The sun., 1895-05-26
OSCAR WILDE CONVICTED.
THE VERDICT STAGGERED HIAr,
FOR HE EXPECTED TO ESCAPE.
Both ne and Taylor Arc Sentenced 20 Two
Years nt Hard Lsbor.The JudRe's suu,-
rainE Up Was Strongly Against wilde
The Jury Asked n n Warrant Had Beon
Issued fer the Arrest OF Young Douglas.

Special Cable Despdtch 10 THE Sun.
LONDON, May 25.-An Old Bailey jury, eau
tiously empanelled. and, rs 1t seemed. carefully
coached by the Judge OF the High Court, has
declared Oscar Wilde guilty OF the abominable
offences charged against him. Public opinion.
which is often on the side of the accused. and
almost invariably sympathetic in regard to any
prisoner standing n second trial for tho same
crime. had from the first pronounced, with
nearly absolute unnnimity. that he was guilty
Of everything set forth In tho indictment and of
much moro. Tho country Judged him out of
his own mouth and SO did tho Jury 10 a large ex-
tent.
Any other result would havo been disgrace
to the intelligence Of English jurymen and
crying shame upon British justice. 1t is inn
possible, however, to conceal the fact that from
the flrst the common people believed that Wilde
would never be convicted. Instinctvoly. thoy
felt that the influence behind this shameless
friend Of princes and mobiles would prove too
powerful for ordinary judicial procedure. The
police had placed the Government in possession
Of the names of mon of rank. wealth. and fash
ion who undeniably shared In some OF Wilde g
orgies. and had collected evidence amply sum-
cient to place them in the criminal dock with
the hearty approval of all clean men. But the
Secretary of State took no step against them to
vndicate outraged morals or avenge fouted
justice.
The passionate shout which went up from tho
nation when Wilde's impudent action. designed
to stop the mouths of his accusers, ignobly col
lapsed. compelled the Government to take ac-
tion against him and his foul accomplice. Tay-
lor. But Lord Alfred Douglas and other men
whose evidence would have made the case
against Wilde and others even more complete
and irrefutable were allowed to leave the coun-
try. They are still abroad. but doubtless they
will return to this country In short time. Sc
cure against punishment. Possibly 1t is as we'll
for Wilde's conviction can scarcely fail to prove
an effectual deterrent for years to come. and 1t
will be to the public interest TO let this awful
scandal become forgotten.
Honest men have from tho first displayed un-
usual, perhaps unchristian eagerness for con-
viction in this case. During the last two or
three days fierce and universal resentment has
been spoken and shown at what appeared to
superficial observers almost coIlusion on the
part Of the Judge and the lawyers in order to
save Wilde. But Justice Wilis's summing up.
which unex xpectedly proved to be n strictly ju-
diciai piece of work, together with the Solicit
mastery speech and the common
sense of a jury Of plain citizens, finally pre-
vailed.
Wilde was full of confidence to the last so
that tho resui: was staggering blow to him.
Glove to the roof of his mouth. and ho sank
back in his chair mental and physical
wreck. The final scene was truly. perhaps ft-
tingly. dramatic.
BY the United Fress
The trial of Oscar Wilde was resumed in tho
Continuing his address 70 she nrn ,or Ss
persecution; 'ss He diated upon the intimacy OF
ous6s %ta br bS shown apa 9a sd that
other because OF the position and intellect OF
Sir Edward Clarke protested against the coun-
sells confusing Taylor's case with Wilde: s:
SIT +. lockwood expressed hope that the jury
poems."" but would appreciate them at their
proper level. which was rather lower than that
Sir Edward Clarks angrily objected to tho |
ussd by the
and advised Lockwood to confine Himself to cd dis t.
cussion Of the evidence and not start out on any
Mr.. lockwood finished his address by saying
that Wilde,s own admissions pointed conclu-
The Judge in summing up dealt with each of
ths , en-; charges M contained In the indictment. his
0Pnoe being pany and strongly against the
Alfred Douglas. he said they might be prose
poems but they were none the less poison to a |
not desirable companion for tho young
The Judge finished his charge at o'clock and
hsd beee see
issued for the arrest OF Lord Alfred Douglas
The Judge said that no warrant had been
Issued. whereupon the foreman said: . But II
we must consider these letters as evidence OF
guilt they surely show that Lord Douglass guilt
Is equal to that OF Wilde"
The jury returned a verdict Of guilty and the
Judge sentenced Wilde and Taylor. the latter's
sentence having been suspended pending the re-
suit OF the trial of Wilde, to two years at hard
laDOr each.
The jury occupied two hours in the considera-
tion of the case. After their verdict had been
rendered Sir Edward Clarke, on behalf OF Wilde,
and counsel for Alfred Taylor. made application
for for postponement Of sentence. The, Judge
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 ap-
peared to be stunned. AS the last word of the
sentence was uttered the apostle Of estheticism
-, The Marquis of Queensberry has applied to
.he Treasury to rrcoup him for the e., 900 ex-
pended In the Wilde case. Tho Treasury Of
'ered him fl00. The Marquis. in reply to this
'ffer says that unless he Is reimbursed he will
'aise the question in Parliament.
THE ANEER,9 G0N