THE LONDON SCANDAL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XI, Issue 1743, 29 May 1895, Page 2

THE LONDON SCANDAL.

END OF THE TRIAL

SCATHING COMMENTS BY THE COURT 7 '\ 7 London, May 24. At- the trial of Oscar Wilde, the Jddge said .he was p)f opinion; that -Shelley suffered from delusions, and that there was nothing unnatural'in his friendship with the accused. . The evidence, too, he said, did not prove otherwise than that the friendship was perfectly honourable. 7 \ , 7; .London, May, 25. In his evidence, Oscar Wilde denied in toto all -the charges made against him. • - - -v May 26. The trial of Oscar Wilde has concluded. ’ ‘ The summing up of the Judge occupied three hours, and the jury were absent two hours in considering their verdict. At the end of that time they returned with a verdict *of “Guilty ” on all counts. ; * His Honor, in sentencing the prisoners (Wilde and Taylor), spoke with great emotion. The verdict, to his mind, was a correct one- beyond all shadow of doubt, .and it appeared to him useless to address the prisoners, who were evidently dead to all sense of shame. The ease was the worst of .its kind he had ever had before him, and in passing the most severe sentence the law permitted; he regretted that it was totally inadequate to the dastardly nature of the * offence. He then sentenced each prisoner to two years’ hard labour. • f Later. Wilde, after being sentenced, appeared quite dazed and horror-struck.. In .his despair ho weakly muttered a request to be permitted to address the .Court, but this was unheeded, and the warders hurried him off to the cell. During the trial, Wilde, who appeared to be suffering from weakness, was allowed to remain seated in the witnesss box while giving evidence on his own behalf. He said he always understood Taylor to be .a respectable man, and referring to his associations with him , saw reason for friendship, because he personally liked praise, and lionising was delightful. Sir Edwd. Clarke, Q.C., counsel for the accused, declared f that the witnesses, and that it was impossible to believe them. \

The jury asked whether it was intanded to arrest Lord Alfred Douglas ? The Judge replied he was not aware °f the intention of the police ; but, in any case, that did not affect the present trial. .

The jury thought if Wilde’s letter showed him guilty the guilt applied equally to Lord Alfred Douglas. His Honor concurred in his opinion, but added that the jury’s suspicion that the son of Marquis of Queensberry was being allowed to escape owing to his connections,* was both unfounded and impossible.