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A London dispatch says that at the trial yesterday in London of the action brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for libel the Marquis pleaded the truth of the libel. When the counsel said certain witnesses would deny the Marquis’ testimony, the Marquis made an attempt to attack Wilde, but could not get at him.

Wilde took the stand and detailed at length his relations with the family of the marquis.

Queensberry came to his house and accused him of having taken rooms for the latter’s son, Lord Douglas, and threatened to thrash Wilde if he again caught him with his son. Wilde denied he had taken rooms for Douglas. On cross-examination, Wilde admitted stopping with Douglas and other young men at hotels. He denied that he had "madly adored" a man 20 years his junior.

LONDON, April 3 - The central criminal court, Old Bailey, was densely packed with people long before the hour of opening – 10.30 a.m - today, the attraction being the trial of the action of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for libel. The prosecution was conducted by Sir Edward Clarke, and the Marquis of Queensberry was defended by Mr Edward H. Carson. Lawyer Besley watched the proceedings on behalf of Lord Douglas of Hawick. Oscar Wilde entered the court room in company with his solicitor, Mr Humphreys, and took a seat in front of Sir Edward Clarke.

The marquis of Queensberry, in answer to the usual questions, pleaded not guilty, adding that the so-called libel was true and had been made known in the interest of public morality.

Sir Edward Clarke, in opening the case, reviewed the evidence taken in the police court.

He dwelt upon the writing on the card which constituted the libel complained of.

This writing alleged that Mr Wilde had been posing immorally. It would be noticed, he said, that it was not charged that there was any actual offence, but the gravity of the case consisted in the fact that the libels complained of had extended over a long period of time.

The marquis of Queensberry, Sir Edward said, had also accused Mr Wilde of having solicited a number of gentlemen to engage with him in a series of grave offences. Several of these gentlemen would be called to deny whatever the marquis might say on cross-examination.

At this point the marquis, who, with clenched fists, sat glaring at Mr Wilde, made a movement as though he intended to attack him, and he undoubtedly would have done so had it not been for the persons between them.

Sir Edward, continuing, said that Mr Wilde had been a close friend of the Queensberry family until 1890, when he learned that offensive statements were being made against him by a man named Wood, who had either stolen or found some letters written by Mr Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas.

Wood offered to return these letters for money, and afterward, at Wood’s earnest entreaty, Mr Wilde paid his fare to America. Later Mr Wilde learns that two men named Knebly and Allen pretended to have in their possession compromising letters, but Mr Wilde refused to purchase them.

Mr Wilde, he said, admitted having written in 1893 in most extravagant letter to Lord Alfred Douglas in answer to a poem the latter had written.

Despite the sentiments expressed in this letter the jury must take into consideration the artistic circle in which Mr Wilde moved. The latter himself described this letter as a "prose sonnet." In 1893, Sir Edward said, the marquis of Queensberry openly libeled Mr Wilde in the latter's own house, and was shown the door in the presence of the servants, and refused further admittance. The annoyance was aggravated by the behavior of the marquis on the first night of the production of any of Mr Wilde's plays.

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

"My dear boy - Your sonnet is quite lively. Your roseleaf 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."

The marquis, Sir Edward Clarke said, now attacked Mr Wilde respecting his "Dorian Grey" and his articles in the Chameleon, which it is alleged that he published in the interests and for the furtherance of immoral practices.

Mr Wilde was then called to the stand and detailed his relations with the family of the marquis.

Mr Wilde testified that Wood produced three letters, which were of no importance. Afterwards, in response to a strong appeal from Wood, he gave him $73 with which to go to America.

Later Allen brought to him a copy of one of these letters, which had been sent to Mr Beerbohm Tree. Allen demanded $300 for the letter.

Mr Wilde refused to pay the money, saying he had never received as much as $300 for his own short prose writings. He told Allen he had better sell the letter to somebody else. Subsequently he gave Allen a half sovereign for himself.

Mr Tree had handed him (Wilde) what purported to be a copy of a letter written by Mr Wilde.

When the marquis of Queensberry called at his house, in 1893, Mr Wilde asked him whether he had come to apologize, but Queensberry, instead of apologizing, declared that he (Wilde) had taken furnished rooms for Lord Alfred Douglas.

Mr Wilde, continuing, said he replied to the marquis: "I don't know the Queensberry rules, but the Oscar Wilde rules are short and at sight. The letters you have written about me are infamous. Then when we were in the hall I said to a servant: ‘This is the marquis of Queensberry, the most infamous brute in London. Do not let him enter the house again.'"

Mr Wilde said it was absolutely untrue that he had taken rooms for Lord Alfred Douglas. He had no connection with the Chameleon, and strongly disapproved of the article entitled "Acolyte and Priest," which had been published therein. As regarded "Dorian Grey," Mr Wilde said it had first appeared as a serial in Lippincott's Magazine, but had been altered when published in book form.

He was aware that Lord Alfred had written articles in the Chameleon. One of them, entitled, "Two Loves," he did not regard as improper. He regarded portions of "Priest and Acolyte" as disgusting, but did not think it blasphemous. He knew that the Chameleon had a circulation among the students of Oxford university.

Referring to his publication "Philosophy for the Young," Mr Carson asked Mr Wilde if he believed that what he had written.

Mr Wilde answered: "I rarely write what I believe is true."

Continuing, Mr Wilde said he believed that the realization of self was the primal end of life.