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Afraid to Meet the Proofs of the Defense, His Counsel Gives the Case Up-The Jury's Verdict Greeted with Cheers-He Spent Last Night in a Common Cell-His Name Stricken From the Playbills.

London, April 5. -- Oscar Wilde is locked up in a cell at the Bow Street, where he must spend the night, at least.

The charge against him is a criminal offense for which no bail can be accepted until he has been arraigned in court.

His libel suit came to a sudden end this this morning. The leading counsel for the defendant, Mr. Edward M. Carson, Q. C., was outlining the proof in the hands of the defense, when he was interrupted by Sir Edward Clarke, leading counsel for the plaintiff, who asked leave to withdraw the suit.

This was granted, and the jury under instruction from Justice Collins, without leaving their seats, returned a verdict of not guilty, coupled with the statement that the justification set up 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 cheers, which were not checked by the presiding justice.

Wilde wrote a letter after the verdict was rendered, saying it was impossible to prove his case without putting Lord Alfred Douglass in the witness box. Rather than do this he determined to retire from the case.

WARRANT FOR HIS ARREST.

The defense presented the testimony of a long array of witnesses, whom they had intended to call, to the authorities, and the result was that Sir John Bridge, Magistrate at the Bow street police court, issued a warrant for Wilde's arrest, which was served on him at Cadogan's Hotel.

Wilde spent several hours in company with Lord Alfred Douglass 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 drove away. When he was arrested he was taken at once to Scotland Yard.

Wilde wore an ulster and a silk hat. He was very pale, but cool, when he arrived at Scotland Yard. Few persons witnessed his arrival there, and those who did so maintained silence.

He had merely called at the Cadogan Hotel with a couple of friends, when at halfpast 6'0clock a detective walked into the office and asked for him.

The prisoner remained silent throughout the proceedings. He was then taken to Bow street. He was placed in the dock in the police station. Here he stood with his hands in his pockets while the charge against him was being taken.

A police inspector then read the charge aloud and asked Wilde if he had anything to say, adding the usual warning that anything he said might be used against him. The prisoner remained apparently indifferent and made no reply.

MUST SPEND THE NIGHT.

He was then searched, after which he was locked in a cell. Shortly after he had been locked up one of his friends arrived in a carriage at the station with a small Gladstone bag containing a change of clothing and other necessaries, but the police refused to permit him to leave it.

Later, Lord Alfred Douglas went to the police station and inquired whether Wilde could be admitted to bail. The police inspector explained that Wilde had been arrested for a criminal offense which did not allow of bail being accepted until he had been arraigned in court.

The prisoner will be allowed to receive food from a hotel until to-morrow, when he will be arraigned in court on a charge involving a penal offense.

The name of Oscar Wilde has been withdrawn from the play bills and advertisements of the two theaters, the St. James and the Haymarket, where two of his plays are running.

Officials of the treasury department, under which branch of 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 occasion of their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and by two boys.

LONDON, April 5.

The suit of Oscar Wilde against the Marquis of Queensberry came to a sudden and unexpected termination today shortly after the third day's proceedings were begun in the old Bailey before Justice Collins.

Sir Edward Clarke, the leading counsel for the plaintiff, asked permission on behalf of his client to withdraw the suit and submit to a verdict of not guilty in regard to the words "Posing as a -----" written by the Marquis of Queensberry on the card left by the marquis of Queensberry on the card left by the marquis at the Albermarle club for Wilde, on Feb. 18, and which card formed the outward basis for the suit. The jury under instructions from Justice Collins returned a verdict of not guilty, coupled with the statement that the justification set up as a defense 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 applause, which was not checked by the presiding justice, and the Marquis of Queensberry was discharged from custody and left the court triumphantly smiling and surrounded by his friends. Shortly afterward it was announced that a warrant for the arrest of Oscar Wilde was 'o be applied for, all the papers in the case having been submitted to the prosecutor.

Before 10 o'clock this morning every available foot of space in the court room was filled with spectators who were armed with newspapers and packages of sandwiches and were otherwise ready to spend the day in court in the happiest and most comfortable manner possible.

The Marquis of Queensberry at 10:25 entered the court room looking calm and confident.

Promptly at 10:30 a.m. Justice Collins entered and the court was opened.

Oscar Wilde, however, was absent. Mr. Edward M. Carson, Q.C., leading counsel for the defense, resumed his speech, which was not completed yesterday when the court adjourned. He said the marquis was justified in bringing to a climax the way he did the case between his son and Wilde.

Continuing, counsel said he approached a more painful duty. It would be his task to call the several young men, who would tell their own tales, and who would show that the man, Taylor, frequently referred to during the proceedings, was Wilde's procurer. It was not wonder that the Marquis of Queensbuerry protested against the intimacy between his son and Wilde. The wonder is, counsel said, that this man has been so long tolerated in London society. His conduct in regard to the boy at Worthing, continued Mr. Carson, was an evidence of his disgusting audacity. He picked up this boy on a pier and introduced him to his family, dressed him up as a gentleman and put public school colors upon his hat.

Mr. Carson was continuing his terrible denunciation of Oscar Wilde when Sir Edward Clarke and others of Wilde's counsel left the court. They soon returned and Sir Edward asked for permission to interrupt the proceedings. Then, amidst a most impressive silence, the leading counsel for the plaintiff announced the withdrawal of the case on behalf of his client. The chief concern of Sir Edward Clarke seemed to be his desire to justify himself in undertaking the case for Wilde.

He said that after consulting with his client, which, by the way, was in the room to which counsel adjourned, and who left the building hurriedly when Sir Edward Clarke began his statement, he asked to withdraw the suit, and on Wilde's behalf to submit to a verdict for the marquis of not guilty in regard to the words "Posing as a -------" in view of the extracts which had been read in court from Wilde's novel on modern social life, "Doriam Gray," and from the magazine, the Chameleon.

Mr. Carson here interposed, saying that if there was to be a verdict of not guilty, it also involved a verdict of justification as the case of his client must succeed on that plea.

Justice Collins' said that the words "Posing as a ------" were either justified or not justified. IF the jury consented to the consented to the course suggested and were to return a verdict of not guilty, they were also to find that the justification set up by the defendant was true in substance and in fact, and that the words complained of were published for the public good. The jury then consulted together for a moment and then, without leaving their seats, they returned a verdict as directed by Justice Collins, namely, that the Marquis of Queensberry was not guilty of libel and that the words he had written on the card which formed the basis of the suit were published in the interest of the public.

The verdict was received with loud applause in the court and Justice Collins made no attempt to check it.

The Marquis of Queensberry was then discharged from custody and left the court triumphant and surrounded by his friends.

The defense, it appears, had a long array of witnesses on hand, including waiters employed in hotels of Paris, London, and other cities which Wilde had frequented.

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

"It was impossible to prove my case without putting Lord Alfred Douglass in the witness box against his father. Lord Alfred was anxious to go into the box, but I would not permit it. Rather than put him in such a painful position I determined to retire and let fall upon my shoulders whatever shame and ignomy that might result from not prosecuting the Marquis of Queensberry."

Application was made for the arrest of Oscar Wilde and the application was granted.

Officials of the treasury department, under which branch of the government public prosecutions are directed, visited the Bow street police court several times this afternoon previous to the granting of the warrant for Wilde's arrest. Upon the occasion of their last visit they were accompanied by a detective and by two boys. After a short consultation between the treasury officials and Sir John Bridges, during which several questions were addressed to the detective and to the boys, the magistrate issued the warrant.

Wilde spent several hours in company with Lord Alfred Douglass 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.

Wilde was arrested at the Cadogan hotel, Sloan street, and taken in a cab by the two detectives to Scotland yard.

The name of Oscar Wilde has been withdrawn from the playbill and advertisements of the two theaters of the St. James and the Haymarket, where two of his plays are running.

Wilde wore an ulster and a silk hat. He was very pale and cool when he arrived at Scotland Yard. Few persons witnessed his arrival there, and those who did so maintained a silence.

At 8:10 p.m. Wilde was arraigned at the Bow street police court. He had merely called at the Cadagon hotel with a couple of friends, when at 6:30 o'clock a detective walked into the office and asked for him. The officer was told that Wilde was not staying there, but the detective was not to be put off, and insisted that whether Wilde was staying there or not that the man he wanted to see was in the hotel.

He was thereupon shown a room, and upon entering found Wilde sitting down. The officer at once told Wilde that he was under arrest, and bade him prepare to accompany him. Wilde said nothing, but was placed in the dock at the police station. Here he stood with his hands in his pockets while the charge against him was being taken. A police inspector then read the charge aloud and asked Wilde if he had anything to say, adding the usual warning that anything he said might be used against him. The prisoner remained apparently indifferent, and made no reply. He was then searched, after which he was locked in a cell. Shortly after he had been locked up, one of his friends arrived in a carriage at the station with a small Gladstone bag containing a change of clothing and other necessaries, but the police refused to permit him to leave it.

Later in the day Lord Alfred Douglass went to the police station and inquired whether Wilde could be admitted to ball. The police inspector explained that while Wilde had been arrested for a criminal offense which did not allow of bail being accepted until he had been arraigned in court. Lord Alfred was greatly distressed at this information. He was told by the inspector that Wilde had a blanket and other requisites in his cell and was as comfortable as the police regulations would allow. The prisoner will be allowed to receive food frm a hotel until tomorrow, when he will be arraigned in court on a charge involying a penal offense.