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LONDON, April 26, 1895. The trial of Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor for unnatural crimes was begun in the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, to-day. Charles Parker and the other witnesses who testified at the preliminary hearings were called to the stand and repeated the stories they had previously told.

Wilde looked careworn and anxious, and was much thinner than usual. The fact that he had had his hair cut short added to his attenuated appearance. Taylor maintained his air of unconcern. Both prisoners pleaded not guilty.

The opening speech of the counsel for the prosecution was a repetition of his previous arguments. The evidence given by the young man Parker was vastly more disgusting than the testimony he gave at the hearings in the Bow Street Police Court. Upon cross-examination he swore that Wood and Allen had received £400 blackmail from a gentleman with whom they were guilty of misconduct in the gentleman's lodgings, and that he himself had received £30 from the same person for the same reason.

London, April 20.- Men and women twenty deep, filled the corridors of the Old Bailey, before ten o'clock and fought vainly for standing room near the vantage - the door through which the prisoners Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor must enter the court.

The counsel for the prosecution were early to their places. The jury, composed of intelligent appearing middle-aged tradesmen, was polled at 10.20 a.m., and a few minutes later Wilde and Taylor were escorted into court and placed in the prisoners' dock.

Wilde was dressed as faultlessly as upon his former appearance in court, but his face was drawn and haggard, his hair had been cut and his swaggering nonchalant air had entirely disappeared.

Justice Charles opened court at 10.25 a.m., and a lengthy discussion followed as to whether the prisoners should be tried on all the twenty-five separate counts of the indictment.

Sir Edward Clarke, Q C, counsel for the defence, objected to such a course, but the judge overruled him.

The prisoners then pleaded not guilty.

Mr. C. F. Gill, on behalf of the Treasury, opened the case for the prosecution, reciting the known history of the case, dwelling upon the association of Wilde with Taylor and giving a graphic description of Taylor's darkened perfumed rooms, where Wilde was in the habit of meeting his masculine intimates. Counsel went in detail through the various charges, reviewing all the testimony which has already been presented.

Charles Parker was the first witness. His testimony was most revolting, but the judge held it to be necessary that the charges against Wilde should explained in detail.

Taylor maintained his air of unconcern.

It was no wonder that Wilde looked uncomfortable; for the evidence given by young Parker was vastly more disgusting than the testimony he gave at the hearings in the Bow Street Police court. Upon cross-examination he swore that the Wood and Allen lads of the same stripe as himself had received £400 blackmail from a gentleman with whom they were guilty of misconduct in the gentleman's lodgings and that he himself has received £30 from the same person, for the same reason.