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London, April 5– The suit of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry came to a sudden and unexpected termination this morning shortly after the third day’s proceedings were commenced in the Old Bailey, before Justice Collins.

The result was apparently brought about by the terrible denunciations in the opening argument of Queensberry’s lawyer, Edward M. Carson, M. P., who began yesterday his statement of what he proposed to prove against Wilde. To-day he continued laying down further the line of defense that he intended to offer, and had proceeded a few minutes when Sir Edward Clarke, Wilde’s leading counsel, left the court room. He returned after a brief absence, and amid an impressive silence asked permission on behalf his client, Wilde, to withdraw the suit and submit to a verdict of not guilty in regard to the libel alleged, written by the Marquis of Queensberry. The jury, under instructions from Justice Collins, returned a verdict of not guilty, coupled with the statement that the justification set up as a defence 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 justice, and the Marquis of Queensberry was discharged from custody and left the court triumphant, smiling and surrounded by his friends.

The Old Bailey was filled before 10 o’clock with a crowd which had brought lunches, prepared to stay to the end of the day. No one had the remotest idea that the end was so near at hand. The Marquis of Queensberry entered the court room at 10:20 o’clock, looking calm and confident of the result. Promptly at 10:30 Justice Collins took his seat on the bench and opened court. It was noticed that Wilde was not in the court room, but nothing was thought of the circumstance, for the plaintiff was late yesterday.

It was learned later, after Sir Eward Clarke retired, that Wilde was in the anteroom to which his counsel had gone. After a brief interview with his client Sir Edward Clarke returned and withdrew the suit, as noted above. Wilde left he building hurriedly when his counsel began his statement of withdrawal.

Sir Edward Clarke, who is a prominent conservative and who was solicitor general under Lord Salisbury’s last administration, seems desirous of setting himself right for taking the case behalf of Wilde, and the developments of the trial the stated to be altogether surprising to him.

Oscar Wilde has written a letter to the newspapers in which he says:

"It was impossible 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 and bear upon my own shoulders whatever shame and ignominy might result form not prosecuting the Marquis of Queensberry."

Shortly after 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.

Later in the day the application was formally 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 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 question of their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and 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 during the day spent several hours in company with Lord 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 afterward, both Wilde and Lord Alfred drove away.

Oscar Wilde Arrested.

London, April 5– Oscar Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan hotel this afternoon.

He was taken to Scotland yard by two detectives.

London, Saturday.The doors of Bow street Police Court were besieged at a comparatively early hour this morning, it being known that Oscar Wilde, who had been arrested on the previous evening, would be placed in the dock. That part of the building in which extradition cases are usually taken was speedily thronged to its utmost capacity, and the appearance of the prisoner was eagerly awaited.

Sir John Bridge took his seat a few minutes after eleven o’clock. Wilde was simultaneously brought up from the cells. He was attired in the heavy overcoat which he wore at the Old Bailey. He entered the dock with an easy air, and, having deposited his silk hat upon the seat, bowed slightly to the magistrate, and then leaned forward upon the rail and listened attentively to Mr Gill’s opening.

Mr Gill, in opening the case for the prosecution, said there was a series of charges against the prisoner of gross criminality. After the case had been gone into he would state specifically on what charges he asked for the prisoner to be committed. The first case was that with regard to a young man named Charles Parker. The evidence would show that a man named Taylor, living in Little College street, was engaged as an agent for Wilde. The prisoner would be charged with conspiring with Taylor.

Charles Parker, a good-looking, well-dressed youth of 10, then entered the witness box, and was detailing the circumstances of his introduction by Alfred Taylor to the prisoner when Mr Gill caused a momentary flutter of excitement by announcing the arrest of Taylor. Pending his arrival in the dock, Mr C O Humphreys, Wilde’s solicitor, elicited from the magistrate that to-day’s proceedings would be of some length. Taylor, a young man strongly resembling Parker in appearance and address, though somewhat older, was then brought in and took his stand beside Wilde. Parker was then examined at considerable length.

After some evidence from William Parker, brother to Charles, Mr Gil put into the box a witness against the prisoner Taylor—namely, Mrs Ellen Grant, 15 College street.

Alfred Wood, formerly a clerk, was next examined, and deposed that certain letters were handed to Wilde by him and paid for, and the witness went to America.

ANOTHER ARREST.

London, Saturday.The man Taylor, who is alleged to have acted as an agent for Oscar Wilde, was arrested this morning and taken to Bow street.

WILDE DISGRACED IN AMERICA.(REUTER’S TELEGRAMS.)

NEW YORK, SATURDAY.The management of the Lyceum Theatre, where Oscar Wilde’s play, "An Ideal Husband," is now running, have decided to remove the author’s name from the bills and programmer: Miss Rose Coghlan, who has been playing "A Woman of No Importance" in the Western States, has resolved to omit the play from her repertoire.

LORD A. DOUGLAS AND WILDE.

Lord A Douglas appears to have made an injudicious statement, in reference to which his uncle, the Hon and Rev A Douglas, writes:—"My nephew, Lord Douglas, was certainly not authorized by my mother, my sister, and myself to say, as reported—’Every member of our family except my father disbelieves absolutely and entirely the allegations of the defence.' We do most certainly believe them, and must repudiate any sympathy with the statement of my nephew."

LETTER FROM WILDE.

The London Evening News states that it has received the following letter from Mr Oscar Wilde, written on the 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 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 ignominy and shame might result from my prosecuting Lord Queensberry."