Quebec Morning Chronicle - Monday, May 27, 1895

Wilde and Taylor sentenced.

The trial of Oscar Wilde was resumed in the Old Bailey Court this morning. Sir Frank Lockwood continuing his address to the jury for the prosecution. He delisted upon the intimacy of Wilde with Taylor, and said that leniency ought not to be shown to one and not to the other, because of the position and intellect of one. Sir Edward Clarke protested against counsel's confusing Taylor's case with Wilde. Sir Frank Lockwood expressed the hope that the jury would not regard Wilde’s letters as prose poems, but would appreciate them at their proper level, which was rather lower than that of beasts. Sir Edward Clarke angrily objected to the language used by the prosecuting counsel and a heated argument between the two ensued. After a protracted wrangle the Judge interfered and advised Sir Frank Lockwood to confine himself to the discussion of the evidence and not start out upon any rhetorical denunciation of the prisoner. Sir Frank Lockwood finished his address by saying that Wilde’s own admissions point conclusively to his guilt. The Judge, in summing up, said that Wilde confessed that his conduct in regard to Lord Alfred Douglas had been such that he (the Judge) could not ask the jury, as in the previous trial, to say that there was no ground for charging him with having posed as a criminal. The Judge, in the course of his remarks to the jury, dealt with each of the charges contained in the indictment, his opinion being plainly and strongly against the prisoner. In regard to Wilde’s letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, he said they might be "prose poems," but they were nonetheless poison to a young man's mind and the writer was clearly not a desirable companion for the young. The Judge finished his charge at three o’clock and the jury retired. Before the jury retired, the foreman asked the Court if a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Lord Alfred Douglas. The Judge said that no warrant had been issued, whereupon the foreman said: But if we must consider these letters as evidence of guilt, they surely show that Lord Douglas’ guilt is equal to that of Wilde. The jury occupied two hours in their con­sideration of the case. They found Wilde guilty, and Wilde and Taylor were both sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at hard labor. After their verdict had been rendered. Sir Edward Clarke, in behalf of Wilde, and counsel for Alfred Taylor, made application for a postponement of sentence. The Judge peremptorily refused to grant the application, and in his remarks described the offences of which the prisoners were guilty as the most heinous that had ever come to his notice. This view was apparently shared by the spectators, as when the Judge sentenced Wilde and Taylor to two years’ imprisonment at hard labor, many persons present cried "shame." When the sentence was pronounced, Wilde appeared to be stunned. As the last word of the sentence was uttered, the apostle of aestheticism was hurried to his cell a felon.

The Marquis of Queensberry has applied to the Treasury to recoup him the £2,000 expended in the Wilde case. The Treasury offered him £100. The Marquis, in reply, says that unless he is reimbursed he will raise the question in Parliament.