The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1895-05-30
WILD WILL SUFFER
Co lvlcted and Sentenced to Two
Years
IN PRISON AT HARD LABOR
Lord George Sholto 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 imprison-
ment at hard labor. The jury retired
at $3.50 and in two hours returned a YER
dict
Alfred Taylor, one of Wildes com
panions in crime, received a similar SEN
tence
While the jury was out. at the request
of 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.
have no sense at all of social grades.
| love society and the rich and the well
born on account of their luxury the cul-
ture and grace of their lives, the external
accidents of comely 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 en-
tered the prisoners dock a 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
| moi the Il The hot
Alfred Taylor should also be summoned
before him. Then in a voice trembling
with emotion the justice said:
| 81 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 a brothel, and
that you, Wilde, a man of culture
should be such perverter of young
men, There is no doubt but that the
verdict is a just one, and l shall give
you the full penalty allowed by law, and
l 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 minc
to make the best of a bad situation
Taylor smiled when sentence was pro
nounced. AS Wilde turned in the docl
and started to go back to the prisoners
room the crowd yelled: "Shamer
"Shamew
This shouting caused Judge Wills t.
rise to exclaim in a loud and determined
voice: "Silencer'
The courtroom was filed with inter
ested spectators. Sir Frank Lockwood
| the solicitor general, concluded his ad
dress to the jury. The prisoners init
macy with Lord Alfred Douglas and th'
exhibition of the younger man by tn
elder one at the hotels and at publi'
places in and about London were severe
ly commented upon. Referring to tn
letters Wilde wrote Lord Alfred Doug
las counsel said the jury had been toll
! they were too low to appreciate sucl
poetry" and he thanked God it was SC
as it showed they were above the leve
Of beasts.
There was a burst of applause, whicl
the judge promptly suppressed. 81
Edward Clarke. leading counsel 70
Wilde, here interposed objections t.
such appeals.
Lockwood asked the jury to render
| verdict which would not permit such de
testable and abominable vice to rear 1t
head unblushingly in the country.
Justice Wills began summing up a
L. 20 p. M, the general tenor of his ad
| draes heinp favorable 10 Wilde