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The sudden close of the action brought by Mr. Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for criminal libel has created a profound sensation. The alleged libel was contained on a post-card which the Marquis left with the hall porter at Mr. Wilde's club. The defence was 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 was based on revelations contained in certain letters from Mr. Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas. For some of these letters Mr. Wilde had had, it was 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.

Mr. Wilde was observed to hurriedly leave the Court while his counsel was explaining that the literature and the letters put in by the defence justified, in his opinion, the plea that his client should be posted as an immoral person. Under these circumstances, and in the face of the appalling evidence secured by the defence, he (the learned counsel) felt it to be his duty to withdraw from the case. The announcement was received with loud cheers, which were, however, by order of the judge, quickly suppressed.

No application has yet been made for a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde, but Mr. Russell, solicitor for the Marquis of Queensberry, has sent to the Public Prosecutor the statements of the witnesses for the defence, and the notes of the evidence, with the object, as he asserts, of preventing any miscarriage of justice.

Later.

Oscar Wilde has published a letter in which he states that he abandoned the case against the Marquis of Queensberry, so as to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness.

A warrant has been issued for Wilde's arrest, and the police have detained three witnesses whose evidence is regarded as essential in the event of a criminal prosecution.

Lord Alfred Douglas and two other men remained in conference with Oscar Wilde for several hours after the abrupt ending of the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry. They lunched in a private room at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel and then drove to a bank from which Wilde drew a large sum of money. They were afterwards lost sight of until the evening, when Wilde was arrested at a hotel in Sloane-street. Lord Alfred Douglas was much distressed because he was unable to bail Wilde.

After the trial the Marquis of Queensberry sent a message to Wilde declaring that he would shoot him if he took Lord Alfred Douglas abroad.

Taylor, who is alleged to be a participator with Wilde, was arrested to-day. He and Wilde will be charged at the Bow Street Police Court. It is stated that the police have several witnesses who can prove the case against the accused up to the hilt. It is stated also that the offence with which Wilde will be charged was committed on many occasions at hotels in rooms engaged by Taylor, who acted as Wilde's intermediary.

Wilde's name has been removed from the playbills at the London and American theatres where his plays An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being in Earnest are being performed.

[Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1856, and is the son of Sir William R. Wills Wilde, M.D., Surgeon-Oculist to Her Majesty, Antiquarian, Statistican, and man of letters; and of Jane Francesca, Lady Wilde, known as a poetess, and woman of letters. Oscar Wilde was educated at Portora Royal School, Enneskillen; proceeded to Trinity College Dublin, of which he was Scholar; and, on having obtained the Berkley Gold Medal for Greek, went to Oxford in 1874. He obtained first Denyship at Magdalan College; a First Class in Moderations, 1876; and a First Class in Greats; and Newdigate Prize for English poetry, 1878. He came to London, 1879, and was the originator of the Æsthetic movement. He published a volume of poems in 1880; proceeded to America in 1881, where he delivered over 200 lectures on Art. His drama of "Vera" was produced in New York in 1882; "The Happy Prince and other Fairy Tales" was published in 1888. He was also a contributor of critical articles to many of the leading magazines, including Blackwood's, in which appeared a curious new theory about Shakespeare's Sonnets. He also wrote "Dorian Gray," a novel of modern life, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine. He had traveled a great deal in Greece and Italy. Mr. Oscar Wilde married, in 1884, Constance, daughter of Horace Lloyd, Q.C. His children are Cyril, born 1885, and Vivian born 1886. He has written several successful plays.

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.]