Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-05-29
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 in
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
nlled with interested spectators almost as
soon as 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
ferday. 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 were 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
such poetry, and he thanked God it was
so, as it showed they were above the Level
of beasts. applause which the judge
promptly suppressed}
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 verdict which
would prevent such q detestable and
abominable vice to rear its head I'M
began summing up at |: 30 p. M. The
general tenor of his address to the jury
was favorable to Wilde. The jury re-
tired at $50 .. M.
The jury returned to the court at $50
p. M, having been absent four hours and
returned a verdict of guilty. Sentence of
two years Imprisonment was imposed.
Alfred Taylor, Wilde'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, 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
a 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 reassembed for business
the Judge said that the suspicion that
Lord Alfred Douglas would be spared
if guilty simply because he was Lord
Alfred Douglas, was a 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-
Foy hotel evidence to which place Wilde
was accused of taking Charles Parker
q gentleman'S servant, after treating the
latter to choice dinner at kittners res
taurant. The announcement of the YER
dict caused a great sensation in the
court. as it was the general impression
that Wilde would escape conviction.
While the jury was out, at the request
of the representative of the Associated
press, Wide's counsel procured the follow
ing signed statement from Wilde who was
waiting in the prisoners row below the
dock:
The charges alleged against me are utterly
untrue. Youth in every form always fasci-
temperament to which the artists try to at
tain. All works of art are works produced in
the moment of youth. [ have no sense at
all OF social grades. / love society and the
rich and well-bOrn on account of their lux
ury, culture the grade of their lives. But
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 ignorance has its mode of wisdom
their lack of culture leaves them open to
fresh and vivid impressions.