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London, May 1– The British public were given a big surprise in the Oscar Wilde case to-day. The jury after being out four hours returned to the court and announced amid great excitement that there was no possibility of coming to an agreement as to a verdict.

Immediately upon the opening of the court Justice Charles charged the jury. The justice, in so doing, said that counsel for the prosecution acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy brought against Wilde, as he Justice Charles, would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of "not guilty" on that specification. He said that there was corroboration of the witnesses, but, the jury he added, would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood and Atkins, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the justice’s opinion, properly described as blackmailers.

The justice also urged the jury not to be influenced by Wilde’s writings, saying that many great men had written after a similar fashion. The jury retired at 1:30 o’clock. At 3 o’clock they sent out for lunch and at 5:30 returned with their announcement of disagreement.

The Wilde episode, which at the beginning sent a shock through the entire world of society and letters, has the following history.

Early in the present year the Marquis of Queensberry offered to Oscar Wilde in the club of which they were both members insults of the gravest kind. The marquis openly avowed that he did this to goad Wilde to public resentment, when, he declared, the literary man and playright would be shown in his proper light.

The reason given by the marquis for his action was the bad influence which, he alleged, Wilde had gained over the marquis’ younger son, Lord Alfred Douglas. He desired to destroy this influence by a public scandal.

Wilde concluded to resent the insinuations of the Marquis of Queensberry and brought suit for libel against him, and the marquis was held in heavy bonds to answer the charge.

Some time later the trial of the marquis began. He admitted the charges, but alleged justification and put on witness to prove the same. It was the testimony then adduced which shocked the public and caused Wilde on the second day’s hearings to withdraw the charge of libel and request through his counsel that the marquis be discharged and a plea of not guilty entered.

In a letter to the public on the same day that he withdrew from the prosecution of his suit against the marquis Wilde said he could not continue in the face of these counter charges without putting Lord Alfred on the stand to testify against his father, and this, though the young man wished it, he refused to do.

A few hours after Wilde had withdrawn his suit the public prosecutor, representing the treasury department, had Wilde arrested on a criminal charge. He was held without bail from that time, several weeks ago, though the technical charge was only a misdemeanor, and he has been compelled to live during the time in a police court cell.

He was examined, formally indicted, and the trial which was conducted to-day ensued. In this trial the only witnesses against Wilde were men who were known to be blackmailers and scoundrels of the blackest type. The charges made by these men were denied by Wilde. His counsel yesterday, Sir Edward Clarke, made a brilliant appeal, calling attention to the character of the defendant’s accusers.

Sir Edward Clarke, after the disagreement was announced to-day, made application for bail, but his request was refused and a fresh jury will probably be summoned.

LONDON, May 1. — In the Old Bailey Court to-day Justice Charles summed up the case against Oscar Wilde and Alfred Taylor, accused of serious misdemeanors. The Justice in so doing said that counsel for the prosecution acted wisely in withdrawing the charge of conspiracy brought against Wilde, as he (Justice Charles) would have ordered the jury to bring in a verdict of not guilty on that specification. He admitted that there was corroboration of the witnesses, but the jury, he added, would have to weigh the characters of men like Parker, Wood and Atkins, whom Sir Edward Clarke, in the Justice's opinion, properly described as blackmailers. The Justice also urged that the jury should not be influenced by Wilde's writings, saying that many great men had written indecently. The jury must exercise its own judgment as to whether Wilde's letters to Lord Alfred Douglas breathed an unnatural passion, and he also said the relations between Shelly and Wilde would be an interesting matter for the jury's judgment.

The jury retired at 1:30 p. m.

At 3 p. m. the jury requested that lunch be given them.

After lunch the jury resumed its deliberations, and afterward returned and announced that there was no possibility of coming to an agreement as to a verdict.

Counsel for the prisoners then made application for bail, but his request was refused and a fresh jury will probably be summoned.

When the news of the disagreement reached the outside of the Courtroom there was great excitement among the crowds in the streets, and the extra editions of the evening newspapers, which were issued a few minutes after the result of the trial became known, were bought quickly by the throngs of people who surrounded the newsboys.

When Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for Wilde, asked for bail, Justice Charles said that the application must be made in Chambers.

Wilde will be tried again at the next session of the Central Criminal Court.

Throughout the proceedings to-day he was very pale, but he did not show any signs of elation when the result of the deliberations of the jury was made known.

As Sir Edward Clarke, counsel for the prisoner, left the Court, he was heard to remark to a friend: "Truth is mighty and will prevail."

There was a big crowd of people outside the Old Bailey during the last stages of the famous trial to-day, but there was no demonstration for or against the prisoner upon the part of the populace. In spite of this, Wilde was kept in the prisoners' room of the Court for an hour after the adjournment, or until the crowds had dispersed, before he was taken to Holloway Jail.