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The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry on a charge of criminally libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde was commenced to-day, and created a great sensation, the court being thronged by an immense crowd of people.

Mr. Oscar Wilde declared that he had paid heavy blackmail to recover some "gushing" letters he had written to Lord Alfred Douglas, the son of the Marquis, and which letters had been found in Lord Alfred's old clothes when they were given away. The defence that the Marquis was justified in leaving the alleged libellous card with the hall porter at Mr. Wilde's club with a view to bringing matters to a head, and, as he stated, saving his son, was based on the revelations said to be contained in these letters.

Mr. Wilde, after giving his evidence, was subjected to a stringent cross-examination with a view to showing that his book, "The Picture of Dorian Gray," and certain articles published in the magazine "Chameleon," with which he was connected, were inspired by criminal practices. Mr. Wilde, however, insisted that they were merely an expression of the artistic faculty; and, further, that his letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were prose poems - of an extraordinary character, perhaps, but not justifying any immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of the alleged blackmailers £21, and entertained him at lunch afterwards in a private room. He also admitted that he had been on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals, and he gave them considerable sums of money and expensive presents because he liked them.

Mr. Wilde's epigrams, paradoxes, and general extravagance of demeanour during the progress of the case caused much amusement in court.

The case was eventually adjourned, the Marquis of Queensberry being admitted to bail.

The trial of the Marquis of Queensberry for criminally libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde, the well-known dramatist, has begun. The alleged libel was contained on a post-card which the Marquis left with the hall porter at Mr. Wilde's club. The defence is justification, the Marquis declaring that the letter was written with the object of saving his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, from immoral influences exerted over him by Mr. Wilde. The defence is based on revelations contained in certain letters from Mr. Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas. For some of these letters Mr. Wilde has had, it is alleged, to pay heavy blackmail. The letters, which were of a very gushing character, were found in some old clothes which Lord Alfred Douglas had given away.

Yesterday the plaintiff, Mr. Wilde, was subjected to a very severe cross-examination, with a view to showing that his novel Dorian Grey and articles in the Chameleon, a magazine with which he is connected, were intended to inspire criminal practices. Mr. Wilde insisted that they were merely the expression of his artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were, he said, prose poems, extraordinary perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of his alleged blackmailers £21, and lunched with him afterwards in a private room. He admitted also that he was on terms of intimacy with two lads who were not his social equals. He had given them money and expensive presents, but that was because he liked them.

Mr. Wilde's epigrams, paradoxes and extravagant statements while in the witness-box caused much amusement. The case was adjourned, the Marquis of Queensberry being admitted to bail. The case is attracting a very large amount of interest, and the Court in which the trial is taking place is crowded at each sitting.