St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-06-02
ON THE STAND.
Plaintiff Relates His Story of the
Famous Gard Game.

Famous Gard Game.
LONDON, June While giving his
testimony to-day, Sir William Gordon
Cumming was the typical aristocrat.
He leaned easily on the edge of the wit
ness box, coolly surveying the court and
the evidence, seemingly confident Of
himself and his case. He said that the
Prince of Wales acted as banker upon
the occasion referred to. and that Gen.
Williams was the croupier. His (the
plaintiff7s) attention was not called the
first night, Sept. s, to the complaint
made against him. On the following
evening, he said, when dressing
for dinner, Lord Coventry and Gen.
Williams came to him III his bed room
at Tanbycroft. and the former said:
Cumming. something very disagree
able has occurred. Some people stay
ing here have objected to your manner
of playing baccarat."
To this he replied: "My Godi What
do you mean?"
Lord Coventry, the plaintiff said, then
repeated his former remark, adding that
people said that he (Cumming) had,
while playing baccarat the previous
evening, resorted to foul play. The
plaintiff said that he then replied that
this was foul, abominable charge and
deliberate falsehood. adding, address
ing Lord Coventry and Gen. Williams:
"What am l to do? You two are my
old friends. For goodness sake say
what is to he DONE" The plaintiff then
remarked that he added to this request,
that he placed the whole matter en-
tirely in their hands, and that. after
dinner, at the suggestion of Lord Gov
hA +Ga
plaintiff, had an interview with the
Prince of " ales. to whom he repudiated
the charge brought against him, and
said:
"Your royal highness will see what
terrible thing this is for mel, who
have been attempting for twenty years
to lead the llfe of an officer and a gentle
man."
To this, according to the plaintiff, the
Prince of Wales replied: "What can
you do? There are five accusers."
Sir William said that he answered.:
"My first impulse is to publicly insult
my accusers upon the race course to-
morrow"
To this the Prince of Wales, the
plaintiff testified. replied: "What is
the use OF that? There are five people
against you"
Continuing, Sir William said that half
ap hour after his interview with the
Prince of Wales he was summoned to
another room, where he found Lord
Coventry and Gen. Williams. who told
him that the only way to avoid "hor
rible scandal" was to sign the document
which had already been produced and
read in court by Sir Edward Clarke.
The plaintiff added:
81 said, why this is tantamount to
Il - I,,,t i
ually persuaded to sign the document,
believing that could trust my honor to
Gen. Williams and LORD Coventry,
whom | regarded as being true and in
innate friends
Sir William further testified that on
the second night of the baccarat games
at TanbycrOft on Sept. 5, 1890, the
Prince of Wales was banker, and that
Arthur Wilson won five "cOupS" run
ming. which Sir William thought was
very good for novice" At the end
of tie game, the plaintiff con-
tinued, the Prince of Wales laugh
ingly said: Cumming, how came
you to win SO much?"-referring
nights play. To this | replied: "Well,
sir, l could not help winning with such
luck" showing the prince card on
which had kept marked under the
the headings of banker and "piayer"
the exact number of times which the
banker or player had won during the
evenings play. The baronet concluded
his testimony with 4 solemn and i'm
pressive denial that he ever cheated at
cards at Tanbycroft or anywhere else.
The croSS-eXamination of the plaintiff
was then commenced by Sir Charles
Russell, leading counsel for the de-
ot,t.- rN1n inf a hN hn1
reason 70 suspect malice upon the part
of any of the defendants. Sir Charles
then carelessly glanced at paper, and
turning towards the plaintiff, who had
evidently nerVed himself to face Sir
Charles fire. continued: And does
this express your opinion" (reading):
''The worst of it is that feel that they
are acting perfectly conscientiously in
the matter, and they believed that they
did see me resort to foul play" Par
don me-" cried Sir William quickly,
drawing himself up, his eyes spark
ling, and his whole manner
denoting considerable excitement,
"are you reading from any let
piled: s"Yes; rdoes it express your
feelings?" "Yes," replied the plaintiff,
sharply. Answering another question
put to him by Sir Charles Russell, the
plaintiff said that he had received a
memorandum signed by the Prince of
Wales and by Lord Coventry and Gen.
Williams, sayIug that the signers of the
memorandum did not desire to be I'M
necessarily hard, but he (Sir William)
must clearly understand that, in the face
of the overwhelming evidence present
ed, it was useless to attempt to deny
the accusation against him. and that,
so long as he complied with the condi-
tions set forth III the document, silence
would be maintained. The court was
then adjourned until tomorrow.