Belfast News-Letter - Saturday, April 20, 1895

THE CHARGES AGAINST OSCAR WILDE.
THE PRISONER COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.
BY OUR PRIVATE WIRE.

London, Friday.— At Bow Street to-day, before Sir J. Bridge, the hearing was resumed of the charges against Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor under the Criminal Law Amendment Act. Mr. C. F. Gill (instructed by Mr. Angus Lewis, of the Treasury) prosecuted, Sir E. Clarke and Mr. Humphreys appeared on behalf of Wilde, Mr. A. Newton defended Taylor, and Mr. J. P. Grain watched the case in the interests of Mavor. The court was again crowded. Charles Parker (recalled) gave evidence as to certain charges against Taylor. William Parker (also recalled) spoke as to the conduct of Taylor at Little College Street. Frederick Curley, an ex-detective inspector, said he had acted for Messrs. Russell & Day with respect to certain inquiries made in connection with the case. He had visited a house in Chapel Street, Gark Walk, and on one occasion received a hatchbox containing some papers from the landlady. Among them were several cheques made out to Mavor. Charles Robinson, a book-keeper at the Savoy Hotel, said that Wilde stayed there from March 2 to March 29, 1893. Theodore Leith, a clerk at the Marylebone branch of the London and Westminster Bank, produced an account of Taylor's banking transactions there from January 1, 1893, to December 29, 1893, when the account was closed. Reginald W. Brooks, a clerk at the Westminster branch of the London and Westminster Bank, put in a certified copy of Wilde's banking account from January, 1892, up to April 9 last. John W. Lehmann and Ebenezer Howard, shorthand writers, next produced a transcript of the shorthand notes taken by them at the Central Criminal Court in the case of the Queen v. Queensberry. Mr. Gill intimated that this closed the case for the prosecution. He said he had taken from the depositions the charges on which he would ask the magistrate to commit the defendants for trial. The clerk having read the list, Sir J. Bridge asked the prisoners whether they wished to say anything in answer to these charges. Wilde said—Not at present, your Worship. Mr. Newton, asked the magistrate's ruling upon the question whether there was sufficient evidence upon which Taylor could be committed. The charge rested entirely upon the evidence of two persons who in the highest sense of the word were discredited witnesses. Sir J. Bridge considered the evidence sufficient for committal. Taylor reserved his defence. Mr. Humphreys asked that Wilde should be admitted to bail. He said that his client was prepared to find a substantial amount. Mr. Newton also applied that Taylor should be admitted to bail. The magistrate pointed out that he had to exercise his discretion in granting bail, having regard to the gravity of the charge and the strength of the evidence. With reference to the former, there was to his mind no offence so grave as those charged against the prisoners ; and as to the evidence he would say no more than it was not slight. Therefore, he refused bail. The prisoners were then removed to the cells.