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LONDON, April 4. -- There was unabated interest to-day at the Old Bailey in the taking of testimony on the second day of the libel suit brought by Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensbury. Oscar, upon resuming his place on the witness stand, admitted that he had attended tea parties in the rooms of a man named Taylor, which were artistically furnished and in which perfumes were burning. He denied any improper relations having been permitted there.

Wilde in his answers to questions put to him exhibited confusion and contradicted himself frequently. Queensbury's attorney, Carson, plied him with questions, which were in the main pitiless and unprintable.

The cross examination was concluded at noon, after having lasted six hours. Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for Wilde, then put in evidence certain letters of the marquis, in which he called upon his son, Lord Alfred Douglass, to cease his "infamous relations" with the plaintiff, saying that his blood turned cold at sight of their "infamous faces." He added, "I hear that Wilde's wife will petition for a divorce on the ground of unnatural crime. If you do not cease to let him disgrace us, I shall feel justified in shooting him on sight."

To this letter Lord Alfred relied: "What a funny little man you are."

The speech of Carson for the defense lasted until the court adjourned at 5 p. m., and was not finished at that hour. He reviewed the evidence point by point, denounced Wilde and said that the witnesses he would produce would prove to the jury beyond any doubt the guilt of the plaintiff.

Nasty Enough.

Most of the newspapers are printing the testimony almost verbatim, but the character of the evidence is such to-day that the St. James Gazette says:

"The nature of the evidence and the whole circumstances of the case prove to be of such a character that we cannot repeat it The English public is at present involved in one of those orgies of indecency permitted by the operation of open law courts and an enterprising press."

After the production of other letters the case for the plaintiff was closed and Carson began his speech for the defense. It was terribly denunciatory of Wilde, who left the court room.

Every available inch of the Old Bailey was occupied on April 3, when the hearing of the libel suit brought against the Marquis of Queensberry by Oscar Wilde was opened before Justice Collins.

Wilde charges the Marquis with leaving on February 28 an uncovered card at the Albemarle Club, on which was written certain foul epithets. As a result, Wilde, on March 2, caused the arrest of the Marquis and the latter, at Marlborough-street Police Court, was placed under £1500 bail.

The court-room was crowded with lawyers. The Marquis, 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 it was published for the public good.

The Marquis seemed unconcerned, and in replying to questions spoke quietly and clearly. 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. Continuing, the counsel said the gravest issues had been raised, as the defendant in his pleadings alleged that the plaintiff had for some time acted in a disgraceful way. Certain letters addressed by the plaintiff to Lord Alfred Douglas, the second son of the Marquis of Queensberry, were brought to the plaintiff by a man who said he was in distress, and Wilde have him £20 with which to pay his passage to America. Another letter was handed Beerbohm Tree, the actor, who gave it to the plaintiff.

Counsel then recounted the facts already known in the case, showing that Wilde, who had recently returned from Algiers, drove up to the Albemarle Club about five p.m. on February 28th, and on entering was handed an envelope by the hall porter, Sidney Wright, who said: "Lord Queensberry desired me, sir, to hand this to you when you came to the club."

Inside the envelope the plaintiff found a card, on the back of which was written the date "4.30, 18,2,'95," and on this card were written certain vile epithets which formed the basis of the suit.

Oscar Wilde was called. He languidly arose from his solicitor's table, where he was seated, and entered the witness box. The plaintiff was faultlessly dressed in a 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 questions.

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 was the Marquis of Queensberry, the other unknown to the plaintiff. The former said, "Sit down." I replied: "Lord Queensberry, I will not allow anyone to talk that way in my house. I suppose you have come to apologise. Is it possible you accuse me and your son of infamous vices?"

He replied, "It looks that way."

The counsel for plaintiff then asked the witness about the man to whom he had given £20 with which to pay his passage to America. The witness said, "The man told me he had been offered £60 for a letter, and I advised him to immediately accept it. But I finally gave him 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 letter was to Lord Alfred Douglas, and the writer addressed him affectionately, and was signed "Oscar Wilde." Counsel, in explaining this letter, said it might seem extravagant to those in the habit of writing letters.

But he added, "It was mere poetry." (Laughter.)

Interest in the case was increased when Sir Edward Clarke, upon finishing the direct examination, turned the witness over to E.H. Carson, Q.C., M.P., counsel for the Marquis of Queensberry, for cross-examination.

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 all that he had been accused of the plaintiff following the counsel with a copy of the book and laughing at Carson's insinuations.

Carson, addressing the plaintiff, asked: "Do you think the description of Dorian Gray, given on page six, is a moral one?"

"Yes," replied Wilde. "Just what an artist would notice in a beautiful personality."

"Did you ever adore madly as described in 'Dorian Gray,' any person of the male sex younger than yourself?' was the next question.

In reply, Wilde said: "I took the idea from Shakespeare's sonnets."

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

Wilde testified that the man to whom he gave the :$20, on receipt of the letter in which he referred to Lord Douglas, which amount was used to pay his passage to America, was named Wood. Replying to questions by Mr Carson, Wilde said the letter to Lord Alfred was merely "poetical," and he added he had an "undying love" for Lord Alfred, who, he claimed, was his best friend.

Carson severely repressed the levity of the witness, and began a more serious phrase of cross-examination by questioning Wilde about his other vicious acts, and the questions were so pointed as to be unprintable. Wilde, however, emphatically denied that he had done anything improper, but 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.

SECOND DAY.

There was unabated interest. The audience was largely composed of lawyers and reporters. There were few notable persons present.

The plaintiff arrived at an early hour and took a seat at the table reserved for solicitors. The Marquis of Queensberry entered a few minutes later, looking jaunty and confident. Several of his friends shook the defendant's hand as he entered the dock.

Oscar Wilde, upon resuming his place on the witness stand, admitted that he had attended tea parties in the rooms of a man named Taylor, which were artistically furnished, and in which perfumes were burning.

Wilde, in answer to questions, exhibited confusion and contradicted himself frequently. He also lost his temper. Carson's questions were in the main pitiless and unprintable. Carson's cross-examination of the plaintiff was concluded at noon, having lasted over six hours.

After the afternoon recess the crowd in the court-room was larger than ever, and the hall and stairs leading to it were filled ten feet deep with well-dressed men in waiting. Wilde kept the court waiting ten minutes, for which he apologised to Justice Collins, saying he had been consulting his doctor.

After the production of other letters the case for the plaintiff was closed, and Carson began his speech for the defence. It was terribly denunciatory of Wilde, who left the court-room as soon as the counsel for defendant began to speak. Lord Alfred Douglas was present in the court for a short time during the morning, but he did not return in the afternoon.

The speech of Mr Carson for the defence lasted until the court adjourned at 5 p.m., and was not finished. He reviewed the evidence, point by point, denounced Wilde, and said the witnesses he would produce would prove beyond any doubt the guilt of the plaintiff.

Carson alluded in complimentary terms to the course of Beerbohm Tree in forwarding to the plaintiff a copy of the anonymous letter handed the English actor, whereupon Justice Collins said: "There is no occasion to mention the name of Beerbohm Tree." Carson, in reply, remarked: "Nor should I do so, my Lord, had it not been that I received a cable message from him to-day asking that his connection with the case be fully explained."

"Everyone understands Mr Tree's connection with the case. It is in every way honourable and praiseworthy," said the Justice in conclusion. Wilde returned to the Courtroom a few minutes before the adjournment.

Among the letter produced and addressed by the Marquis of Queensberry to his son, Lord Alfred Douglas, was one saying Wilde "was a cur and a coward."

The court then adjourned till the next day.