The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-01
WILDE APPLAUDED.
His Frionds Pack tho Court Rom
and Cheer Him.
THE LlSTPLEl FOR THE AESTHETIC
by His Counoil-A Claim That Ho ID I
n Martyr and tho Victim OF Black.
mnilors-Ho Explains n Much Dis.
cusscd Lino In Tho Sonnet to Lord
Douglnss-An Eloquent Definition :
Which Provoked Applause Fsom.
tho Audience. 7lI

LONDON, April 3O.-Tho Old Bailey !
was less crowded this morning when
tho court opened for what was expected
to DO the las. day OF tho trial OF Oscar
Wilde and Alfred Taylor on the charge
OF serious misdemeanors, etc. Counsel,
for the crown, when the proceedings
opened, withdrew tho charge OF con.
apiracy against Wilde, saying that he
desired to avoid any difficulty in placing
tho prisoners in tho witness box. it
Sir Edward Clarke. @. O., counsel for
the accused, demanded verdict oil not
guilty on this count; but the judge re-. I
fused to allow it.
Sir Edward Clarke in tho opening
speech tor the defense denounced the
conduct OF q large section OF the press
saying that 1t was such ns to prejudice
the case OF his client and impcri the in.
tereats Of justice.
Wilde was then placed upon tho
stand and absolutely denied that there
was word OF truth in the charges OF
indecency brought againat him. He
answered the questions OF Sir Edward
Clarke in subdued tones.
During the examination OF the pris.
oner by his counsel II was apparent that
there was remarkable change in the
character OF those attending tho trial.
1t was evident that many OF Wilde's
friends were present in court and tho
general atmosphere OF tho place was
less hostile to the prisoner than upon
previous occasions.
Sir Edward Clark, who will be re-
membered rs having Withdrawn from
the Queensberry case, where he acted
as counsel for Wilde in tho prosecution
OF the marquis on tho charge OF libel,
which charge fell TO the ground, made a
masterly speech to-day. In it he
claimed that Wilde was martyr and
that he had accepted verdict Of not
guilty in the Queensberry case only be-
cause it was evident that it could not
be properly tried then. But it could
now be determination proper issue ac.
cording to counsel.
When Wilde was placed in the dockit
was evident that he had been we'll
coached for the occasion. Ho seemed TO
have lost all the airy swagger which go
disgusted oil who witnessed it during
the former trial.
Mr.. c. T. Gill. on behalf OF tho prose-
cutiou, began his. cross-examination on
tho same line, as that Of Mr.. Edward N.
Carson, Q. O., who defended the Mar.
ouis OF Queensberry against the charge
Of libel. He quoted from the sonnet to
Lord Alfred Douglass, in which oc.
CURED the line:
81 am that love, but dare not speak its
name"
Mr.. Gill asked what was the nature
OF tho love represented in that poom.
Wilde with marked deliberation and
emphasis answered.:
ut is a love not understood in this
century. 1t is the love OF David for /
Jonathan-a deep, spiritual affection,
as pure as it is correct. 1t is something
this nge does not understand. 1t mocka
at 1t and sometimes puts ono into the
plllory."
As Wilde finished his answer there
were loud cheers from tho gallery,
which called forth rebuke from tho
judge, who threatened to eject those
who took part in tho demonstration.
After short cross examination,
during which Wilde denied everything,
Charles Parker was examined and cross
examined.
Sir Edward Clarke in concluding his
address to the jury, contended that
there was no real evidence against
Wilde. except that OF blackmalers
whose testimony should DO utterly dis.
credited. Counsel thsn appealed to the
jury not to convict his client unless
tho evidence against him was over
whelming and asked the jury to liber.
a,o from terrible position ''onc OF the
most renowned, accomplished mon OF
letters"