The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-02
NO VERDICT FOR WILDE.
THE jury FAILS TO AGREE AS to
HIS QUIT OR INNOCENCE.
The Judse's Chare~-He Does Not ihink
Wilde Ought to be Blamed Tor MS
Writings In Question.

courtroom was crowned at '''
of the oscar Wilde trial this morning
There was a good deal of speculation d.
TO what course the judge would pursue
in his charge to the jury and the con-
census OF opinion seeTed to be that the
result Of the trial depended more upon
the charge OF the court than upon the
views taken by the jurors. Wilde locker
careworn and anxious, but Taylor MAIN
tanned the air Of unconcern which has
characterized him throughout
1HE JUDGES CHARGE.
Justice Charles. in beginning his charge,
said that the evidence rad not SUSTAINED
the charge of conspiracy, and ne. there
fore. directed the jury TO acquit ,"e ~
oners Of those charges. The judge 'h,"
proceeded TO aralyze the evidence
lv referring TO Wilde. and besSel lne
Jury 10 dismiss from their minds an '"e
press comments and other outside tApies-
sions Of opinion on the case II was
wholesome rule, he said. 10 reluse ~ az
cept the uncorroborated testimony OF an
accomplish He was OF the opinion now
ever. that there was corrobofauoh III
the testimony Of all the witnesses, m
the sense that the law required IL dld
not, IL was true, amount 10 seeing the
actual act but IL showed the relations
and general conduct of the parties. The
young men who had been called 10 the
Wftne ss-stand were not only accom-
plices. but Parker. Wood. and Atkins.
were properly described as blackmailers.
Furthermore. Atkins had told deliberate
fasehoodG within the hearing OF the
jury. In considering the details Of the
evidence Of these Witnesses. the jury could
not overlook the fact that they were per
sons Of character which they themselves
had asserted.
THE QUEESsBERRY TRIAL.
The judge then proceeded 10 trace the
history of the Queensberry trial In re-
gard to Wildes literature. he did not
think that in a criminal case the jury
ought 20 base an unfavOrdhle inference
upon Wildes authorship Of "Doran Grey
As regarded the story Of the Priest and
Acoiite" in the Chameleon magazine. he
thought ii would be absurd 10 impute
blame TO Wilde The sonnets OF Lord
Alfred Douglas. which Wilde had APP
proved We're much more material. as
were also Wilde's letters, which Mr.. Car
son, in the Queensberry trial. had de-
scribed as horribly indecent These let
tcrs were cOuched in language Of passion
ate love. but Wilde denied that there
was anything i'm them 10 be ashamed
of. The jury. ne said. must exercise their
own judgment in regard 10 the letters lie
then proceeded 10 deal at length with the
case Of the man Shelley. who. he said
was not tainted with blackmail. Shell
ley's letters showed that his mind had
become excited In regard 70 the evid p ce
OF hotel servants and other persons In
similar positions. the judge said that
what they saw was only seen when they
answered the bcll-call from wilde An
instance of this was shown i'm the testi-
mony Of the chambermaii. who sworo
70 having seen 4 boy in the room. but
admitted that Wilde had asked the boy
10 come 10 the room and light the fire.
The judge, in concluding his charge.
said the case was one Of great import
ance TO the community II the jury be-
lieved the charges against tn prisoners
were true, they should say so fearlessly
The JURY DISAGREE
The jury retired at 1908 o'clock p. NJ.
but failed To agree upon "A verdict
he jury acquitted Wilde OF The charges
agaif 50 him In connection with Atkins.
and reported 10 the Court that il was
impossible for them 10 agree In regard
20 the other charges. They. however.
acquitted him Of the charges Of. conspira-
cy.
Sir Edward Clarke asked that Wilde
be admitted to ball. but the Court re-
fused the request
Mr.. Gill, for the prosecution. said that
the case would undoubtedly be tried AZ
the next sessions.
Wilde and Taylor were RETURNED to Hol-
lcway Jail.