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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 inch of the Old Bailey was occupied this morning when the Marquis 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 on February 28 an uncovered card at the Albemarle Club, on which 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 Marlborough Street Police Court, was placed under £1500 bail.

Oscar Wilde arrived early, and his presence set at rest the rumor that he had suddenly left London to avoid being present. The Marquis of Queensberry, who wore a shabby over coat, was placed in the dock and answered the indictment by pleading, first, not guilty, and next, that the libel was true and it was published for the public good.

WILDE PAID FOR A LETTER.

Sir Edward Clarke, formerly Solicitor-General, in opening the case, said 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 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. A certain letter addressed by the plaintiff to Lord Alfred Douglas, second son of the Marquis of Queensberry, was brought to the 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.

WILDE AS A WITNESS.

Oscar Wilde was then 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 covered with rings. He was very pale, but seemingly composed. Wilde spoke with his customary drawl, leaning his arms upon the rail of the witness-box and replying distinctly to the questions.

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 one was unknown to the plaintiff. The Marquis 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 a horrible crime?" He replied: "I do not say it; but you look like it and appear like it."

A "POETICAL" LETTER.

Counsel for the plaintiff then 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 a 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. It read thus:

My Dear Boy: Your sonnet is quite lovely. Your rose-leaf lips seem made no less for the music of song than for the madness of kisses. Your slim, gilt soul walks betweens poetry and passion. I know that Hyacinthus, who was loved by Apollo, was you in the Greek days. Why are you alone in London and when do you go to. Salisbury? Do you sleep in the gray twilight of the Gothic things? Come here whenever you like, but go to Salisbury first. With undying love, OSCAR.

Counsel, in explaining this letter, said it might seem extravagant to those who were in the habit of writing commercial letters; but, he added, it was mere poetry. (Laughter.)

Interest in the case was heightened when Sir Edward Clarke, upon finishing the direct examination of his client, turned the latter over to E. H. Carson, Q. C., M. P., counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry for examination. Mr. Carson began the presentation of the case for the Marquis by reading passages from "Dorian Gray," one of Oscar Wilde's novels of modern life, to show that the author upheld certain forms of immorality, the plaintiff following the counsel with a copy of the book and laughing at Mr. Carson's insinuation.

Mr. Carson, addressing the plaintiff, asked: "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 every adore madly, as described in 'Dorian Gray,' any person of the male sex younger than yourself?" was Mr. Carson's next question. In reply Wilde said: "I took the idea from Shakespeare's sonnets."

Replying to other 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.

HIS VIEW OF LIFE.

It was also developed during the cross-examination of Wilde that in writing he did not concern himself to produce morality or immorality. He had no purpose in the matter and was concerned merely with literature, beauty, wit and emotion. He rarely thought of anything he wrote as of life.

"The interpretation of my works does not concern me," said Wilde. "I do not care a 'tuppence' for what the Philistines think about me." But Carson severely repressed the levity of witness and began the more serious phase of cross-examination by questioning Wilde about his intimacy with a newsboy, 18 years of age, belonging to Worthing, and brought out the fact that Wilde took the boy to a hotel at Brighton.

"Why did you seek the boy's society?" asked Mr. Carson. "Was it for an intellectual treat?" "Oh! He was a bright, careless, amusing creature," replied the witness.

Mr. Carson here produced a silver cigarette case, a handsome silver-mounted cane and a book which Wilde admitted he had presented to the newsboy referred to.

The cross-examination then touched upon Wilde's relations with various boys and men. Wilde emphatically denied that he had done anything improper, but he was troubled and confused under the terrible cross-examination to which he was subjected, and frequently drank water. In fact, he seemed ready to faint, and a chair was placed inside the witness stand for his use. Throughout the questioning of the plaintiff the Marquis of Queensberry stood facing him and did not take his eyes off the man in the witness box.

The cross-examination of Wilde was not finished when the court adjourned for the day at 5 P.M.