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The hearing of the libel action brought by Mr Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry was resumed yesterday at the Old Bailey.

Mr Carson, Q C, M P, cross-examined the plaintiff at length as to his acquaintance with several persons, to whom he admitted having given money and presents.

In re-examination Sir Edward Clarke read a strong letter of warning against Wilde, addressed by Lord Queensberry to his son, Lord A Douglas, to which Lord A Douglas replied by telegram, "Queensberry, what a funny little man you are."

The case for the plaintiff closed, and Mr. Carson, Q C, began his address for the defence.

London, Thursday.The hearing of the libel action brought by Mr Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry was resumed to-day at the Old Bailey. Sir E Clarke, Q C; Mr C Mathews, and Mr Travers Humphreys appeared to prosecute. Mr Carson, Q C; Mr C F Gill, and Mr A Gill (instructed by Mr Charles Russell), represented the Marquis of Queensberry : Mr Besley, Q C, with Mr Monckton, watching the proceedings on behalf of Lord Douglas of Hawick, the eldest son of the Marquis. The indictment was to the effect that the Marquis "did unlawfully and maliciously write and publish a false, malicious, and defamatory libel" concerning Mr Oscar Wilde, in the form of a card directed to him.

Mr Carson, Q C, resumed the cross-examination of Mr Wilde, who said he used to go to the upper part of a house 13 Little College street, occupied by a man named Taylor. The rooms were artistically furnished, and perfumes were burnt. He never saw Taylor attired in a woman’s costume, or knew that he had one. He used to attend tea parties at Taylor’s rooms. He did not know that one of the men frequenting Taylor’s house had disappeared within the past week. He did not know that Taylor and a companion named Parker were arrested in a raid on a house in Fitzroy square last year. Taylor introduced witness to five young men, to all of whom he gave money. He invited a party to dinner at Kettner’s Restaurant. He was not aware that one of them was a valet and the other a coachman.

Mr Carson—Was there plenty of champagne?

Witness—What gentleman would stint the valet? (Much laughter.)

Further cross-examined, Mr Wilde denied driving one of these men to his own private room at the Savoy Hotel. He never paid visits to Parker at a house in Camera square. He did not know that certain men who were arrested in the Fitzroy square raid were connected with the Cleveland street scandal. The Fitzroy square arrest made no difference in his friendship with Taylor. He was introduced to a young man named Freddy Atkins and took him to Paris, being joined there by a gentleman whose name was written yesterday and passed to counsel. Atkins was addressed as "Freddy," and was plaintiff’s guest. He gave Freddy money to go to the Moulin Rouge. They stayed at the same hotel. Freddy suggested he should have his hair curled.

Mr Carson—Did he have it curled?

Witness—No, I should have been very angry if he had (laughter). The gentleman (whose name had been written) also introduced him to two young men named Scarp and Mabor. The latter met him on his return from Scotland in October, and they stayed at the same hotel in town. He gave Mabor a cigarette case. At the rooms occupied by Lord Alfred Douglas, in High-street, Oxford, he met a youth named Granger, a servant, but denied counsel’s suggestions with regard to him, Granger was ugly.

Counsel—Why do you give that as a reason?

Plaintiff—Because you stung me with an insolent question.

Further cross-examined, he said he knew a masseur at the Savoy Hotel, but denied that the masseur made any incriminating discovery. He also repudiated certain suggestions with regard to certain occasions in Paris.

At the conclusion of the cross-examination, Sir E Clarke began the re-examination by putting in certain letters of Lord Queensberry. In part of these, written from Carter’s Hotel to Lord A Douglas, the defendant called upon his son to cease his intimacy with the man Wilde. His blood had turned cold at the sight of their faces. The writer continued—"I hear on good authority that his (Wilde’s) wife is petitioning for a divorce on the grounds of crimes. The horror has crossed my mind you may be brought into this. If I thought the actual thing true, I should feel justified in shooting him at sight." Lord Alfred replied by wire—"Queensberry—What a funny little man you are." Plaintiff denied the suggestion of the divorce petition. Lord Queensbury in a further letter called Lord Alfred an impertinent jackanapes, and threatened to cut off supplies. In another letter addressed by the defendant to the father of his former wife he repeated the accusations against Wilde, to whom he referred in the following terms :—"He (plaintiff) showed the white feather. He is a d—cur and a coward of the Rosebery type." Then alluding to his former wife, Lord Queensberry said. "I am convinced that the Rosebery-Gladstone Royal insult that came to me through my soc—it shall be known some day that Rosebery not only insulted me by lying to the Queen (which makes her as bad as him) and to Gladstone, but also had made a life-long quarrel between my son and me." Lord Queensberry in August addressed Lord Alfred in an offensive way. The letter continued—"How right I was to face misery rather than bring others into the world : that was the reason I broke off with your mother."

The case for the plaintiff closed, and Mr Carson began his address for the defence.