The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-06-01
Co ,victed and Sentenced to Two
Years
IN PRISON AT HARD LABOR
Lord George Shoito Douglas, Son of the
Marquis. Finds Still Further
Notoriety.

London. May 25.-Oscar Wilde was
found guilty in the Old Bailey today |
and sentenced to two years inprison-
ment at hard labor. The Jury retired |
at $50 and in two hours returned YER
dict.
Alfred Taylor, one Of Wilde's com
panions in crime, received similar SEN
tence.
While the jury was out, at the request
of a representative of the Associated
Press, Wilde's counsel procured the fol-
lowing signed statement from Wilde:
The charges alleged against me are en-
tirely untrue. Youth In every form always
fascinated me, because youth has natu-
rally that temperament to which artists
try to attain. All works of art are works
produced in moment of youth.
l have no sense at all of social grades.
love society and the rich and the we'll
born on account of their luxury, the cul-
ture and grace of their lives, the external
accidents of comedy life, but any one.
plowboy, fisherman or street Arab has an
interest for me.
Mere humanity is so wonderful
do not ask of the young what they do.
don't care who they are. Their ignor-
ance has its mode of wisdom Their lack
! of culture leaves them open to fresh and
| vivid Impressions.
OSCAR WILDE.
When the foreman of the jury deliv-
cred the verdict, Wilde, who had eR-
tered the prisoners dock moment be-
! fore, rose from the chair on which he
had been seated throughout the trial
! and stood with his arms on the rail of
| the dock The silence which prevailed
| throughout the courtroom was really
painful as Justice Wills ordered that
Alfred Taylor should also be summoned
before him. Then in a voice trembling
with emotion the justice said:
Il never before had such a shocking
case as this to deal with. Two men such
as you are, by the nature of your crime,
lost to all sense of remorse for what you
have done. To think that you, Taylor,
should be the keeper of brothel and
that you, Wilde, man of culture,
should be such a perverter of young
men. There is no doubt but that the
verdict is a just one, and I shall give
you the full penalty allowed by law and
| only regret that it is not more severe.
! You are both sentenced to hard labor
for the term of two years.
Wilde did not look at the judge while
the sentence was being pronounced.
His eyes roved around the room and his
!; face never changed color. and he looked
like a man who had made up his mind
to make the best of a bad situation
Taylor smiled when sentence was pro-
; nounced. AS Wilde turned in the dock
= and started to go back to the prisoners
room the crowd yelled: "Shame!
"Shame!'
? This shouting caused Judge Wills tc
rise to exclaim in a loud and determined
;, voice: "Silence!
f The courtroom was filled with inter
= ested spectators. Sir Frank Lockwood
] the solicitor general. concluded his ad
= dress to the jury. The prisoners init
e macy with Lord Alfred Douglas and the
exhibition of the younger man by th'
= elder one at the hotels and 1t public
h places in and about London were severe
: ly commented upon. Referring to tn
/ letters Wilde wrote Lord Alfred Doug
n las, counsel said the jury had been tol'
e they were too low to appreciate sucl
poetry" and he thanked God it was sc
as it showed they were above the leve
v of beasts.
There was q burst of applause. whicl
= the Judge promptly suppressed. 81
Edward Clarke leading counsel 70
l. Wilde, here interposed objections t
Is such appeals.
e Lockwood asked the jury to render
Il verdict which would not permit such de
/ testable and abominable vice to rear il
< head unblushingly in the country.
y Justice Wills began summing up q
'e 30 p. m, the general tenor of his &C
J. dress being favorable to Wilde.