The record-union., 1891-06-10
Special to the REconD-un1oS.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
LONDON, June 9.-The Prince of Wales
was not present this morning when the
court trying the baccarat scandal case
convened.
The Lord Chief Justice had hardly
taken his seat when General Owen VIII
Hams stepped to the front Of the bench
and said, his face pale and his voice
husky: "My Lord, have to ask your
protection. Yesterday Sir Edward
Clarke thought proper Here the So
licitor-General, Sir Edward Clarke
sprang to his feet and interrupting Gen
eral Williams, exclaimed: ''I ask your
lordship to interfere, and that General
Williams should not be allowed to make
a statement, as he has not the privilege of
doing So"
To this General Williams hotly re-
piled: II was accused of an abominable
charge"
Here the Lord Chief Justice interferred,
saying, II do not remember the express
sion, but / do not think you can be
allowed to speak,
But General Williams persisted in
being heard. remarking, angrily: "We
were accused Of sacrificing an innocent
man. This statement was made without
any evidence being brought forward for
it's justification"
Lord Coleridge again interrupted the
General, remarking with considerable
warmth, u cannot hear any statement
from you," and Immediately commenced
his summing up, while General Williams
retired, frowning and greatly discon-
certed, to his seat.
The Chief Justice said that if the Jury
found defendants had spoken the truth
their verdict should be for the defend
ants, but if the jury thought the charges
they made were not true, and that Sir
William Gordon Cumming did not do
anything wrong while playing baccarat
at Tranby Croft in September last, then
their verdict must be for the plaintiff.
Continuing, the Chief Justice analyzed
at length the evidence given by the
plaintiff, which evidence, he said, was
well worthy of consideration. During
another portion of his summing up Lord
Coleridge said the Prince of Wales pres
ence at Tranby Croft was sufficient to ex-
plain Lycett Green's objection to creating
disturbance in the baccarat room or
elsewhere by calling attention to actions
which he objected TO on the part of Sir
William Gordon Cumming.
Lord Coleridge called the attention of
the jury TO one particular observation
which was made in behalf of the plaintiff
in the course of the trial 1t was to the
effect that there twas more in the case
than appeared on the surface" Against
this,' the Lord Chief Justice remarked,
Il most emphatically protest. The jury
has nothing to with things which are not
on the surface. You have to confine
yourself to the single issue and what you
have heard and what has been proved
during the trial"
When the Chief Justice defined the law
of libel as different from the law of
SANDER, and when he gave special in
structions in regard to amount of dam
ages which the jury should, if they so
desired, assess, in the event they found a
verdict in the case for the defendants it
was considered that Lord Coleridge's in
structions were decidedly favorable to
Sir William Gordon Cumming But
when the Chief Justice analysed the evil
dence of the defendants and that Of Gen
eral Williams, the Prince of Wales and
Lord Coventry, it was judged this was. in
effect, an Endorsement of their evidence.
In this connection Lord Coleridge said
Cumming did not come there to make a
fortune, and that his character would be
sufficiently cleared by the jury awarding
him, should the evidence warrant it, a
small amount in damages.
While admitting the improbabilitv of a
man of Sir William Gordon Cummings
position and wealth to cheat, and cheat
his friend, the Prince Of Wales, too, Lord
Coleridge made strong point against the
plaintiff in calling the jury's attention to
his failure TO face his accusers. Lord
Coleridge then said: 1--WE have now come
to very important point, III my mind.
| have carefully searched for, but have
been unable to find, any contradiction of
the statement that Sir William Gordon
Cumming was informed of Lycett Green's
desire to be confronted with him. If l
am wrong" added the Lord Chief JUS
tice, turning to Sir Edward Clarke II
desire to be corrected"
Sir Edward, for the plaintiff, said there
was no evidence that Sir William was in
formed of Lycett Green's desire to be
confronted with him, the plaintiff. There
upon Sir Charles Russell. for the defend
ants, promptly rose and read from Cen
eral Williams testimony that the latter
had said in court that he had informed
Sir William Gordon of Lycett Green's
desire to be confronted with him.
Lord Coleridge, when both counsel had
said all that they wished to on the above
point, dwelt at length upon it, his re-
marks not being in favor of the plaintiff.
The audience, especially the fashion
ably dressed ladies in the galleries, paid
but little attention to the summing up
and charge of the Lord Chief Justice.
On the other hand Sir William Gordon
Cumming and all the defendants paid un-
divided attention to every word uttered
by the Lord Chief Justice, and when the
case was finally given to the Jury, every
body seemed relieved.
THE VERDICT.
From the time the Jury retired to de-
liberate upon their verdict until they re-
turned TO the courtroom, only fifteen
minutes elapsed, showing apparently that
they were OF one opinion as to the merits
of the case, and when the Clerk of the
Court suddenly announced that the
jury was ready to report, there was a
movement of surprise throughout the
audience, the short absence of the jury
being regarded as decidedly unfav
to the plaintiff. Every body may be said to
have been in q breathless state when the
jury re-entered their box, looking rather
frightened and very nervous.
Ihe announcement of the verdict Tor
the defendants was received with slight
Kissing from the galleries, where the
ladies had congregated, and upon the
part of some of those in the body of the
court who were III sympathy with the
plaintiff.
When the verdict was announced Sir
William Gordon Cumming, to all appear
ances, was the most unmoved man in the
court. He folded his arms and looked
straight at the jury, but otherwise did not
move a muscle, his face not showing the
slightest trace of emotion. Lord Middle
ton, his blood relative, however, flushed
scarlet, and then turned very pale. Mrs.