trial of Oscar Wilde. When the court adjourned yesterday, Sir F. Lockwood, solicitor-general, had just commenced his address to the jury on behalf of the prosecution, and it was expected he would denounce Wilde in strong language when he resumed his argument to-day. Wilde took his seat in the prisoners’ dock facing the jury and looking extremely anxious. As expected, when Sir Frank Lockwood resumed his speech, he dealt very severely with Wilde in his reference to the prisoner’s intimacy with Lord Alfred Douglas. Referring to the much-commented-upon letters which Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas, counsel said the jury had been told they were too low to appreciate such poetry, and he, Sir Frank, thanked God it was so, as he hoped they were above the level of beasts. (Applause.) Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for Wilde, here interposed objections to such appeals as that just made by sir Frank Lockwood, which counsel claimed should not be allowed. Sir Frank continued his speech. HE warned the jury to render a verdict which would prevent such a detestable and abominable practice to rear its head unblushingly in this country. Justice Wills began his summing up at 1:30 p.m. The general tenor of his address to the jury was favorable to Wilde. The jury retired at 3:30 p.m.
London, May 25.- There was the usual crowd of interested spectators in the court room of the Old Bailey this morning all anxious to witness the trial of Oscar Wilde. When the court adjourned yesterday Sir Frank Lockwood, Solicitor General, had just commenced his address to the jury on behalf of the prosecution, and it was expected that he would denounce Wilde in strong language when he resumed his argument to-day. Wilde took his seat in the prisoner's dock, facing the jury, and looking extremely anxious. As was expected, when Sir Frank Lockwood resumed his speech he dealt very severely with Wilde in his reference to the prisoner's intimacy with Lord Alfred Douglas. Referring to the much- commented upon letters which Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas, counsel said the jury had been told that they were too low to appreciate such poetry, and he, Sir Frank Lockwood, thanked God it was so, and he hoped that they were above the level of beasts. (Applause.) Sir Edward Clarke leading counsel for Wilde, here interposed objections to such appeals as were just made by Sir Frank Lockwood, which the counsel claimed should not be allowed. Sir Frank Lockwood continued his speech. He warned the jury to render a verdict which would prevent such a "detestable and abominable practice to rear up its head unblushingly in this country." Justice Wills began summing up at 1:30 p. m. The general tenor of his address to the jury was favorable to Wilde. The jury retired at 3:30 p. m.
London, May 25 — There was the usual crowd of interested spectators in the court room of the Old Bailey this morning all anxious to witness the trial of Oscar Wilde. When the court adjourned yesterday, Sir F. Lockwood, solicitor-general, had just commenced his address to the jury on behalf of the prosecution, and it was expected he would denounce Wilde in strong language when be resumed his argument today. Wilde took his seat in the prisoners' dock, facing the jury, and looking extremely anxious. As expected, when Sir Frank Lockwood resumed his speech, he dealt very severely with Wilde in his reference to the prisoner's intimacy with Lord Alfred Douglass. Referring to the much commented upon letters which Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas, counsel said the jury had been told they were too low to appreciate such poetry, and he (Sir Lockwood) thanked God it was so, as be hoped they were above the level of beasts. (Applause.) Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for Wilde, here interposed objections to such appeals as has just been made by Sir Frank, which counsel claimed should not be allowed. Sir Frank Lockwood continued his speech. He warned the jury to render a verdict which would prevent such "a detestable and abominable practice to rear its head unblushingly in the country."
London, May 25 — There was the usual crowd of interested spectators in the court room of the Old Bailey this morning, all anxious witnesses at the trial of Oscar Wilde. When the court adjourned yesterday, Sir F. Lockwood, solicitor-general, had just commenced his address to the jury on behalf of the prosecution, and it was expected he would denounce Wilde in strong language when presumed his argument today. Wilde took his seat in the prisoner’s dock facing the jury and looking extremely anxious. As expected when Sir Frank Lockwood resumed his speech, he dealt very severely with Wilde in his reference to the prisoner’s intimacy with Lord Alfred Douglas. Referring to the much commented upon letters which Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred Douglas, counsel said the jury had been told they were too low to appreciate such poetry and he, Sir Frank Lockwood, thanked God it was so, as he showed they were above the level of beasts. Applause.
The jury found Wilde guilty on all the counts of the indictment, including the charge with reference to persons unknown, who were also pronounced to be guilty. After a short interval the judge called Wilde and Taylor to the bar and each was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labor.
The jury returned in a short time having found Wilde guilty on all the counts of the indictment, including the charge with reference to persons unknown. After a short interval the judge called Wilde and Taylor to the bar and they were sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
While the jury were out, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, Wilde’s counsel procured the following signed statement from Wilde, who was waiting with the prisoners in the room below the dock: "The charge alleged against me are entirely untrue. Youths of every form are always attractive, because youth has naturally the temperament to which the artist has to try to attain. All works of art are works produced in a moment of youth, and I have seen all the several grades. I love the society of the rich and well-born, on account of the luxury, culture and grace of their lives, but any one, ploughboy or street arab, has interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful, I do not ask of the young men what they do, I do not care who they are. Their ignorance has its mode of wisdom, their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions. [signed.) Oscar Wilde." The document of the above statement was written throughout in Wilde's own writing.
While the jury was out, at the request of the representative of the Associated Press, Wilde's counsel procured the following statement from Wilde who was waiting in the prisoners' room below the dock: "The charges alleged against me are entirely untrue. Youth in every form has fascinated me, because youth has naturally that temperament to which the artist has to try to attain. All works of art are works produced in a moment of youth, and I have a sense of all the serial grades. I love society, the rich and well-born, on account of their luxury, culture and the graces of their lives, and the external accidents of comely life. But anyone, plough boy, fisherman, or street arab, has an interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful. I do not ask of the young what they do, I do not care who they are, their ignorance has its mode of wisdom, their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions. (Signed) Oscar Wilde." The document of the above statement is written in Wilde's own writing.
While the jury was out, at the request of the representative of the Associated Press, Wilde's counsel procured the following statement from Wilde who was waiting in the prisoners' room below the dock: "The charges alleged against me are entirely untrue. Youth in every form has fascinated me, because youth has naturally that temperament to which the artist has to try to attain. All works of art are works produced in a moment of youth, and I have a sense of all the serial grades. I love society, the rich and well-born, on account of their luxury, culture and the graces of their lives, and the external accidents of comely life. But anyone, plough boy, fisherman, or street arab, has an interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful, I do not ask of the young what they do, I do not care who they are, their ignorance has its mode of wisdom, their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions. (Signed) Oscar Wilde."
The jury yesterday found Oscar Wilde guilty on all the counts of the indictment, including the charge with reference to persons unknown who were also pronounced to be guilty. After a short interval the judge called Wilde and Taylor to the bar and each was sentenced to two years' imprisonment at hard labor. While the jury was out, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, Wilde's counsel procured the following signed statement from Wilde, who was waiting with the prisoners in the room below the dock: "The charges alleged against me are entirely untrue. Youths of every form always attracted me, because youth has naturally that temperament to which an artist has to try to attain. All works of art are works produced in the moment of youth and I have seen all serial grades. I love the society of the rich and well born, on account of their luxury, culture and the grace of their lives, but anyone, ploughboy or street arab, has an interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful. I do not ask of the young what they do ; I do not care who they are, their ignorance has its mode of wisdom, their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions. (Signed) Oscar Wilde." The above statement was written throughout in Wilde's own writing.
While the jury was out Wilde's counsel procured for him, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, the following signed statement:—"The charges against me are entirely untrue. Youth in every form always fascinated me because youth has naturally that temperament to which the artists try to attain. All works of art are produced in the moment of youth. I have no sense at all of social grades. I love society and the rich and well-born on account of their luxury, culture, the grace of their lives and the external accidents of comely life. But any one, a plough boy, fisherman, or street arab has an interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful. I do not ask of the young what they do. I don't care who they are. Their ignorance has its mode of wisdom. Their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions.—Oscar Wilde."
While the jury were out, Wilde's counsel procured from him, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, the following signed statement:—"The charges against me are entirely untrue. Youth in every form always fascinated me because youth has naturally that temperament to which the artists try to attain. All works of art are produced in the moment of youth. I have no sense at all of social grades. I love society and the rich and well-born on account of their luxury, culture, the grace of their lives, and the external accidents of comely life. But anyone, a ploughboy, fisherman, or street arab has an interest for me. Mere humanity is so wonderful. I do not ask of the young what they do. I don't care who they are. Their ignorance has its mode of wisdom. Their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions.
While the jury was out, at the request of a representative of the Associated Press, Wilde’s counsel procured the following signed statement from Wilde: "The charges against me are entirely untrue. Youth in every form always fascinated me, because it has naturally that temperament to which the artists try to attain. All works are works produced in the moments of youth. I have no sense at all of social grades. I love society and the rich and well born on account of their luxury, culture, grace of their lives, external accents of a comely life. But anyone, ploughboy, fisherman, street arab has an interest for me, mere humanity is so wonderful. I doubt if I can ask of the young what they do. Their lack of culture leaves them open to fresh and vivid impressions."