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The trial came to a speedy termination on April 5, when Mr. Wilde's counsel withdrew from the case, and the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, expressing an opinion that Lord Queensberry's charges against Mr. Oscar Wilde were made for the public benefit.

In announcing his withdrawal the learned counsel explained that the literary works and letters of his client justified Lord Queensberry's plea, and expressed an opinion that Wilde had posed as an immoral person. He stated that he, therefore, withdrew from the case, in order to avoid the production of the appalling evidence against his client that he saw would be forthcoming if the case were continued.

This announcement was greeted by loud cheers from those present in the court, and while his counsel was making the statement Oscar Wilde hurriedly left the court.

Mr. Russell, Lord Queensberry's solicitor, in order to prevent any miscarriage of justice, sent to the Public Prosecutor a statement with notes of the evidence that would have been given by the witnesses to be called on his client's behalf.

Oscar Wilde next day published a letter, in which he stated that he abandoned the case against Lord Queensberry in order to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness.

A warrant was very quickly issued for the arrest of Oscar Wilde, and the police detained three essential witnesses.

After the trial Lord Alfred Douglas and two other men remained in conference with Oscar Wilde, the interview lasting several hours. They subsequently lunched with him in a private room at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel. The party then drove to Oscar Wilde's bank, where Wilde withdrew a large sum of money.

He was afterwards lost sight of until the next evening, when he was arrested at an hotel in Sloane-street.

Lord Alfred Douglas, who was with Wilde, accompanied him to the watch-house, and was greatly distressed at not being allowed to bail him out.

The man Taylor, who was mentioned in the libel case proceedings as having introduced Wilde to several young men, was also arrested and at Bow-street Police Court both Wilde and Taylor were charged with serious criminal offences.

Several witnesses gave evidence which proved the case against Wilde, and the accused were remanded, bail being refused.

The Marquis of Queensberry sent a message to Oscar Wilde after the trial declaring that he would shoot him if he took his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, abroad.

In consequence of the revelations made at the trial, the managers of the London and American theatres where Oscar Wilde's dramas, "An Ideal Husband" and "The Importance of Being in Earnest," are being played have withdrawn the author's name from the play-bills.

The trial caused a great sensation in Paris.

Important statements have been made by the man Taylor to the police, which are likely to lead to many more arrests. It appears that Taylor's lodgings were widely known and were frequented by many persons, including four witnesses who gave evidence against Wilde.

Since the revelations, several free libraries in the United States have destroyed such of Wilde's works as were in their possession.

[Mr. Oscar Wilde is 39 years old, having been born in Dublin in l856, his parents being Sir William Wilde, a distinguished surgeon and antiquarian, and Lady Wilde, a well-known poetess and writer. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and at Oxford, where he gained the Newdigate prize for poetry in 1878. In 1880 he came before the public with a volume of poems which attracted some attention. In 1881 he visited America, where he lectured on art. Mr. Wilde's name has always been prominently associated with the "æsthetic" movement, and he has been supposed to be the prototype of Bunthorne in Gilbert and Sullivan's opera "Patience." He has contributed extensively to the magazines, and his novelette, The Picture of Dorian Gray, appeared in Lippincott's Magazine in July, 1890, and was afterwards republished in book form. Latterly Mr. Wilde has turned his attention to the drama. "The Duchess of Padua," a five-act tragedy, WAS produced at New York in January, 1891. The comedy "Lady Windermere's Fan" was performed at the St James's Theatre, London, in February, 1892, and, it will be remembered, was produced here last year at the Princess's Theatre by the Brough and Boucicault Company. In 1893 he wrote "Salome" for Madame Sarah Bernhardt, the performance of which in London was prohibited by the Lord Chamberlain, as it dealt with scenes and characters from the New Testament. He therefore published it in French in Paris. "A Woman of No Importance," a comedy, was given at the Haymarket Theatre in April, 1893, his latest drama, "An Ideal Husband," is still running in London, and a farcical piece from his pen, "The Importance of Being Earnest," is being played at the St James's Theatre, London, by Mr. George Alexander's company. In 1884 Mr. Wilde married Constance, daughter of Mr. Horace Lloyd, Q.C., and has two sons, Cyril, born in 1885, and Vivian, in 1886.]

LONDON, 3rd April.

The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry, on a charge of having criminally libelled Oscar Wilde, the dramatist and poet, was commenced to-day. An immense crowd assembled in the court and its vicinity. The defendant pleaded justification, and that the words of the alleged libel were written for the public good.

Evidence was given to the effort that Oscar Wilde paid heavy blackmail for his gushing letters to Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquis of Queensberry, and that these letters were found in some of his old clothes when they were given away.

The defence is based on revelations continued in these letters.

The prosecutor was stringently cross-examined with the view of showing that his novel, "Dorian Grey," a story of an artist and his model, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine, his articles in other magazines, and the Chameleon, with which he is connected, inspired to criminal practices. Oscar Wilde insisted that the articles were merely the expression of an artistic faculty. The letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were "prose poems," "extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation." He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and afterwards entertained him at Inncheon in a private room. Wilde also admitted having been on terms of intimacy with two lads not his social equals, and that he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive parents. He did this because he "liked them."

Oscar Wilde's epigrams, paradoxes, and extravagance caused much amusement in court.

The case was not concluded when the Court adjourned.

The Marquis of Queensberry was admitted to bail.

LONDON, 4th April.

In cross-examination the prosecutor admitted that he was acquainted with three men named Taylor, Parker, and Atkins. Taylor introduced five young men to him on separate occasions, and Wilde had given them money. He was not aware that any of them were gentlemen's servants. He said that he took pleasure in being in the company of bright and happy people. He had visited Taylor's rooms frequently. He was aware that Taylor and Parker had once been arrested, but he had, notwithstanding this fact, continued his friendship with them. He once took Atkins to Paris. Taylor introduced to him a youth named Soarp, who afterwards became acquainted with Lord Alfred Douglas, while on the voyage to Australia. He (Wilde) had made presents to Soarp and another young man named Mabor, because he liked them.

Certain letters were read in court from some of the youths already named, showing that the writers were poverty-stricken, and implored assistance from Wilde in obtaining employment.

Other letters were read indicating that the Marquis of Queensberry had endeavoured to stop his son from visiting Wilde. On one occasion Lord Alfred Douglas telegraphed to his father that "he was a funny little man."

Further evidence was given, showing that the Marquis of Queensberry afterwards called at Wilde's house, and a furious scene ensued. Wilde denied the charge made against him by the Marquis and showed him the door.

The Marquis also wrote, complaining that his wife encouraged his son in his friendship for Wilde. The friendship between Lady Queensberry and her sons remained unbroken.

Oscar Wilde admitted close intimacy with young men who had been introduced to him by Taylor. He had entertained them at dinner at fashionable cafes... Several had spent the night as his guests at his hotel, but nothing improper occurred. He was regardless of the social inferiority of his guests if they were amusing.

Letters written by Lord Alfred Douglas were read, in which he threatened to shoot his father if he attempted to thrash him. Some letters of the Marquis of Queensberry were read, containing statements referring to eminent statesmen, but the references to them were only of a political nature.

The case for the prosecution having closed.

Mr. E.H. Carson, Q.C., M.P., in opening the case for the defence, declared that Wilde's protégés were among the most immoral men in London. He commented strongly on the fact that the prosecutor had not called Taylor as a witness. Wilde's intimacies were absolutely irreconcilable with his claim as an exponent of culture, and his literature alone justified the action of the Marquis. Mr. Carson said that among other witnesses he would call Wood, the chief blackmailer, and would prove his case up to the hilt.

5th April.

Counsel for the prosecutor has withdrawn from the case.

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and considered that the charges made by the Marquis of Queensberry were for the public benefit.

It is expected that Oscar Wilde will be arrested.

LONDON, 5th April.

Oscar Wilde hurriedly left the court while counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry was explaining that the prosecutor's literature and letters justified the plea that Wilde posed as an immoral person. Wilde withdrew in order to avoid to avoid the appalling evidence that he feared would be brought against him by the witnesses for the defence.

The verdict of not guilty was received in court with loud cheers.

No warrant against Oscar Wilde was applied for, but Mr. Russell, solicitor for the Marquis of Queensberry, sent to the Public Prosecutor a statement of the witnesses and notes of the evidence with the object of preventing a miscarriage of justice.

After the trial Oscar Wilde published a letter in which he stated that his reason for abandoning the case was to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness.

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Wilde, and the police have detained three essential witnesses in connection with the proceedings which are to be instituted against him.

LATER.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested.

LONDON, 6th April.

Lord Alfred Douglas and two men remained in conference with Oscar Wilde for several hours after the trial. They lunched in a private room at the Holburn Viaduct Hotel, after which Lord Alfred Douglas and Wilde drove to one of the banks. Wilde drew out a large sum of money, and was afterwards lost sight of until he was arrested the same evening in an hotel in Sloane Street.

Lord Alfred Douglas was much distressed at the result of the trial. He is unable to provide bail for Wilde's release.

The Marquis of Queensberry sent Oscar Wilde a message after the trial stating that he would shoot him is he attempted to take Lord Alfred Douglas abroad.

The man Taylor, who introduced to Oscar Wilde the young men mentioned during the trial, was arrested to-day.

Both Oscar Wilde and Taylor were brought up at Bow-street Police Court to-day. Several witnesses gave evidence which went to show that the charge now preferred against Wilde can be proved up to the hilt. It was also shown that Taylor acted as an intermediary for Wilde.

Oscar Wilde's name has been withdrawn from the playbills at the London and American theatres, where Wilde’s dramas, "An Ideal Husband" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" are being played.

7th April.

Paris is petrified in consequence of the exposures in the Oscar Wilde case.

Oscar Wilde has been remanded until Thursday. He has not yet been bailed out.

LONDON, 8th April.

Since he has been remanded, the man Taylor, the associate of Oscar Wilde, has made statements which are likely to lead to many arrests. Taylor's lodgings were widely known, and were used regularly by four of the witnesses who gave evidence at the Bow-street Police Court on Saturday last. There were also many other visitors to the place.

LONDON, 10th April.

Several free libraries in the United States have destroyed Oscar Wilde's works.