Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-26
OSCAR WILDE is CONVICTED
SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS AT
HARD LABOR.
HE WRITES AN EsTHETIc STATE
MENT OF WHY HE WAS FOND
OF BOYS OF BOTH HIGH AND
LOW pEGREE-rHE SCENE IN
couRT-LoRp DOUGLASS.


LONDON, May 20.
The sensational trial OF oscar Wilde |
on the charge OF immoral practices re-
suited today In a verdict Of guilty ana
the prisonerw as sentenced TO two |
years Imprisonment at hard labor. AL
fred Taylor, Wilde's associate. was also |
sentenced to two years imprisonment.
The trial having reached its final stage
the old Bailey court room was nlied
with interested spectators almost as
soon as the doors were opened today
Sir Frank Lockwood, the solicitor gem
eral, resumed his address to the Jury,
which he had Just begun when court
adjourned yesterday. The prisoners
intimacy with Lord Alfred Douglass
and the exhibition of the younger by
the elder one at hotels and public
places in and about London was severe
! ly commented upon by counsel.
! Referring to the much commented
upon letters which Wilde wrote to Lord
/ Alfred Douglass counsel said that the
/ Jury had been told they could not APP
/ preciate such poetry. and he thanked
God It was so, as it showed they were
I above the level of beasts. Appianse,
| Nnlcn the 1uutt HhlPANoSNN''
Sir Edward Clarke, the leading eoun-
sci for Wilde, here interposed obJec-
lions 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
n verdict which would prevent such
detestable and abomlnable vice to rear
its head unbloshingly in this ooun-
try"
| Justice wills began summing up Mt
1880 p. IN. The general tenor Of his ed
dress TO the jury was favorable to
| Wilde.
During his address the foreman of
the Jury asked whether in view of the
intimacy between Lord Alfred Douglass
and Alfred Wood. one of the men
whose nameh ad been prominently
brought into the case warrant for
Lord Alfred's arrest had ever been
issued. The judge replied that he
thought not
The foreman OF the jury then asked
II Il has ever been contemplated 10
issue warrant for the arrest OF Lord
Alfred Douglass. TO this the Judge
| replied that he could not ray. ana the
court adjourned for iones.
When court reassembled for business
the Judge said that the suspicion that
Lord Alfred Douglass would be spared
II guilty, simply because he was LORD
Alfred Douglass, was wild idea and
n matter which they would not discuss.
The present Inquiry was as to whether
the man in the dock was guilty of i'm
moral practices with certain persons.
Justice Wills concluded at the ex-
piration OF two hours. whereupon the
jury retired.
The Jury returned to court at $50 n
m, after having been absent two hours
and returned verdict of guilty against
the defendant. Wilde was sentenced
to two years imprisonment at hard The
Jury found wilde guilty on all the
counts OF the Indictment, including
the charge with reference to persons
unknown who are supposed to be
guilty. This possibly refers to the Sa-
voy hotel. evidence TO which place
Wilde was accused of taking Charles
Parker, a gentleman's servant AFTER
treating the latter to choice dinner
at Kettner's restaurant.
The announcement OF the verdict
! caused n great sensation In court, as II
was the general impression that Wilde
would escape conviction, After short
interval the Judge called Wilde and
Taylor. who was convicted of immoral
, practices last week, TO the bar, and
/, they were each sentenced to two years
: at hard labor.
y While the jury was out, at the re
. quest OF the representative OF the As
4 ISOLATED Press, Wildes counsel pro
i cured the following signed statement
! from wilde, who was waiting In tn
4 prisoners room below the dock;
"The charges alleged against me
are entirely untrue. Youth IN eVerS
form always fascinated me, because
youth has naturally that Temperament
: 10 which artists try to attain. Al
e works OF art are work produced II
n the moment of youth. j have no sens'
[ at all OF social grades. / love societ,
L: and the rich and well born on aceoun
e OF their luxury, culture the grace
e their lives, the external accidents
= oomely life. But any one, ploughboy
IS fishernnn or street arab, Mere hu
e ntanity Is so wonderful that i do no
ask OF tho young what they do: d.
not care who they are. Their ignor
anoe has It's mode of wisdom; thei
v lack of culture leaves them open +
: fresh and vivid impresslons.
> OSCAR WILDE"
g statement Is cabled to the Associate
. press Is written throughout in Wilde
Il own handwriting, which is extremel
l. graceful and firm, on sheet OF fools
Ia cap paper and 1t Is signed with
Il flourish.
= When the foreman OF the jury de
liyered the verdict. Wilde. who ha
entered the prisoners dock momen
before. rose from the chair upon whic
y he had seated throughout the tria
u and stood with his arms on the rail O
l. the dock. The silence which prevaile
le throughout the court room was real
e painful as Justice willis ordered tina
le Alfred Taylor should also be sun
re moned before him.
20 Then. IN voice trembling with emo
- tion, the Justice said:
r II never before had such a shock
A. ing case as this to deal with. To me
le such as you are by the very nature 9
your crime lost 10 all sense OF rernorH
for what you have done To thin
that you. Taylor. should be the keepe
n OF male brothel and that you, Wild
4 a man Of reputed culture. should be
- preyerter OF young men. There Is n
q doubt but that the verdict Is JUS
n one. and shall give you the full per
~ atty allowed by law, aud ] only n
m gret that It Is not more severe. 70
\ are both sentenced 10 hard labor 70
n the term OF two years"
N Wilde did not look at the 5udg
a. while the sentence was being pre-
n nonnced HIS eyes royed around tn
~ court room. His face never change
color, and he looked like man VIII