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When the court adjourned last evening Mr. Carson, Q. C., was in the middle of one of the most pitiless and scathing opening speeches ever heard within the four walls of the Old Bailey. Mr. Oscar Wilde had dicussed at length the grounds for accusing the Marquess of Queensberry of criminally libelling him. He had been searchingly cross-examined. Now Mr. Carson was undertaking to demonstrate that even the cross-examination had fallen short of exposing the real gravity of the case against Mr. Wilde. The earlier stage of the case had been redeemed from utter offensiveness by the brilliancy of Oscar's sparring with a dogged assailant. Now Oscar was out of it, and the proceedings treatened to sink into matter unreportable.

Oscar could not be seen this morning, and excited exclamations began at half-past ten to find sensational reasons for the unexpected non-appearance. The Marquess of Queensberry arrived before the half-hour, and was very civilly handed into the dock and relieved of his overcoat and hat. Sitting there like a rather rusty house-servant, with an untidily-tied white scarf sticking up above the ill-fittng collar of his discolored coat, he quietly perused a newspaper till the three premonitory taps announced the coming of Mr. Justice Collins, when he came up to attention at the front of the dock.

MR. CARSON LOOKED HAGGARD

and ill, and his saturnine face appeared even more drawn and lined than is usual, when he rose to resume his denunciatory address. Still Mr. Wilde had not arrived. It was the more painful part of the case, said Mr. Carson, to which he was now coming. It would be his painful duty to bring before the jury the young men whose names had already been mentionned. Let those who were inclined condemn these lads for allowing themselves to be dominated, misled, and corrupted by Mr. Oscar Wilde. But at least let them remember the relative positions of the parties, and they would realise that the younger men had been more sinned against than sinning.

There was a close similarity, said Mr. Carson, between the history of all the cases, and there could be no doubt that Taylor's position was that of procurer for Wilde. It was Taylor who first met the lad named Parker in a restaurant in Picadilly. If his relations with Wilde were innocent, what an idea of Wilde's tastes he must have had to bring a groom and a valet to dine woth him. Charlie Parker would tell for himelf the story of what happened when,

PLIED WITH WHISKY AND CHAMPAGNE,

he was taken by Wilde to the Savoy Hotel. When they had heard the story the jury would wonder less that gossip and scandal reached Lord Queensberry's ears than that "this man Wilde" had been tolarated in society in London as long as he has. "No doubt in many of his answers yesterday Mr. Wilde thought he was making a smart repartee, and scoring off counsel." But now the bail was at Mr. Carson's feet, and he kicked it pitiliessly. As if by prophetic instinct of what in a few moment was to happen, he added with reference to the seeming candor of Mr. Wilde as to his friendship with these lads, "he knew we had all the evidence," and he preferred to discount it as far as possible in advance.

SIR. E. CLARKE WITHDRAWS.

At this point Sir Edward Clarke touched Mr. Carson's arm, and whispered a word in his ear. "Will your lordship excuse me?" said Mr. Carson, and returned his seat. Sir Edward Clarke was in earnest conversation with Mr. Mathews. Then, very slowly, he rose to address the judge. "Your lordship," he said, "I rise to make a statement under a feeling of very great responsibility. My learned friend Mr. Carson yesterday addressed the jury upon the question of the literature involved in this case, and upon the inferences to be drawn from the admissions made by Mr. Oscar Wilde in regard to letters, and began his address this morning by saying he hoped yesterday that he had said enough upon these topics to induce the jury to relieve him from the necessity of dealing in detail with the other issues of the case. It must have been present to your lordship's mind that those representing Mr. Oscar Wilde in this case had before them

A VERY TERRIBLE ANXIETY

that they could not conceal from themselves that the judgment that might be formed of that literature of conduct which had been admitted might not improbably induce the jury to say that when Lord Queensberry used the words of the libel, he was using words for which there was sufficient justification to entitle a father who had used these words in these circumstances to the upmost consideration, and to be relived from a criminal charge in respect to the statement. And, my lord, in our clear view that that may not improbably be the result upon that part of the case, I and my learned friends, who desire to be associated with me in this matter, have to look forward to this--that a verdict given in favor of the defendant upon that part of the case might be interpreted outside as a conclusive finding with regard to all points of the case; and the position in which we stood was this--that, without expecting to obtain a verdict in this case, [...] be going on from day to day, it might be with long evidence to investigate matters of

A MOST APPALLING CHARACTER.

In these circumstances I hope your lordship will think that I am taking a right course--which I take after communicating with Mr. Oscar Wilde--and it is to say that, having regard to what has already been referred to by my learned friend with respect of the matters connected with the literature and letters, I feel he could not resist a verdict of not guilty--having regard to the words "posing as." In these circumstances I hope your lordship will think I am not going beyond the bounds of duty, and that I am doing something to save and prevent what would be a most terrible task, however it might close, if I know interpose to say on behalf of Mr. Oscar Wilde that I would ask to withdraw from the prosecution. And if your lordship does not think at this time in the case, after what has taken place that I should be allowed to do that, on his behalf I am prepared to submit to

A VERDICT OF NOT GUILTY

having reference, if to any part of the particulars at all, to that part connected with the publication of "Dorian Gray."

THE SENSATIONAL END.

This statement had been followed by everybody in court with the most breathless attention, and a long-drawn inspiration audibly followed its closes.

Mr. Carson said he had no right to interfere with the application his learned friend had made. He could only say so far as Lord Queensberry was concerned that if there was a plea of not guilty it would involve a verdict that he had succeeded in his plea of justification. With that Mr. Carson was quite satisfied.

Mr. Justice Collins: Inasmuch a the prosecuter in a verdict of not guilty against the accused, I do not think it is any part of the function of the judge or jury to insist on going through prurient details which can have no bearing on the matter already concluded by the assent of the prosecutor to an adverse verdict. But as to the jury putting any limitations on the verdict as to the justification, if the words used are justified

THEY ARE JUSTIFIED,

if they are not they are not. The verdict of the jury must be guilty or not guilty, and I understand the prosecutor to assent to a verdict of not guilty. There can be no limitation. The verdict will be not guilty. I shall put to the jury two things--that the justification set up was true in substance and in fact, and that the statement was published in such a manner as to be

FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT.

The jury at once reached a verdict accordingly, amid loud applause.

Mr. Carson: Lord Queensberry may be discharged?

Mr. Justice Collins: Oh, certainly.

There was again loud applause, and little attempt was made to suppress it, as Lord Queensberry stepped out of the dock and joined his solicitor to the wall of the court. Amid general excitement over the sensational nature of the end to a sensational case, the court was rapidly emptied of its crowded audience.

It appeared that Mr. Oscar Wilde had been somewhere in the precincts of the court. His brougham was in waiting, and he stepped rapidly into it, calling to the coachman to drive to the Holdorn Viaduct Hotel. Before the carriage had stopped at the door of the hotel he thrust his arm and a gold-headed cane out of the window, and signalling to a man who stood there, apparently waiting, hoarsely cried, "The verdict, not guilty ?" Afterwards Lord Alfred Douglas was also seen to go into the hotel.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW ?

The Exchange Telegraph Company states that Oscar Wilde went to the Old Bailey this morning, but did not enter the precincts of the court. He held a consultation with Sir Edward Clarke in a room off the court, and while the learned gentleman was making his statement to the judge Wilde hurriedly left the building. No warrant has been applied for, but on leaving the court Mr. Charles Russell, Lord Queensberry's sollicitor, addressed the following letter to the Public Prosecutor:--

Dear Sir,--In order that there may be no miscarriage of justice I think it my duty at once to send you a copy of all our witnesses statements, together with a copy of the shorthand notes of the trial.

PRIVATE TALK AT BOW-ST.

At half-past two this afternoon Mr. Angus Lewis, of the Treasury, attended at Bow-st., accompanied by Detective-Inspector Brockwell, of Scotland-yard, and had a private conversation with Sir John Bridge. It is understood the learned counsel asked whether it would be convenient for the magistrate to ask a certain case to-day in reference to the recent libel suit at the Old Bailey.

"WAITERS" AT THE HOTEL.

There is some ground for supposing that the "prosecutor" had appointed the Viaduct libel as a rendezvous with his particular friends. Within half an hour of his arrival there several gentlemen arrived hurriedly and were conducted at once to the rooms which have been reserved for Mr. Wilde since yesterday. The brougham, with two smart little brown horses, was driven slowly up and down the Viaduct, pausing once while the coachman received instructions from Lord Alfred Douglas, who came out bareheaded with the hall porter. These movements were closely watched, in a number of interests, and it is reported that Scotland-yard was keeping a provisional eye on the hotel.

Lord Alfred Douglas and a friend left the hotel and drove to the London and Westminster Bank. St. James's-sq. They were seen to enter and draw money at the counter.

CURIOSITY AT THE COMMONS.

Our Lobby correspondent writes:--Members of Parliament shared the prevailing curiosity in regard to the Wilde-Queensberry case. It was nearly seven o'clock before Sir Edward Clarke reached the House last night, but the moment he set foot in the Lobby he was surrounded by hon. gentlemen anxious for information concerning the latest developments. Sir Edward Clarke never objects to discuss what has happened in court, but when people try to pump him beyond reason, he withdraws into his shell.

LONDON, April 5.

The hearing of the charge against the Marquis of Queensberry of criminally libelling Mr. Oscar Wilde was resumed this morning at the Central Criminal Court, before Mr. Justice Henn Collins. The defence was a justification of the libel. The counsel for the prosecution were Sir E. Clarke, Q.C., Mr. C. Mathews, and Mr. Travers Humphreys. Mr. Carson, Q.C., Mr. C. F. Gill, Q.C., and Mr. A. Gill appeared for Lord Queensberry; while Mr. Besley, Q.C., and Mr. Monckton watched the case for Lord Douglas of Hawick, the eldest son of the Marquis.

The public galleries were again crowded, the greatest interest being shown in the proceedings. His lordship took his seat at half-past ten. Mr. Oscar Wilde was not present when Mr. Carson rose to resume his speech for the defence.

Mr. Carson said that at the adjournment yesterday he had dealt as fully as he intended to deal with the question of Wilde's connection with the literature that had been produced in this case, and also with the two letters that had been read, and he almost hoped that he had sufficiently demonstrated upon these matters, which were not really in dispute, that Lord Queensberry was absolutely justified in bringing to a climax, in the way that he did, the question of the connection between Mr. Oscar Wilde and his son. He had, unfortunately, a more powerful part of the case now to approach. It would be his painful duty to bring before the jury those young men, one after another, to tell their tale. It was, of course, even for an advocate, a distasteful task; but let those who were inclined to condemn these men for allowing themselves to be dominated, misled, and corrupted by Oscar Wilde remember the relative position of the two parties, and that they were men more sinned against than sinning. He was not going in great detail to criticise the evidence of Wilde with regard to the several transactions as to which he crossexamined him. There was a general observation applicable to all the cases. There was a startling similarity between each of them, on Wilde's own admission, which must lead the jury to draw the most painful conclusions. There was the fact that in not one of these cases were the parties upon an equality with Wilde in any way. They were not educated parties such as he would naturally associate with, they were not his equal in years, and there was a curious similarity between the ages of each of them. Mr. Wilde said that there was something beautiful and charming about youth that led him to adopt the course he did, but was he unable to find more suitable companions who were at the same time young among the youths of his own class? The thing was absurd. His excuse in the box was only a travesty of what was the reality of the matter. Who were these young men? They were out of employment, and of their antecedents Wilde professed to know nothing. All of them were from 18 to 20 years of age, or thereabouts, and in the manner of their introduction to Wilde and his subsequent treatment of them all were in the same category, leading to the same conclusion, that there was something unnatural and what might not ordinarily be expected in the relations between them. Parker was a gentleman's servant out of employment. He and his brother were in a restaurant in Piccadilly and were met by Taylor, and when a day or two later Wilde gave Taylor a dinner on his birthday, telling him to bring any friends he liked, what an idea he must have had of Wilde's taste when he brought a groom and a valet! If that one fact was true-and the main features had been admitted by Wilde-why did Taylor speak to those young men at all, and why did he bring them to dine with Wilde? There could be no explanation of these matters but the one that Taylor was the procureur for Wilde. They would hear from Parker, when he came to tell his unfortunate story, that he was poor, out of place, and fell a victim to Wilde. He would tell them that on the first evening they met Wilde addressed him-the valet-as Charlie, and that he addressed this distinguished dramatist, whose name was being spoken everywhere in London as the author of a most successful play, as Oscar. He did not wish to say anything about Wilde's theories of putting an end to social distinctions. It might be a very noble and generous instinct in some people to wish to level down all social barriers; but one thing that was plain in this case was that Wilde's conduct was not regulated by any very generous instincts towards these young men. If he wanted to assist Parker was it of benefit or a man in Wilde's position in society and literature to take him to a magnificent dinner and prime him with the best champagne? All the ridiculous excuses of Wilde would not bear a moment's examination. Wilde pretended that, the whole of these dinners and lunches were mere generous actions on his part. He gave no explanation of why he had that suite of rooms at the Savoy Hotel. It was a large hotel, and Wilde had no difficulty in taking Parker into his rooms, where he treated him with whiskey and sodas, and some of that iced champagne which his doctor forbade Wilde to have, and so worked him up to what followed. There had been no open scandal at the Savoy Hotel; but a man could not live that kind of life without gossip going abroad, and reports being circulated in the circles in which he mixed. After they had heard the evidence from the Savoy Hotel they could wonder, not that the gossip reached Lord Queensberry's ears, but that the man Wilde had been tolerated for years in Society as he had. He referred to the youth Parker, who was coming there with the greatest reluctance, and was now earning for himself a good character in the country, and Wilde's dealings with the boy Conway.

Here came a sensational surprise. Sir Edward Clarke plucked Mr. Carson by the gown, and the indulgence of the court was craved while counsel consulted. Sir Edward and his junior, Mr. Mathews, had both been out of the court for an interval before this surprise came. After a few moments whispering Mr. Carson retained his seat, and Sir Edward Clarke rose and said: Will your lordship allow me to interpose and make a statement, which is, of course, made under a feeling of very grave responsibility? My learned friend Mr. Carson yesterday addressed the jury upon the question of the literature involved in this case, and upon the inferences to be drawn from admissions made with regard to the letters read yesterday my learned friend began his address by saying that he hoped the need of having the jury deal with those details could be avoided. I think it must have been present to your mind that the representatives of Mr. Oscar Wilde have before them in this case a very terrible anxiety. They could not conceal from themselves the inferences which might be drawn might not improperly induce the jury to say that when Lord Queensberry used the words "posing as a --" he was using words for which there was a sufficient justification for a father to use. That in our view might not be an improbable result of that part of the case. I and my learned friends who are with me had to look forward to this-that a verdict given in favour of the defendant upon that point might be regarded as a finding with regard to all parts of the case. The position we stood in was that, in view of the finding of a verdict, we would be going through long evidence dealing with matters of a most appalling character. In these circumstances, I hope your lordship will think I am taking the right course of action. Having regard to what has been already said in respect of the literature and of the letters, I feel that I could not resist a verdict of not guilty in this case-not guilty, that is, having reference to the words "posing as --." In these circumstances I hope your lordship will think that I am not going beyond the bounds of duty, and that I am doing something to save and to prevent what would be a most terrible task, however it might close, if I now interpose to say that, on behalf of Mr. Oscar Wilde, I would ask to withdraw from the prosecution. If your lordship does not think that at this time of the case, and after what has taken place, I ought to be allowed to do this, I am prepared to submit to a verdict of not guilty, having reference-if to any part of the particulars-to that part of the particulars which is connected with the publication of "Dorian Gray" and with the publication of the Chameleon. I trust, my lord, that that may make an end of the case.

Mr. Carson: I do not know that I have any right whatever to interfere in any way with this application my learned friend has made. I can only say, as far as Lord Queensberry is concerned, that if there is a plea of not guilty, a plea which involves that he has succeeded in his plea of justification, I am quite satisfied. Of course my learned friend will admit we must succeed upon the plea in the manner in which he has stated, and that being so, it rests entirely with your lordship as to whether the course suggested by my learned friend is to be taken.

His lordship: Inasmuch as the prosecutor in this case is prepared to acquiesce in a verdict of not guilty against the accused, I do not think it is any part of the function of the judge or jury to insist on going through prurient details which can have no bearing upon a matter already concluded by the assent of the prosecutor to an adverse verdict. But as to the jury putting any limitation upon the verdict of justification, the justification is one which is a justification of the charge, which is "posing as - -." If that is justified, it is justified-if it is not, it is not; and the verdict of the jury upon it must be guilty or not guilty. I understand the prosecutor to assent to a verdict of not guilty. There can be no terms, and no limitations. The verdict must be guilty or not guilty. I understand him to assent to a verdict of not guilty, and of course the jury will return that.

Mr Carson: Of course the verdict will be that the plea of justification is proved, and that the words were published for the public benefit.

Sir E. Clarke: The verdict is not guilty. His lordship: The verdict is "not guilty," but it is arrived at by that process.

The jury then returned a verdict accordingly, that the justification was proved, and that it was published for the public benefit, and that the accused was not guilty.

The verdict was received with applause, and becoming known in the streets, there was a demonstration of approval on the part of a large crowd.

Mr. Carson: The costs will follow. May I ask that Lord Queensberry should be discharged? His lordship: Certainly.

When the formal announcement of his discharge was made the Marquis left the dock amid a salvo of applause, which the officials of the court only half-heartedly attempted to stop.

Mr. Wilde left the Old Bailey a few minutes before sir Edward Clarke made his withdrawal. He drove in his carriage, drawn by a pair of horses, to the Holborn Viaduct Hotel, where he has been lunching daily during the trial. Here Mr. Wilde, Lord Alfred Douglas, Mr. Wilde's solicitor, and one or two other gentlemen remained for some time in consultation.

On leaving the court Lord Queensberry's solicitor addressed the following letter to the Public Prosecutor:-

37, Norfolk-street, Strand. To the Hon. HAMILTON CUFFE, Director of Prosecutions. DEAR SIR,-In order that there may be no miscarriage of justice, I think it my duty at once to send you a copy of all our witness's statements, together with a copy of the shorthand notes of the trial.-Yours faithfully, CHARLES RUSSELL.

The Marquis of Queensberry said to a Press representative this afternoon:--

"I have sent a message to Oscar, saying: 'If the country allows you to leave, all the better for the country; but if you take my son with you, I will follow you wherever you go, and shoot you.' "

Letter from Oscar Wilde.

The Evening News states that it has received the following letter from Oscar Wilde, written on the notepaper of the Holborn Viaduct Hotel:-

"TO THE EDITOR- "It would have been impossible for me to have proved my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness-box against his father. "Lord Alfred Douglas was extremely anxious to go into the box, but I would not let him do so. "Rather than put him in so painful a position, I determined to retire from the case, and to bear on my own shoulders whatever ignominy and shame might result from my prosecuting Lord Queensberry. OSCAR WILDE."

"An Ideal Husband," Oscar Wilde's society play, comes to a timely finish at the Haymarket to-morrow evening, and it is understood that the project for reviving it at the Criterion has been abandoned.

The name of Mr. Oscar Wilde has been removed from the playbills and programmes of the Haymarket and St. James's Theatres.