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LONDON, April 3. -- Every available inch of the Old Bailey was occupied this morning when the Marquis of Queensberry surrendered to bail, and the libel suit brought against him by Oscar Wilde was opened before Justice Collins. Oscar Wilde charges the Marquis of Queensberry with libel by leaving, in February last, an uncovered card at the Albemarle Club, on which card were written certain foul epithets. As a result Mr. Wilde on March 2 caused the arrest of the Marquis of Queensberry, and the latter, at the Marlborough Street Police Court, was placed under £1,500 bail.

Rumors were current in London yesterday that Oscar Wilde had suddenly left the city in order to avoid being present in court today, and reports were also current that a startling development would arise today. But both these rumors were set at rest by the arrival in court of the principals to the suit. The Marquis was placed in the dock, and answered to the indictment by pleading first, not guilty, and secondly, that the libel was true, and that it was published for the public good. The Marquis seemed unconcerned and, replying to the questions put to him, spoke quietly and clearly.

Sir Edward Clarke, formerly Solicitor General, in opening the case, said that the card left at the Albemarle Club for Mr. Wilde was one of the visiting cards of the Marquis of Queensberry, and it was upon this that the libel was written. Certain letters addressed by the plaintiff to Lord Alfred Douglas, second son of the Marquis of Queensberry, were brought to plaintiff by a man who said he was in distress, and Mr. Wilde gave him £20 with which to pay his passage to America. Another letter was handed to Beerbohm Tree, the actor, who gave it to the plaintiff. Counsel then recounted the facts already known in the case, showing that Mr. Wilde, who had recently returned from Algiers, drove up to the Albemarle Club at about 5 p.m. Feb. 28, and on entering the club he was handed an envelope by the hall porter. Inside the envelope plaintiff found a card, on the back of which was the date "4:30, 18. 2. 95," and on this card were written certain foul epithets, which formed the basis of the suit. Oscar Wilde was then called and he languidly arose from the solicitor's table, where he was seated, and entered the witness box. Wilde spoke with his customary drawl, leaning his arms upon the rail of the witness box and replying distinctly to the questions addressed to him. Counsel for the plaintiff asked the witness about the man to whom he had given £20 with which to pay his passage to America. Witness said: "The man told me he had been offered £60 for the letter, and I advised him to immediately accept it. But finally I gave him the money in order to relieve his distress and he gave me the letter."

The document referred to was here produced in court and was handed to Justice Collins. The cross-questioning was very severe and, though the witness emphatically denied having done anything improper, he became troubled and confused, so that at one time it seemed as though he was about to faint. His cross-examination was not finished when court adjourned for the day.

London, April 3. -- Every available space in the old bailey was occupied this morning when the marquis of Queensberry surrendered to bail, and the libel suit brought against him by Oscar Wilde was opened before Justice Collins.

Oscar Wilde charges the marquis of Queensberry of libel by leaving, on February 28 last, an uncovered card at the Albemarle club, on which card were written certain foul epithets. As a result Mr. Wilde, on March 2, caused the arrest of the marquis of Queensberry, and the latter, at the Market street police court, was placed under £1500 bail.

The aisles of the old court room were crowded with lawyers. Admission was obtained by ticket only, and the sheriff in charge showed the reporter of the Associated Press a pile of applications a foot high, many of them being from well known people. Rumors were current in London yesterday that Oscar Wilde had suddenly left the city in order to avoid being present in court to-day, and reports were also current that a startling development would also rise to-day. Both these rumors were set at rest by the arrival in court of the principals to the suit. The marquis of Queensberry, who wore a shabby overcoat, was placed in the dock, and answered to the indictment by pleading first not guilty, and, secondly, that the libel was true, and that it was published for public good. The marquis seemed quite unconcerned and, replying to the questions put to him, he spoke quietly and clearly.

Sir Edward Clark, formerly solicitor general, in opening the case, said that the card left at the Albemarle club for Mr. Wilde was one of the visiting cards of the marquis of Queensberry, and it was upon this that the libel was written. Continuing, counsel said that the gravest issues had been raised, as the defendant in his pleadings alleged that the plaintiff had for some time solicited persons named to commit indecent offenses. Certain letters addressed by the plaintiff to Lord Alfred Douglass, second son of the marquis of Queensberry, were brought to the plaintiff by a man who said he was in distress and Wilde gave him £20 with which to pay his passage to America.

Another letter was handed to Mr. Beerbohm Tree, the actor, who gave it to the plaintiff.

Counsel then recounted the facts already known in the case that Mr Wilde, who recently returned from Algiers, drove up to the Albemarle club at about 5 p. m. on February 28 and on entering the club he was handed an envelope by the hall porter, Sidney Wright, who said that the marquis of Queensberry had desired him to hand it to Mr. Wilde.

The exact words were: "Lord Queensberry desired me, sir, to hand this to you when you came into the club."

Inside the envelope was found a card, on which were written certain foul epithets, which formed the basis of the suit.

Oscar Wilde was called and he languidly arose and entered the witness box. The plaintiff was faultlessly dressed in a long black frock coat and carried his gloves in his hand, showing his fingers to be covered with rings. He was very pale, but was seemingly composed. As he spoke with his customary drawl, leaning his arms upon the rail of the witness box and replying distinctly to the questions addressed to him, the jury, which was composed of very intelligent men of elderly appearance--mainly prosperous tradesmen--eyed him with curiosity. The witness said that upon arriving at his house a few months ago he found two gentlemen waiting in the library. One of them was the marquis of Queensberry and the other was unknown to the plaintiff. The former said: "Sit down."

"I replied: 'Lord Queensberry, I will not allow any one to talk that way in my house. I suppose you have come to apologize. Is it possible that you accuse your son and me of --?'"

"He replied: 'I don't say it, but you look like it and appear like it.'"

Counsel for the plaintiff then asked the witness about the man to whom he had given £20 to pay his passage to America.

Witness said: "The man told me he had been offered £60 for the letter and I advised him to accept. But finally I gave him £20 to relieve his distress, and he gave me the letter."

The documents referred to were produced and handed to Justice Collins. The letter referred to the "rose red lips" of Lord Alfred Douglass, and the writer addressed him as "My Own Boy" and asked "Why are you alone in London?"

The letter was signed, "With undying love, Oscar."

Mr. Carson began the presentation of the case for the marquis by reading pages from "Dorian Gray," one of Oscar Wilde's novels of modern life, to show that the author upheld --, the plaintiff following with a copy of the book and laughing at Mr. Carson's insinuation.

Mr. Carson addressed the plaintiff asking: "Do you think that the description of 'Dorian Gray' given on page 6 is a moral one?" "Yes," replied Wilde; "Just what an artist would notice in a beautiful personality." "Did you adore madly, as described in 'Dorian Gray', any person of a male sex younger than yourself?" was Mr. Carson's next question. In reply Mr. Wilde said: "I took the idea from Shakespeare's sonnets."

During this portion of the proceedings the marquis of Queensberry following his counsel with a copy of "Dorian Gray" in his hands with seeming enjoyment.

Replying to questions put to him by Mr. Carson, Wilde said that the letter to Lord Alfred was "merely poetical," and he added that he had "undying love" for Lord Alfred, who he claimed was his best friend.

The cross-examination was very severe and brought out the differences in ages of Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglass (the former was born in 1856 and the latter in 1870), how the two visited various towns together, stopped at the same hotels together and how Lord Alfred visited Wilde's chambers in St. James place, which the plaintiff maintained in addition to his house at No. 16 Tite street, S. W.

Mr. Carson then drew out Wilde's opinons regarding literature in general, to which line of cross-examination the plaintiff made many smart responses in the same line as in his plays.

"The interpretation of my works does not concern me," said Wilde. "I do not care twopence for what the Phillistines think about me."

The cross-examination of Wilde was not finished when the court adjourned for the day.