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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.

Oscar O'Flaherty Wilde is known in London as the best-known apostle of the asthetic movement. He set conventionality at defiance, and in his lectures expressed some revolutionary sentiments with reference to modern costume, from an art point of view.

Some short time ago he charged the Marquis of Queensbery with libelling him.

At the trial, the plaintiff was subjected to a stringent cross examination with the view of showing that "Dorian Grey," and some articles in the magazine Chameleon, with which he is connected, are of an immoral tendency. Wilde insisted they were merely an expression of artistic faculty. His letters to Lord Alfred Douglas were prose poems—extraordinary, perhaps, but not justifying an immoral interpretation. He admitted that he gave one of his blackmailers £21, and lunched with him in a private room afterwards. Mr Wilde explained the effusive language of the letters addressed to Lord Alfred Douglas as the natural expression of an artist attracted by a beautiful personality. The Marqus of Queensbery visited his residence and threatened Wilde, to which the latter responded with—"You are the most infamous brute in London!"

Wilde admitted that he was acquainted with young men named Taylor, Parker and Atkins, and that Taylor had on separate occasions introduced him to five young men, to whom witness had given money, but he was not aware that any of them were gentlemen's servants. He derived pleasure from being in the company of bright, happy people. Witness had frequently been in Taylor's room. He was aware that both Taylor and Parker had once been arrested, but he had continued their friendship. Once he took Atkins and a youth named Price to Paris, and introduced them to another youth named Ernest Scarp, who later became acquainted with Lord Alfred Douglas when making a voyage to Australia. Witness had made presents to Scarp and Mabor because he like them.

Letters read in court proved that the Marquis of Queensberry was endeavouring to stop his son visiting Wilde. The son wired back to his father that Wilde was a funny little man. The Marquis subsequently called at Wilde's house, when a furious scene took place. The latter denied the charges levelled against him, and showed the Marquis the door.

Wilde said he wrote to the Marquis complaining that his wife encouraged his son's visits. Wilde's friendship with Lady Queensberry and her sons remained unbroken. Certain letters from the youths already named showed that the writers were poverty-stricken, some imploring assistance or employment. He admitted close intimacy with a number of young men, but denied that there was anything improper in it. He paid no regard to social inferiority if his friends were amusing.

Lord Douglas' letters showed he threatened to shoot his father if he attempted to thrash him.

The Marquis' letter referred to an eminent stateman, but the reference was political.

This closed Wilde's case.

Mr Carson, in opening the case for the defence, declared that the plaintiff's protégés were among the most immoral persons in London, and that Wilde's intimacies were absolutely irreconcilable with his claims as an exponent of culture. His literature alone justified charges against him. In conclusion, counsel claimed that defendant's witnesses, amongst whom was Wood, the chief blackmailer, would prove the case to the hilt.

The Marquis of Queensberry wrote to his son saying that he believed he was crazy, and suggesting that he should leave the country.

The charge of libel against the Marquis of Queensberry was finished on Friday, a verdict of not guilty being returned.

The jury considered that the charges made by the Marquis of Queensberry were of public benefit. Wilde's counsel withdrew from the case. Wilde himself left the Court while his counsel was explaining that plaintiff's literature and letters justified the plea of the defence that Wilde posed as an immoral person. He explained that the reason he withdrew from the case was so as to avoid the appalling evidence which would be adduced. The verdict was received with loud cheers. It is expected Wilde will be arrested. No warrant has yet been applied for but counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry has sent the public prosecutor the statements of the witnesses and notes on the evidence in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested.

Oscar Wilde publishes a letter stating that he abandoned the case in order to avoid placing Lord Douglas in the witness-box.

After the warrant had been issued for Wilde's arrest the police detained three essential witnesses.

Lord Douglas and two other men remained in conference with Wilde at the Viaduct Hotel, Holborn, for several hours after the trial, and lunched together in a private room.

Subsequently they drove to a bank, where Wilde withdrew a large sum of money. He was then lost sight of until he was arrested in the evening at a hotel in Sloane street.

Lord Douglas was much distressed when he found he was unable to bail him out.

After the trial the Marquis of Queensberry sent Wilde a message stating that he would shoot him if he took his son abroad.

Taylor has also been arrested, and will be charged in conjunction with Wilde.

The latter's name has been withdrawn from the playbills of London and American theatres.