Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-06-12

the baccarat game as played in court to-
day. The court was crowded long be-
fore opening time and interest in the
case did not seem to have diminished in
the slightest degree. The Prince Of
Wales, throughout the present legal pro-
ceedings, has democ srrated the fact that
he is sticking" to the Wilson's and that
he will continue to do so. No better ev-
idence of this fact is needed than the
fact that young Arthur Stanley Wilson
has been elected a member of the Marl-
borough club, the princes pet club,
upon the nomination Of the
heir apparent himself. In the course
of further remarks in his speech Sir Ed
ward Clarke, attorney for che plaintiff,
said: "What was Sir VIM. Gordon Cum
mling's reason for signing the document
about which so much has been said?'
asked the solicitor-general, looking
straight into the Prince of Wales eyes.
1T was" he said, after an effective pause,
'to save the Prince of Wales. Among
the mass of people," Sir Edward contin-
ued, uttering each word with startling
distinctness, lit is known that the club,
or inn, could be prosecuted for playing
at baccarat and in a great part Of the
community there was d feeling that this
unhappy incident ought never to have
been allowed to become known
because the circumstances were
those which were at variance with the
feeling with the conscience of the peo-
pie. Then there was a strange and SUBJ
tie influence of royalty" still more
solemnly and dramatically said the solic-
itor general, land Sir VIM. Gordon
| Cummings action in signing that docu-
ment was due to the influence which has
adorned history, and which has made
many a knight do al unknightly and
~dishonoring deed to save their king, be-
cause they gave their honor as freely as
they would have given their lives for the
interests of a dynasty, or to conceal the
foibles of a prince" A slight ripple of
applause, which was promptly sup
pressed, broke out in the court as the
eloquent jurist uttered the last words
with the most touching and impressive
manner. "The document" continued
Sir Edward Clarke, with increasing force
and amidst the most deadly silence
throughout the court rooms,
twas signed by Sir William Gordon Cum
mings in order to save the Prince of
Wales from the scandal. The motto of
Sir William Gordon Cummings race is
"Without Fear" He came into the wit
ness box without fear, confident of a YER
dict which would wipe this stain from
his noble record of service with his gal
liant regiment of brave soldiers. Sir Ed
ward Clarke's plain language throughout,
when he referred to the Prince of Wales
and when he made the assertion that the
afternoon precis was prepared by Lord
Coventry and signed by Sir William Cor
| don Cumming solely in order to shield
the Prince of Wales from scandal, caused
Of the greatest sensations of this sem
s%ational trial, and those who heard the
remarks made in court we're SO impressed
with them that they we're generally dis
cussed afterwaad and were commented
upon in the club and other ~ciycles.
far into the night and
early morning. The solicitor-general
quoted as the basis of these startling
allegations, al extract from the Earl of
Coventry's diary, in which the following
words occur: I'VE were induced to re-
commend this course because we desired
to avoid scandal and in order to keep the
"Sir William Gordon Cumming, as we'll
as the Earl of Coventry" said Sir Ed
ward, is loyal to the Prince of Wales,
who has boon most kind to him, and Sir
William Gordon Cumming signed that
document because he was willing to sacri-
flee himself, as his old friends were willing
to sacrifice him in order to save the rep
utation Of one the recollection of whose
friendship will always be bright in his
memory" The solicitor-general then
said slowly to the jury: sit is too late to
undo much of the mischief which has
been DONE" and then, facing the Prince
of Wales and looking the latter direct in
the face for about the space of a minute,
he continued, in a VOICE apparently
shaken with emotion: "And it may be
too late to save the reputation of
some of the people mentioned in this
the case, but" again turning to the jury,
lit is not too late for you to prevent the
completion of the sacrifice of this gallant
officer" Sir Edward Clarke's speech
was regarded as a most eloquent and
telling effort, and as he closed his re-
marks, there was a burst of spontaneous
applause, cheering and d-clapping
throughout the court which caused the
lord chief justice to shout "Silence! This
is not a theatre" The lord chief JUSTICES
call had the desired effect. The applause
Cumming rose from his seat a minute
later and while the Prince of Wales and
Lord Coleridge we're still on the bench,
there was a renewal of the cheers and
hand-clapping, of which the plaintiff ap-
peared to take no notice. The court was
then adjourned until tomorrow, when
the lord chief justice will sum up and the
CAGE will be given to the jury.
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