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Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.

LONDON, April 5.

The charge of libel against the Marquis of Queensberry finished today, a verdict of "Not Guilty" returned. The jury considered that the charges made by the Marquis of Queensberry were for the public benefit. Wilde's counsel withdrew from the case. Wilde himself left the Court while his counsel was explaining that the plaintiff's literature and letters justified the plea of the defence that Wilde posed as an immoral person. He explained that the reason he withdrew from the case was so as to avoid the appalling evidence which would be adduced. The verdict was received with loud cheers. It is expected that Wilde will be arrested. No warrant has yet been applied for, but counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry has sent the Public Prosecutor a statement of the witnesses and notes on the evidence in order to prevent a miscarriage of justice.

Oscar Wilde has been arrested.

April 6.

Oscar Wilde publishes a letter stating that he abandoned the case in order to avoid placing Lord Douglas in the witness box. After the warrant had been issued for Wilde's arrest the police detained three essential witnesses.

Lord Alfred Douglas and two men remained in conference with Wilde at the Viaduct Hotel, Holborn, for several hours after the trial, and launched together in a private room. Subsequently they drove to a Bank, where Wilde withdrew a large sum of money. He was then lost sight of until arrested in the evening at an hotel in Sloane street. Lord Alfred Douglas was much distressed when he found he was unable to bail him out.

After the trial the Marquis of Queensbury sent Wilde a message stating he would shoot him if he took his son abroad.

Taylor also has been arrested, and will be charged in conjunction with Wilde. The latter's name has been withdrawn from the play-bills of the London and American theatres.

The sudden close of the action brought by Mr. Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry for criminal libel has created a profound sensation. The alleged libel was contained on a post-card which the Marquis left with the hall porter at Mr. Wilde's club. The defence was justification, the Marquis declaring that the letter was written with the object of saving his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, from immoral influences exerted over him by Mr. Wilde. The defence was based on revelations contained in certain letters from Mr. Wilde to Lord Alfred Douglas. For some of these letters Mr. Wilde had had, it was alleged, to pay heavy blackmail. The letters, which were of a very gushing character, were found in some old clothes which Lord Alfred Douglas had given away.

Mr. Wilde was observed to hurriedly leave the Court while his counsel was explaining that the literature and the letters put in by the defence justified, in his opinion, the plea that his client should be posted as an immoral person. Under these circumstances, and in the face of the appalling evidence secured by the defence, he (the learned counsel) felt it to be his duty to withdraw from the case. The announcement was received with loud cheers, which were, however, by order of the judge, quickly suppressed.

No application has yet been made for a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde, but Mr. Russell, solicitor for the Marquis of Queensberry, has sent to the Public Prosecutor the statements of the witnesses for the defence, and the notes of the evidence, with the object, as he asserts, of preventing any miscarriage of justice.

Later.

Oscar Wilde has published a letter in which he states that he abandoned the case against the Marquis of Queensberry, so as to avoid calling Lord Alfred Douglas as a witness.

A warrant has been issued for Wilde's arrest, and the police have detained three witnesses whose evidence is regarded as essential in the event of a criminal prosecution.

Lord Alfred Douglas and two other men remained in conference with Oscar Wilde for several hours after the abrupt ending of the trial of the Marquis of Queensberry. They lunched in a private room at the Holborn Viaduct Hotel and then drove to a bank from which Wilde drew a large sum of money. They were afterwards lost sight of until the evening, when Wilde was arrested at a hotel in Sloane-street. Lord Alfred Douglas was much distressed because he was unable to bail Wilde.

After the trial the Marquis of Queensberry sent a message to Wilde declaring that he would shoot him if he took Lord Alfred Douglas abroad.

Taylor, who is alleged to be a participator with Wilde, was arrested to-day. He and Wilde will be charged at the Bow Street Police Court. It is stated that the police have several witnesses who can prove the case against the accused up to the hilt. It is stated also that the offence with which Wilde will be charged was committed on many occasions at hotels in rooms engaged by Taylor, who acted as Wilde's intermediary.

Wilde's name has been removed from the playbills at the London and American theatres where his plays An Ideal Husband and The Importance of Being in Earnest are being performed.

[Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin in 1856, and is the son of Sir William R. Wills Wilde, M.D., Surgeon-Oculist to Her Majesty, Antiquarian, Statistican, and man of letters; and of Jane Francesca, Lady Wilde, known as a poetess, and woman of letters. Oscar Wilde was educated at Portora Royal School, Enneskillen; proceeded to Trinity College Dublin, of which he was Scholar; and, on having obtained the Berkley Gold Medal for Greek, went to Oxford in 1874. He obtained first Denyship at Magdalan College; a First Class in Moderations, 1876; and a First Class in Greats; and Newdigate Prize for English poetry, 1878. He came to London, 1879, and was the originator of the Æsthetic movement. He published a volume of poems in 1880; proceeded to America in 1881, where he delivered over 200 lectures on Art. His drama of "Vera" was produced in New York in 1882; "The Happy Prince and other Fairy Tales" was published in 1888. He was also a contributor of critical articles to many of the leading magazines, including Blackwood's, in which appeared a curious new theory about Shakespeare's Sonnets. He also wrote "Dorian Gray," a novel of modern life, which appeared in Lippincott's Magazine. He had traveled a great deal in Greece and Italy. Mr. Oscar Wilde married, in 1884, Constance, daughter of Horace Lloyd, Q.C. His children are Cyril, born 1885, and Vivian born 1886. He has written several successful plays.