The Cork Examiner - Thursday, May 2, 1895

THE CASE OF OSCAR WILDE

London, Wednesday. Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor again appeared in the dock at the Central Criminal Court today, on the several indictments preferred against them. Mr Justice Charles began his summing up to the jury by remarking that the prosecuting counsel had acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy, and up to that part of the case he should direct a verdict of not guilty. It was a rule of law that uncorroborated testimony of an accomplice could not be accepted, but there was corroboration of the witnesses in this case, in the sense in which the law required it. Parker, Atkins and Wood had been properly described as blackmailers, and being also accomplices, the jury in considering the details of their evidence, would have to weigh their character. His lordship briefly commented on the case of Wilde v Queensberry, and passing to the literary part of the case said he did not think that in a criminal case there ought to place an unfavourable inference upon the fact that Wilde was the author of "Dorien Grey." In the last century noble-minded men penned volumes which it was painful for a modest person to peruse. Wilde could not be held responsible for "The Priest and Acolyte" the works of another. He called particular attention to Wilde's answers given in cross-examination, in which he denied that his letters to Lord Alfred Douglas breathed an unnatural passion. Upon this the jury would exercise their own judgment. The learned judge next approached the consideration of the charges in the order of their date. Shelley was undoubtedly in the position of an accomplice, but his evidence was sufficiently corroborated to entitle the jury to consider it.

Long quotations were read by his Lordship from Shelley's letters, in one of which the writer said, "I am afraid sometimes I am not very sane." To deal with Shelley's evidence would be an interesting and responsible part of the jury’s duty. There was proof of excitability, and Shelley had told a nauseous tale : but to talk of him as an insane man would be to exaggerate the effect of the letters. His Lordship severely commented on the character of Frederick Atkins, whose impudent denial and subsequent admission of the facts in the Pimlico blackmailing incident had proved him to be untruthful and unscrupulous. The Savoy Hotel evidence was a most anxious part of the inquiry, and in regard to it he must observe that there was nothing against the character of the Crown witnesses. After a reference to the part played by Wood in the matter of the Douglas and Wilde letters, his Lordship reviewed the evidence against Taylor in respect of alleged acts of indecency with Charles and William Parker. The inquiry, said his Lordship in conclusion, was of great importance to the public, and he committed the questions to the jury with perfect confidence.

The jury retired to consider their verdict at 1.35.

At 5.15 the jury returned into court, and informed his lordship that they could not agree upon certain of the questions submitted to them. Replying to questions later, the foreman said that there was no possibility of agreement.

Upon the count of conspiracy his Lordship had early in the day directed a verdict of not guilty, and a formal finding was now arrived at on this and minor counts, but the judge observed that all the material questions were unhappily undecided. He discharged the jury and refused to bail Wilde and Taylor, informing Sir E Clarke that the application must be made in Chambers.

Mr Gill, who appeared for the Treasury in the prosecution, notified that the case would be retried next session. The prisoners, who had been brought back to court for the purpose of hearing the result, were then removed in custody. Wilde engaged in conversation for a few minutes with one of his legal representatives.