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The hearing of the charge of criminal libel brought by Mr Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry was begun at the Old Bailey, London, yesterday morning, before Mr Justice Collins. The Court was densely crowded. Mr Oscar Wilde occupied a seat at the solicitor's table.

On taking his place in the dock, Lord Queensberry answered the indictment by pleading first "not guilty," and secondly, that the libel was true and was published for the public benefit.

Sir E. Clarke, in opening for the prosecution, said very grave issues had been raised, because the defendant in the pleadings alleged that plaintiff had for some time solicited persons named to commit indecent offences. Certain letters addressed by the plaintiff to Lord A. Douglas were brought to him by a man who said he was in distress, and Mr Wilde gave him £15 or £20 to pay his passage to America. Another letter came to the plaintiff through Mr Tree, the actor. It was handed to that gentleman, who in turn gave it to the plaintiff. It was couched in extravagant term, but it did not bear the suggestion made in this case. Coming to Lord Queensbery's action the learned counsel said the jury might have doubts whether the defendant was responsible for his actions.

Plaintiff was examined by Sir Edward Clarke at length on the subject of the letters, which he said he did not regard as important. He described a stormy interview in his own house with Lord Queensberry, who accused him of a nameless offence. He told the defendant he did not know what the Queensberry rules were, but the Oscar Wilde rule was to shoot at sight. In ordering the defendant out of the house he described him as "the most infamous brute in London." There was no foundation for the suggestions in the pleadings.

Mr Carson cross-examined as to the teaching in "Dorien Gray and "Phrases and Philosophies." The plaitiff replied that he looked at these matters from the point of view of art. "The Priest and Acolyte" was twaddle, but he had not dissociated himself from the "Chameleon," in which it appeared. The man Wood was an unemployed clerk, the plaintiff said in further cross-examination, and he not only gave him £15 for his passage to America, but £5 more on the occasion of a champagne lunch before his departure. He denied misconduct with Wood. Lord A. Douglas had asked him to befriend the man when introducing him. Wood and plaintiff knew each other by their Christian names, A man named Allen also called on him with reference to the Douglas letters. He knew Allen as a blackmailer, and gave him 10s to show his contempt (laughter). After Allen came another person named Clyburne, and he was kind to Clyburne by giving him the same amount. To a bookseller's assistant he had given money on three occasions, but denied misconduct.

The court adjourned.

LONDON, April 3. -- Every available inch of the Old Bailey was occupied this morning when the Marquis of Queensberry surrendered to bail, and the libel suit brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis was opened before Justice Collins.

Oscar Wilde, or, to give him his full name, Oscar Fingall O'Flaherty Wilde, the author and dramatist, charges the Marquis of Queensberry with libel by leaving on Feb. 28 last an uncovered card at the Albemarle Club, on which card were written certain foul epithets.

As a result, Mr. Wilde, on March 2, caused the arrest of the Marquis of Queensberry, and the latter, at the Marlborough Street Police Court, was released on £1,500 bail.

The Marquis of Queensberry, who wore a shabby overcoat, was placed in the dock and answered to the indictment by pleading, first, not guilty and, secondly, that the libel was true and that it was published for the public good.

The Marquis seemed quite unconcerned, and replying to the questions put to him he spoke quietly and clearly.

Reviewing the Facts.

Sir Edward Clarke, formerly Solicitor-General, in opening the case said that the card left at the Albemarle Club for Mr. Wilde was one of the visiting cards of the Marquis of Queensberry, and it was upon this that the libel was written. Continuing, counsel said that the gravest issues had been raised, as the defendant, in his pleadings, alleged that the plaintiff had for some time solicited persons named to commit indecent offenses.

Certain letters addressed by the plaintiff to Lord Alfred Douglas, second son of the Marquis of Queensberry, were brought to plaintiff by a man who said he was in distress, and Mr. Wilde gave him 20 with which to pay his passage to America. Another letter was handed to Mr. Beerbohm Tree, the actor, who gave it to the plaintiff.

Counsel then recounted the facts already known in the case, showing that Mr. Wilde, who had recently returned from Algiers, drove up to the Albemarle Club at about 5 P. M. on Feb. 28, and on entering the Club he was handed an envelope by the hall porter, Sidney Wright, who said that the Marquis of Queensberry had desired him to hand it to Mr. Wilde. The exact words were:

"Lord Queensberry desired me, sir, to hand this to you when you came into the Club."

Inside the envelope plaintiff found a (Continued on Sixth Page.)

OSCAR WILD'S QUEER WAYS. (Continued from First Page.)

card, on the back of which was the date 4:30, 18, 2, '95, and on this card was written certain foul epithets, which formed the basis of the suit.

Wilde Takes the Stand.

Oscar Wilde was then called. He languidly arose from the solicitors' table, at which he had been seated, and entered the witness-box. The plaintiff was faultlessly dressed in a long black frock coat, and carried his gloves in his hands, showing his fingers to be covered with rings. He was very pale, but was seemingly composed.

Wilde spoke with his customary drawl, leaning his arm upon the rail of the witness-box and replying distinctly to the questions addressed to him.

The jury, which was composed of very intelligent men of elderly appearance, mainly prosperous tradesmen, eyed him with curiosity.

The witness said that upon arriving at his house a few months ago he found two gentlemen waiting in the library. One of them was the Marquis of Queensberry and the other one was unknown to the plaintiff. The former said:

"'Sit down, Lord Queensberry,' I replied: 'I will not allow any one to talk that way in my house. I suppose you have come to apologize. Is it possible that you accuse your son and me of an unnatural crime?"

"He replied: 'I don't say it; but you look like it and appear like it.'"

Counsel for the plaintiff then asked Wilde about the man to whom he had given £20 with which to pay his passage to America. Witness said:

"The man told me he had been offered £60 for the letter, and I advised him to immediately accept it. But, finally, I gave him the money in order to relieve his distress and he gave me the letter."

Oscar's Endearing Terms.

The letter which Mr. Wilde had written to Lord Alfred Douglas was read, as follows:

My Dear Boy: Your sonnet is quite lovely. Your rose-leaf lips seem made no less for the music of song than for the madness of kisses. Your slim, gilt soul walks between poetry and passion. I know that Hyacinthus, who was loved by Apollo, was you in the Greek days. Why are you alone in London, and when do you go to Salisbury? Do you sleep in the gray twilight of Gothic things? Come here whenever you like, but go to Salisbury first.

Counsel in explaining this letter said that it might seem extravagant to those who were in the habit of writing commercial letters, but, he added, it was mere poetry.

Mr. Carson began the presentation of the case for the Marquis, by reading passages from "Dorian Gray," one of Oscar Wilde's novels of modern life, to show that the author held peculiar notions, the plaintiff following counsel with a copy of the book and laughing at Mr. Carson's insinuations. Mr. Carson asked:

"Do you think that the description of "Dorian Gray," given on page 6, is a moral one?" ' Yes," replied Wilde, "Just what an artist would notice in a beautiful personality." "Did you ever adore madly, as described in 'Dorian Gray,' any person of the male sex younger than yourself?" was Mr. Carson's next question. In reply Wide said: "I took the idea from Shakespeare's sonnets."

Later, Wilde testified to the fact that the man to whom he gave £20, was named Wood.

Replying to other questions put to him by Mr. Carson, Wilde said that the letter to Lord Alfred was "merely poetical" and he added that he had "undying love" for Lord Alfred, who, he claimed, was his best friend. The witness denied having misconducted himself with Wood. The latter, he added, was introduced to him, the witness, by Lord Alfred Douglas, who asked him to befriend the man. Wilde and Wood, it was also shown by the cross-examination, addressed each other by their Christian names.

Immorality Concerned Him Not.

It was also developed during the cross-examination of Wilde that in writing he did not concern himself to produce morality or immorality. He had no purpose in the matter, and was concerned merely with literature, beauty, wit and emotion. He rarely thought if anything he wrote was true. Indeed, he might say never in regard to "Dorian Gray."

The cross-examination was very severe, and brought out the great difference in the ages of Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas (the former was born in 1856 and the latter in 1870), how the two had visited various towns together, stopped at the Savoy Hotel together, and how Lord Alfred visited Wilde's chambers in St. James's place, which the plaintiff maintains in addition to his house at 16 Tite street, S.W.

Mr. Carson then drew out Wilde's opinions regarding literature in general, to which line of cross-examination the plaintiff made smart responses in the same line as his plays.

"The interpretation of my works does not concern me," said Wilde. "I do not care 'tuppence' for what the Philistines think about me."

But Mr. Carson severely repressed the levity of the witness, and began the more serious phase of tho cross-examination by questioning Wilde about his friendship with a newsboy eighteen years of age.

"Why did you seek the boy's society?" asked Mr. Carson. "Was it for an intellectual treat?" "Oh, he was a bright, careless, amusing creature," replied the witness.

Mr. Carson here produced a silver cigarette cape, a handsome silver-mounted cane and a book which Wilde admitted he had presented to the newsboy referred to.

The cross-examination then touched upon Wilde's relations with various persons and the question put to the witness were so pointed as to be unprintable.

Wilde, however, emphatically denied that he had done anything improper; but he was troubled and confused under the terrible cross-examination he was subjected to, and frequently drank water. In fact, he seemed ready to faint and a chair was placed inside the witness stand for his use.

Throughout the questioning of the plaintiff, the Marquis of Queensberry stood facing him and did not take his eyes off the man in the witness box.

Tho cross-examination of Wilde was not finished when the Court adjourned for the day at 5 P.M.

A large crowd of people assembled about the Old Bailey in order to see Wilde leave the court.