The Trial of Oscar Wilde Part 4

WITNESS.--"I last saw Wilde in Trafalgar Square about nine months ago. He was in a hansom and saw me. He alighted from the hansom."

Mr. GILL.--"What did he say?"

WITNESS.--"He said, 'Well, you are looking as pretty as ever.' He did not ask me to go anywhere with him then."

The witness went on to say that during the period of his acquaintance with Wilde, he frequently saw Taylor, and the latter quite understood and was aware of the motive of the acquaintance. At the Little College Street rooms he had frequently seen Wood, Atkins and Scaife, and he knew that these youths were "in the same line, at the same game," as himself. In the August previous to this trial he was at a certain house in Fitzroy Square. Orgies of the most disgraceful kind used to happen there. The police made a raid upon the premises and he and the Taylors were arrested.

From that time he had ceased all relations.h.i.+p with the latter. Since that event he had enlisted, and while away in the country he was seen by someone representing Lord Queensberry and made a statement. The evidence of this witness created a great sensation in court, and it was increased when Sir Edward Clarke rose to cross-examine. This began after the adjournment.

Sir EDWARD CLARKE.--"When were you seen in the country in reference to this case?"

WITNESS.--"Towards the end of March."

Sir EDWARD.--"Who saw you?"

WITNESS.--"Mr. Russell."

Sir EDWARD.--"Was there no examination before that?"

WITNESS.--"No."

Sir EDWARD.--"Did you state at Bow Street that you received 30 not to say anything about a certain case?"

WITNESS.--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.--"Now, I do not ask you to give me the name of the gentleman from whom this money was extorted, but I ask you to give me the name of the agents."

WITNESS.--"Wood & Allen."

Sir EDWARD.--"Where were you living then?"

WITNESS.--"In Cranford Street."

Sir EDWARD.--"When did the incident occur in consequence of which you received that 30?"

WITNESS.--"About two weeks before."

Sir EDWARD.--"Where?"

WITNESS.--"At Camera Square."

Sir EDWARD.--"I'll leave that question. You say positively that Mr. Wilde committed sodomy with you at the Savoy?"

WITNESS.--"Yes."

Sir EDWARD.--"But you have been in the habit of accusing other gentlemen of the same offence?"

WITNESS.--"Never, unless it has been done."

Sir EDWARD.--"I submit that you blackmail gentlemen?"

WITNESS.--"No, Sir, I have accepted money, but it has been offered to me to pay me for the offence. I have been solicited. I have never suggested this offence to gentlemen."

Sir EDWARD.--"Was the door locked during the time you describe?"

WITNESS.--"I do not think so. It was late and the prisoner told the waiter not to come up again."

The next witness was William Parker. This youth corroborated his brother's evidence. He said he was present at the dinner with Taylor and Wilde described by the last witness. Wilde paid all his attention to his--witness's--brother. He, Wilde, often fed his brother off his own fork or out of his own spoon. His brother accepted a preserved cherry from Wilde's own mouth--he took it into his and this trick was repeated three or four times. His brother went off with the prisoner to his rooms at the Savoy and the witness remained behind with Taylor, who said, "Your brother is lucky. Oscar does not care what he pays if he fancies a chap."

Ellen Grant was the landlady of the house in Little College Street at which Taylor lodged. She gave evidence as to the visits of various lords and stated that Wilde was a fairly frequent caller. He would remain for hours and one of the lads was generally closeted with him. Once she tried the door and found it locked. She heard whispering and laughing and her suspicions were aroused though she did not like to take steps in the matter.

Lucy Rumsby, who let a room to Charles Parker at Chelsea, gave rather similar evidence, but Wilde does not appear to have called there more than once and that occasion it was to take out Parker, who went away with him.

Sophia Gray, Taylor's landlady in Chapel Street, also gave evidence. She amused the court by the emphatic and outspoken way in which she explained that she had no idea of the nature of what was going on. Several young men were constantly calling upon Taylor and were alone with him for a long time, but he used to say that they were clerks for whom he hoped to find employment. The prisoner Wilde was a frequent visitor.

But all this latter evidence paled as regards sinister significance beside that furnished by a young man named Alfred Wood. This young wretch admitted to acts of the grossest indecency with Oscar Wilde. He said, "Wilde saw his influence to induce me to consent. He made me nearly drunk.

He used to put his hand inside my trousers beneath the table at dinner and compel me to do the same to him. Afterwards, I used to lie on a sofa with him. It was a long time, however, before I would allow him to actually do the act of sodomy. He gave me money to go to America."

Sir Edward Clarke submitted this self-disgraced witness to a very vigorous cross-examination.

Sir EDWARD.--"What have you been doing since your return from America?"

WITNESS.--"Well, I have not done much."

Sir EDWARD.--"Have you done anything?"

WITNESS.--"I have had no regular employment."

Sir EDWARD.--"I thought not."

WITNESS.--"I could not get anything to do."

Sir EDWARD.--"As a matter of fact, you have had no respectable work for over three years?"

WITNESS.--"Well, no."

Sir EDWARD.--"Did not you, in conjunction with Allen, succeed in getting 300 from a gentleman?"

WITNESS.--"Yes; but he was guilty with Allen."

Sir EDWARD.--"How much did you receive?"

WITNESS.--"I advised Allen how to proceed. He gave me 130."

Sir EDWARD.--"Who else got any of this money?"

WITNESS.--"Parker. Charles Parker got some and also Wood."

Thos. Price was the next witness. This man was a waiter at a private hotel in St. James's and he testified to Wilde's visits there and to the number of young men, "of quite inferior station," who called to see him. Then came Frank Atkins, whose evidence is given in full.