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London, Friday. Sir Edward Clarke, who appeared for Wilde, to-day accepted the verdict of not guilty against the Marquis of Queensberry, and the jury found the plea of justification proved. The Marquis was at once discharged.

The Press Association, on enquiring of Lord Queensberry’s solicitors (Messrs Russell and Day), is informed that it is not his lordship’s intention to take the initiative in any criminal prosecution of Oscar Wilde, but after the finding of the jury this morning in the libel action the whole of the documents with proofs of the evidence upon which the defence had intended to rely were forwarded to the public prosecutor, the Hon Hamilton Cuffe. As it was surmised Wilde was in the precencts of the Old Bailey when the speech for the defence of Lord Queensbury was resumed. It was for the purpose of holding a conference with Wilde that his leading counsel left Court at the close of the consultation in one of the waiting rooms. Wilde hailed a hansom and drove away leaving Sir E Clarke to formally withdraw from the prosecution.

The letter written by Mr Russell and accompanying the documents is as follows:—"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 copy of shorthand notes of trial."

The London Evening News states that it has received four letters from Mr Oscar Wilde written on notepaper of a Holborn hotel:—"To the Editor—It would be impossible for me to prove my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. Lord Alfred Douglas was extremely anxious to go into the witness 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 ignomy and shame might result from my prosecuting Lord Queensberry."

Mr. Angus Lewis of the Treasury, who was accompanied by Detective-Inspector Brockwell, attended at Bow-street this afternoon and said he would like some private conversation with Sir John Bridge. The magistrate granted the request, and it is understood that Mr Lewis intimated that an application might be made during the day with reference to an important case which is at present engaging such public attention.

LONDON, April 5. -- The suit of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry came to a sudden and unexpected termination shortly after the third day's proceedings were begun in the Old Bailey, before Justice Collins.

Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for the plaintiff, asked permission on behalf of his client, to withdraw the suit and submit to a verdict of not guilty in regard to the words "posing as a -- -- --," written by the Marquis of Queensberry at the Albemarle club for Wilde on Feb. 18, and which card formed the outward basis of the suit. The jury, under instructions from Justice Collins, returned a verdict of

NOT GUILTY,

coupled with the statement that the justification set up as a defense by the Marquis of Queensberry was true in substance and in fact, and that the statement complained of was published for the public good.

The verdict was received with loud applause, which was not checked by the presiding judge, and the marquis was discharged from custody, smiling and surrounded by his friends. Shortly afterwards it was announced that a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde was to be applied for, all the papers in the case having been submitted to the public prosecutor.

Before 10 o'clock today every available foot of space in the court room was filled with spectators, who were armed with newspapers and packages of sandwiches, and who were otherwise ready to spend the day in court, in the happiest and most comfortable manner possible. The marquis, at 10:20 a. m., entered court looking calmly confident of the result. Promptly at 10:30 Justice Collins entered, and the court was opened. Oscar Wilde, however, was absent. Edward M. Carson, Q. C., leading counsel for the defense, resumed his speech which was not finished yesterday when court adjourned. Mr. Carson said that he hoped that the marquis was justified in bringing to a climax in the way he did the connection between his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, and Wilde. Continuing, counsel said that he now approached a more painful duty. It would be his task to call the several young men who would tell their own tales, and who would show that the men Taylor, frequently referred to during the proceedings, was Wilde's procurer. It was no wonder that the Marquis of Queensberry protested against the intimacy between his son and Wilde. The wonder is, counsel said, that this man has been so long tolerated in London society. Wilde's conduct in regard to the boy at Worthing, continued Mr. Carson, was an instance of his

DISGUSTING AUDACITY.

He picked up this boy on a pier and introduced him to his family, dressed him up as a gentleman, and put a public school colors upon his hat.

Mr. Carson was continuing his terrible denunciation of Oscar Wilde, when Sir Edward Clarke and others of Wilde's counsel left the court room for consultation. They soon returned and Sir Edward asked for permission to interrupt the proceedings. Then, amid a most impressive silence, the leading counsel for the plaintiff announced the withdrawal of the case on behalf of the client. The chief concern of Sir Edward Clarke seemed to be to justify himself in undertaking the case for Wilde. He said that after consulting with his client, who, by the way, was in the room to which his counsel adjourned, and who left the building hurriedly when Sir Edward Clarke began his statement, he asked to withdraw the suit, and on Wilde's behalf to submit to a verdict for the marquis of not guilty in regard to the words "posing as a -- -- --." Counsel said that he did this more especially in view of the extracts which had been read in court from Wilde's novel of modern social life, "Dorian Gray," and from the magazine, the Chameleon. Mr. Carson here interposed, saying that if there was to be a verdict of not guilty, it also involves a verdict of justification, as the case of his client must succeed upon that plea.

Justice Collins said, as to the jury putting any limit on their verdict, that the words "posing as a -- -- --" were either justified or not justified, if the jury consented to the course suggested and were to return a verdict of not guilty, they were also to find that the justification set up by the defense was true in substance and in fact, and that the words complained of were published for the public benefit. The jurymen consulted together for a moment, and then, without leaving their seats, they returned a verdict as directed by Justice Collins, namely that the Marquis of Queensberry was not guilty of libel, and that the words he had written on the card which formed the basis of the suit were published in the interests of the public.

The verdict was received with loud applause in court, and Justice Collins made no attempt to check it. The Marquis of Queensberry was then discharged from custody, and left the court triumphant, smiling and surrounded by his friends. The defense, it appears, had a long

ARRAY OF WITNESSES

on hand, including waiters employed in hotels of Paris, London and other cities, which Wilde had visited.

Oscar Wilde has written a letter to newspapers, in which he says: "It was not possible to prove my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglas in the witness box against his father. Lord Alfred was extremely anxious to go into the box, but I would not allow it. Rather than put him in such a painful position I determined to retire from the case, bear upon my own shoulders whatever shame and ignominy might result from not prosecuting the Marquis of Queensberry."

Later in the day application was made at the Bow street police court before Sir John Bridge, the presiding magistrate, for a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde, and the magistrate granted the application.

Officials of the treasury department, under which branch of the government public prosecutions are directed, visited Bow street police court several times this afternoon previous to the granting of the warrant for Oscar Wilde's arrest. Upon the occasion of their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and by two boys. After a short consultation between the treasury officials and Sir John Bridge, during which several questions were addressed to the detectives and to the boys, the magistrate issued the warrant.

Wilde spent several hours in company with Lord Alfred Douglas at a hotel in Holborn. His brougham was waiting in front of the hotel. Early in the afternoon Lord Alfred drove to a bank, cashed a check and returned to the hotel. Soon afterwards both Wilde and Lord Alfred drove away. Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan hotel, Sloan street, and taken in a cab by two detectives to Scotland yard.

WILDE AT SCOTLAND YARD.

The name of Oscar Wilde has been withdrawn from the play bills and advertisements of the two theaters, the St. James and the Haymarket, where two of his plays are running.

Wilde wore an ulster and a silk hat. He was very pale but cool, when he arrived at Scotland Yard. Few persons witness his arrival there and those who did, maintained silence. At 8:10 p. m. Wilde was arraigned at the Bow street police court. He had merely called at the Cadogan hotel with a couple of friends when, at 6:30 o'clock, a detective walked into the office and asked for him. He was shown the room where Wilde was, and put him under arrest. Wilde said nothing, but immediately went with the detective, who took him to Scotland Yard, where the warrant was read. The prisoner remained silent throughout the proceedings. He was then taken to Bow street. He was not arraigned in the police court, as was at first stated, but placed in the dock in the police station. Here he stood with his hands in his pockets while the charge against him was being taken. A police inspector then read the charge aloud and asked Wilde if he had anything to say, adding the usual warning that anything he said might be used against him. The prisoner remained apparently indifferent and made no reply. He was then searched, after which he was

LOCKED IN A CELL.

Shortly after he had been locked up, one of his friends arrived in a carriage at the station, with a small gladstone bag containing a change of clothing and other necessaries, but the police refused to permit him to leave it. Later Lord Alfred Douglas went to the police station and inquired whether Wilde could be admitted to bail. The police inspector explained that Wilde had been arrested for a criminal offense, which did not allow of bail being accepted until he had been arraigned in court.

Lord Alfred was greatly distressed by this information. He was told by the inspector that Wilde had a blanket and other requisites in his cell to be as comfortable as the police regulations allowed.

The prisoner will be allowed to receive food from a hotel until tomorrow, when he will be arraigned in court on a charge involving a penal offense.

MARQUIS' SON VINDICTIVE.

The Leader publishes an interview with Lord Douglas, of Hawick, in relation to the Wilde scandal. Lord Douglas says: "Myself and every member of the family, except father, disbelieve entirely all the charges. We think them simply part of the persecution father has carried on against us as long as I can remember, and that Mr. Wilde and his counsel are to blame for not showing, as they could have done, that that was the fact."

The Morning says that Wilde received the notification of his arrest with languid nonchalance, plaintively asking whether he would be allowed to furnish bail. When accompanying the detective who made the arrest he took under his arm a copy of the "Yellow Book." When he arrived at Scotland Yard he asked whether he would be allowed a private cell, and whether he would be allowed to smoke. When the charge was read to him, accusing him of indecencies with male persons on March 25, 1895, and divers other dates, he smiled and requested that the dates be repeated.

The Chronicle says editorially: "It suffices for us to know, as some return for undamning the putrid stream, that our life is rid forever of a pestiferous poseer decadence which has received its death blow, and the way is cleared for increased wholesomeness in life. We seem for some unhappy hours to have been shuddering witnesses of a bastard revival of society under the late Roman empire, or against the dark background of the Italian renaissance."