Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-05-30
WILDE FOUND GUILTY.
Jury in the Case of the Disgraced
London Author was Out
Two Hours.

London. May 25.-Oscar Wilde, the
erstwhile apostle of estheticism and he
of sunfower fame, has been found guilty
of serious misdemeanors and has been
sentenced to two years imprisonment Al
hard labor. Alfred Taylor, who was III
dicted with Wilde, but who was con-
yicted On a separate trial, was given like
sentence.
Wilde's trial having reached its final
stage. the Old Bailey courtroom was
filled with interested spectators almost as
soon the doors were opened today. Sir
Frank Lockwood, the solicitor-general, re-
sumed his address to the jury which he
had just begun when court adjourned yes,
terday. The prisoners intimacy with
Lord Alfred Douglas and the exhibition
of the younger man by the elder one at
hotels and public places in and about
London We're severely commented upon
by counsel.
Referring to the much commented upon
letters which Wilde wrote to Lord Alfred
Douglas. counsel said that the jury had
been told they We're too low to appreciate
such poetry, and he thanked God it was
SO, as it showed they were above the level
of beasts. applause which the judge
promptly suppressedJ
Sir Edwin Clarke, leading counsel for
Wilde, here interposed objections to such
appeals as the one just made by Sir
Frank Lockwood, which counsel claimed
should not be allowed. When Sir Frank
Lockwood continued his speech, he
warned the jury to render q verdict which
would prevent such Il detestable and
abominable vice to rear its head I'M
blushingly in this country. Justice Wills
began summing up at 100 p. m. The
general tenor of his address to the jury
was favorable to Wilde. The jury re-
tired at 3:3O p. m.
The jury returned to the court at $50
p. ILL.,. having been absent four hours and
returned a. verdict of guilty Sentence, OF
two years imprisonment was imposed.
Alfred Taylor. Wide's associate, was
also sentenced to two years imprison-
ment Both the prisoners terms are to be
worked out at hard labor.
During the address of Justice Wills to
the jury the foreman of the jury asked
whether in view of the intimacy between
Lord Alfred Douglas and Alfred Wood,
one of the men whose name has been
brought prominently into the case. a war
rant for Lord Alfred's arrest had ever
been issued. The judge replied that he
thought not. The foreman then asked
if it had ever been contemplated to issue
Il warrant for the arrest of Lord Alfred
Douglas. To this the judge replied that
he could not say, and the court adjourned
for lunch.
When court reassembled for business
the judge said that the suspicion that
Lulu 11lIIcu IouS4dS "ouii NC
if guilty simply because he was Lord
Alfred Douglas, was n wild idea and
matter which they could not discuss.
The present inquiry was as to whether
the man in the dock was guilty of i'm
moral practices with certain persons.
The jury found Wilde guilty on all the
counts of the indictments. including the
charge with reference to persons I'M
known. This probably refers to the Sa-
yoy hotel evidence to which place Wilde
was accused of taking Charles Parker,
Il gentleman's servant, after treating the
latter to a choice dinner at kittners res
taurant. The announcement of the YER
dict caused great sensation in the
court. as it was the general impression
that Wilde would escape Conviction.
While the jury was 0It, at the request
of the representative Of the Associated
press. Wilde's counsel procured The follow
Jig signed statement from Wilde who VS.
waiting in the prisoners row below the
dock:
The charges alleged against me are utterly
untrue. Youth in every form always taScl-
temperament 10 which the artists try TO at
tain. Ali works of art are works produced IN
the moment of youth. 1 have no sense at
all of social grades / love society ago me
rich and well-bGrn on account of thf.f lux
ury. culture, the grade of thcir fyes. But
anyone, pioughboy. tisherman or street Arab.
has an interest for me. Mere humanity is
so wonderful. I do not ask of the young
what they do. l don't care who they are.
Their ignorance has it's mode OF wisdom:
their lack of culture leaves them open to
fresh and vivid impressions: