The San Francisco Examiner - Thursday, May 2, 1895
This report was originally published in English. Machine translations may be available in other languages.
YET WILDE BEARS THE STIGMA.
Disagreement of the Jury Called
to Try the Poet for Grave
Offenses.
It Is Said That Five Were for Ac-
quittal and Seven for Par-
tial Conviction.
NOT LIKELY TO BE TRIED AGAIN.
As th Case
Stands It Is Thought the
Accused Man Will Never More
Hold Up His Head.
[Copyright, 1895, by the New York World.]
LONDON, May 1. - The jury in the Oscar Wilde trial disagreed this afternoon and was dismissed. The verdict was received with incredulous amazement by the general public, although such a result was regarded as almost inevitable by those who heard or had read the Judge’s charge to the jury. He minimized the whole evidence, and as the jury comprised a majority of unusually young men who would be absolutely led by the Judge (and a judicial summing up here has an extraordinary weight unknown with us), it was anticipated that no verdict would be obtained.
I know that the result was regarded as almost inevitable by those who heard of had read the Judge’s charge to the jury. He minimized the whole evidence, and, as the jury comprised a majority of unusually young men, who would be absolutely led by the Judge (and judicial summing up there has an extraordinary weight unknown with us), it was anticipated that no verdict would be obtained.
At the House of Commons, West End clubs and other places of general resort the opinion is freely expressed that the result was a miscarriage of justice. It is considered deplorable that such a horrible scandal should have been stirred up under the public eye without eventuating in the punishment of the offenders.
We are told that at the House of Commons, West End clubs and other places of general resort, opinion is freely expressed that the resultwas a miscarriage of justice. It is considered deplorable that such a horrible scandal should have been stirred up under the public eye without eventuating in the punishment of offenders.
The usual procedure in cases of disagreement is that the prisoner is put back in prison for retrial at the next session, which takes place one month hence, but it is not obligatory on the part of the counsel for the Crown to prosecute again.
A SECOND TRIAL UNLIKELY.
In England it is rather the exception for them to retry a prisoner the charge against whom has thus been stamped as doubtful by a jury. Whether the Crown will retry Oscar Wilde will largely depend on the way in which public opinion receives the verdict, but it is already being said in legal and social circles that the authorities would scarcely be justified in raking up all the filth connected with the case anew, with the risk that they might again fail to convince a jury of his guilt. At the same time it is thought that 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.
Wilde will, in all probability, be kept in prison until he is again put forward in the dock and the Government consents to his discharge, and the time he will then have spent in custody will be urged as an additional reason for dropping the prosecution.
WILDE SHOWS NERVOUSNESS.
When the jury had remained in consultation for some time, and when there was a growing chance of disagreement, Wilde showed more excitement and nervousness in the room in which he was confined below the court than he did at anytime since the beginning of the proceedings.
He grew quite hysterical and was in a highly unstrung condition when he was placed in the dock again to hear the foreman of the jury announce that they 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 and faint in his place in the dock.
Wilde grew quite hysterical and was in a highly-strung condition when he was placed in the dock again to hear the foreman of the jury announce that they could not agree. He passed his hand across his forehead with a deep-drawn sigh of relief, and it seemed as if he would fall and faint.
A rumor was current in the court that five of the jury were for acquittal and the remaining seven for convicting him on one minor count, under which his sentence could have exceeded two years.
Justice Charles, in summing up the case against Wilde and Taylor, said the counsel for the prosecution acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy brought against Wilde, as he would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty on that specification. He admitted that there was corroboration of the witnesses, but the jury, he added, would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood and Atkins whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the Justice’s opinion, had properly described as blackmailers.
Justice Chester, in summing up the case, said that counsel for the prosecution acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy against Wilde, as he would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of "not guilty" on that specification. He admitted that there was corroboration of the witnesses, but the jury, he added, would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood and Atkins, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the Justice’s opinion, properly described as blackmailers.
In the Old Bailey Court, May 1st, Justice Charles summed us, In doing so, he said the counsel for the prosecution acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy against Wilde, as he would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of 'not guilty' on that specification. He admitted that there was combination of the witnesses, but the jury, he added, would have to weigh the character of men like Parker, Wood, and Atkins, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the Justice's opinion, had properly described as blackmailers.
Immediately upon the opening of the court Justice Charles charged the jury. The justice, in so doing, said that counsel for the prosecution acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy brought against Wilde, as he Justice Charles, would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of "not guilty" on that specification. He said that there was corroboration of the witnesses, but, the jury he added, would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood and Atkins, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the justice’s opinion, properly described as blackmailers.
In the Old Bailey to-day Justice Charles summed up the case against Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor. He said that counsel had acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy brought against Wilde, as he would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty on that specification. There was corroboration of witnesses, but the jury would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood and Atkins, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the justice's opinion, properly described as blackmailers.
ALL LEFT TO THE JURY.
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 its own judgment as to whether Wilde’s letters to Lord Alfred Douglas breathed unnatural passion, and he also said the relations between Shelly and Wilde would be interesting matter for the jury's judgment. The jury retired at 1:30 P.M., and after being out for some time reported a disagreement. The jury was consequently discharged.
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 whether Wilde’s letters to Lord Alfred Douglas breathed an unnatural passion, and, he also said, the relations between Shelly and Wilde would be interesting matter for the jury's judgment.
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 its own judgment as to whether Wilde’s letters to Lord Alfred Douglass breathed unnatural passion, and he also said the relations between Shelly and Wilde would be interesting matter for the jury.
The Justice also urged upon the jury not to be influenced by Wilde's writings, saying that many great men had written indecently. The jury must exercise its own judgment as to whether Wilde's letters to Lord Alfred Douglas breathed unnatural passion, and he also said the relations between Shelly and Wilde would be interesting matter for the jury.
When the news of the disagreement reached the outside of the court there was great excitement and extra editions of the evening papers were brought up quickly. When Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for Wilde, asked for bail Justice Charles said the application must be made in chambers.
When the news of the disagreement reached the outside of the court there was great excitement and extra editions of the evening papers were bought up quickly. When Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for Wilde, asked for bail Justice Charles said the application must be made in chambers.
When news of the disagreement reached the outside of the court there was great excitement, and extra editions of the evening papers were bought up quickly. When Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for Wilde, asked for bail, Justice Charles said the application must be made in chambers.
As Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for the prisoner, left the court he was heard to remark: "Truth is mighty and will prevail."
As Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for the prisoner, left the court he was heard to remark, "Truth is mighty and will prevail."
As Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for the prisoner, left the court, he was heard to remark, "Truth is mighty and will prevail."
As Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for the prisoner, left the court he was heard to remark to a friend, "Truth is mighty and will prevail."
As Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for the prisoner, left the Court, he was heard to remark to a friend: "Truth is mighty and will prevail."
As Sir Edward Clarke left the court he was heard to remark to a friend: “Truth is mighty and will prevail.”
There was a big crowd outside the Old Bailey during the last stages of the trial, but there was no demonstration for or against the prisoner upon the part of the populace. In spite of this Wilde was kept in the prisoners’ room of the court for an hour after adjournment, or until the crowds had disappeared, before he was taken to Holloway Jail.
There was a big crowd of people outside the Old Bailey during the last stages of the famous trial today, but there was no demonstration for or against the prisoner upon the part of the populace. In spite of this Wilde was kept in the prisoners' room of the court for an hour after the adjournment, or until the crowds had dispersed, before he was taken to Holloway jail.
There was a big crowd of people outside the Old Bailey during the last stages of the famous trial to-day, but there was no demonstration for or against the prisoner upon the part of the populace. In spite of this, Wilde was kept in the prisoners' room of the Court for an hour after the adjournment, or until the crowds had dispersed, before he was taken to Holloway Jail.
There was a big crowd of people outside the Old Bailey during the last stages of the famous trial to-day, but there was no demonstration for or against the prisoner upon the part of the populace. In spite of this, Wilde was kept in the court until the crowds had dispersed, before he was taken to Halloway jail.