The Chicago Tribune - Thursday, May 2, 1895

Oscar Wilde's Case Ends in a Mistrial
JURY IN THE WILDE CASE DISAGREES.
Application for Bail Denied and He Goes
Back to Jail.

London, May 1. - In the Old Bailey Court today Justice Charles summed up the case against Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor. The Justice admitted there was corroboration of the witnesses, but the jury, he added, would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood, and Aikens, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the Justice’s opinion, properly described as blackmailers. The Justice also urged the jury not to be influenced by Wilde's writings, saying that many great men had written indecently. The jury must exercise their own judgment as to the character of Wilde’s letters to Lord Alfred Douglas.

The jury retired at 1:30, but after several hours' deliberations returned and announced there was no possibility of coming to an agreement. When Sir Edward Clarke asked for bail Justice Charles said the application must be made in chambers. Wilde will be tried again at the next session of the Central Criminal Court. There was a big crowd outside Old Bailey during the last stages of the trial today, but there was no demonstration for or against the prisoner.

The verdict was received with incredulous amazement by the general public, although such a result was regarded as almost inevitable by those who had heard or had read the Judge’s charge to the jury. At the House of Commons, in West End clubs, and other places of general resort opinion is freely expressed the result was a miscarriage of justice. It is not obligatory on the part of the counsel for the crown to prosecute again, and it is already being said in legal and social circles the authorities would scarcely be justified in raking up all the filth connected with the case anew. At the same time, it is thought no great harm would result if Wilde were allowed to go free with the stigma which the disagreement of the jury has left upon him. He will, at any rate, certainly be barred from decent society. When the jury had remained in consultation for some time and the foreman announced it could not agree Wilde passed his hand across his forehead with a deep drawn sigh of relief, and it seemed as if he would fall fainting in his place in the dock. Five of the jury were for acquittal and the remaining seven for convicting on a minor count of indecent conduct.