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Messrs. Ward. Perks, & M'Kay (86, Gracechurch Street), solicitors, write as follows with regard to the "Chameleon"—"On behalf of Messrs. Gay & Bird, the publishers of the first and only number of this publication, we ask you to be good enough to allow us to say through your columns that our clients of their own act stopped the sale directly they were aware of the contents of the magazine. Such sale was not stopped at the request of a contributor or anyone else. They were requested to renew the sale, and refused. Had the trial proceeded, we should, at the proper tims, have tendered our clients to give the above facts in evidence."

The Press Association has anthority for stating, with reference to Mr. Oscar Wilde's defence, that Sir Edward Clarke wrote early on Saturday to Mr. Humphreys, saying that, having regard to the events of Friday, he thought it right to say that if Mr. Oscar Wilde desired that he should defend him on his trial he would do so, and that for the service so offered he, of course, would not accept any fee. Mr. Humphreys has replied, stating that Mr. Oscar Wilde gratefully accepts the offer.

Lord Alfred Douglas drove to Downing Street yesterday afternoon, and went to the Treasury, where he remained for some time. On leaving his Lordship ordered his coachman to proceed to the Home Office, and here also he stayed for some time.

There was an eager little crowd round the outer doors of Bow-street police-court this morning. But very few of the men anxious to get a last glimpse of Oscar Wilde got into the court. Sir John Bridge, anxious to keep the atmosphere of the regular court as clear as possible, took the case in the little court upstairs. There is room for very few people in the court, and when the witnesses and the crowd of reporters had been accommodated, there was not much left for the ordinary curiosity-mongers. It was about eleven o'clock when Sir John took his seat. Immediately Oscar Wilde appeared through the doorway leading from the cells, he glanced round apprehensively as he entered the court. Then he was marched directly into the dock. Mr. Gill began at once. He appeared, he said, on behalf of the Public Prosecutor, to prosecute the prisoner on a series of charges under the 11th section of

THE CRIMINAL LAW AMENDMENT ACT.

He would also be charged with conspiring with Alfred Taylor. The first case would be that of Charles Parker, to whom Wilde gave a gold ring and a cigarette case, various sums of money, and took him to the Crystal Palace and elsewhere. Parker was now leading a respectable life, and he would come forward and tell a story which would be corroborated in every particular. The police had enormously difficult duties to discharge. The difficulty they had in obtaining evidence would be well within his worship's knowledge. Taylor and his calling were known to the police, and the police had obtained access to his rooms, and gone through them. This case was a most unpleasant one, but it was of enormous public importance that it should be known to offenders that there was only one end to a life of crime and that end was the gaol. Charles Parker, a smartly dressed young man of nineteen, then went into the box and told the story indicated by Mr. Gill.

In the middle of this boy's evidence there came a pleasing interruption. Mr. Gill stated that he was just informed that Taylor had been arrested and might now be put in the dock with the other prisoner. This announcement did not appear to upset Wilde's equanimity. He only moved cumbrously up to the end of the dock. Taylor, in smart clothes of a sporting cut, came bustling into court smiling. Parker then went on with his story of the introduction to Wilde, and the subsequent developments.

LORD QUEENSBERRY'S THREAT.

Lord Queensberry states that as soon as the trial ended yesterday he sent this message to Wilde "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." Oscar Wilde's name was yesterday removed from the play-bills and programmes of the Haymarket and St. James's Theatres, where his plays "An Ideal Husband" and "The Importance of Being Earnest" were performed respectively.

THE PUBLICATION OF "THE CHAMELEON."

To the EDITOR of the PALL MALL GAZETTE. Sir,--On behalf of Messrs. Gay and Bird, the publishers of the first and only number of this publication, we ask you to be good enough to allow us to say through your columns that our clients, of their own act, stopped the sale directly they were aware of the contents of the magazine. Such sale was not stopped at the request of a contributor, or any one else. They were requested to renew the sale, and refused. Had the trial proceeded, we should, at the proper time, have tendered our clients to give the above facts in evidence.--We are, your obedient servants, 85, Gracechurch-street E. C., April 5. WARD, PERKS, AND MCKAY.