Evening journal., 1891-06-04
CHEATING AT BACCARAT
Young Wilson Describes Sir
Williams Little Game.
A BLACK OUTLOOK FOR CUMMING
How He h Alleged TO Have Pained
Counters at the Notorious Tranby Croft
Game-His Play Was So Peculiar Il
Attracted the Princes Attention.


the baccarat trial is accepted as evidence |
that he is determined for his own satisfac- |
tion 10 get at the bottom OF the charge |
against Cumming, as testified under oath.
Il should not be forgotten that the prince, |
as a peer Of the realm, has certain judicial |
authority which gives him right TO be
present on the bench, although not 70 take
part In the proceedings He Is therefore
entirely within his rights in sitting beside
Chief Justice Coleridge Lord Coleridge
has, however, been severely criticised for
permitting ladies access to the judicial
sanctum, and, indeed, making the court
room generally a sort Of aristoeratic par
quette. The jnrymen are not above the
average in class and probably not in intel
ligenoe.
They stand with true British stolidity
the stare directed at them from all sides.
1t is utterly impossible 10 read their
oountenanoes OF get an idea Of their han
| ings. Two or three OF them, however,
have been noticed 70 let their eyes rest
with something like sympathy on the
| plaintiff The question addressed TO the
prince by one of them is generally regarded
as favorable to the plaintiff, as showing
desire TO get evidence Of the facts outside
of the defense. The result Of the trial is a
subject Of betting in the London clubs
with odds against Cumming.
The Defense Has an Inning
At the opening Of the session the de-
fense had their inning, bad one for
Cumming, though the witness was only
boy. There was tremendous crowd in
front Of the court before II opened.
Though not expected to be a witness the
prince was there He took seat on the
bench and remained through the day, The
days proceedings opened with Sir Charles
Russell's address for the defense. In sol.
emn tones he reiterated that his clients
had found il impossible to say that they
were mistaken, aud remarked that the
circumstances wesa simplied by the fact
| that no malice WAS suggested on either
side From the first Sir William had
/ spoken OF his aocusers as persons Of honor.
With considerable warmth, counsel
dwelt on the humiliating and dishonoring
terms Of the precis, and raising his voice
to a passionate pitch, he declared that il
was not until the plaintiff found himself
in another impasse, and saw that it wa
impossible TO slip out, that legal proceed
iags were taken. Thus the mouths OF thl
Prince Of Wales Lord Coventry, Genera
Williams and the i've defendants were I'M
sealed, and his clients were unable to pas
over the bridge Of a mistake, az they I'M
plicltly believed their charges.
with Deep Regret.
They did not look at the matter with th
natural warmth of an advocate, but witt
the bitterness of deep regret for IL was in
conceivable that an innocent man woul
have borne the odious burden and taint o
dishonOr placed upon him in signing th
precis.
At least one satisfactory result Of III
trial wonld be 10 dissipate the absurd, pr,
posterous and exaggerated notions as /
the character of the play at Tranby Croft
Baccarat, kept within reasonable bounds
was not bad kind of all around game.
was taught to Mr.. aud Mrs. Lycett Gree
by the plaintiff
Fiattery for the Heir Apparent.
There was a painful silence when th
counsel stated specifically tho allegation
and described what Mr.. Arthur Wnsu
saw on the first night Of play. IL was onl
the recollection of the presence OF n
royal guest which prevented Wikson froI
yielding to his first impulse Of denoancin
the cheat then and there at the baccart
table.
a, Violently striking his hands togethe
70 and in a voice hoarse with forensic passion
rs Sir Charles drew picture Of the condut
OF an innocent and a guilty man, charge
with filching from the pockets Of hl
friends, aud after referring to the con
of mendable prudence Of the prince in seein
# Sir William in the presence Of Lor
d Coventry and General Williams, he wake
70 Indignant at the suggestion that there ha
of been sotcitude for the Prince OF Vale
= name ia connection with the scandal
ie Not 70 Save the Prince.
y "No; that won't do, said Sir Charlie
pointing his finger at his learned friend 0
: the other side in a way well known TO ii
parneu commissioners; ~the pFecis wa
ls signed by Sir William TO prevent his bein
denounced the next day at the St. Leger.
n Counsel ridiculed the idea as 70 Sir VIII
n lam Gordon Cumming losing his hea'
d. and asked the jury to remember his coo
n collected and intelligent conduct in Il
Or witness box.
IN Witness Wilson Examined.
70 Mr.. Arthur Wilson, son Of the host
H. Tranby Croft, was the first witness exam
IA ined by Mr.. Asquith. The witness is OF
ne OF the ''boysn alluded to by Cumming an
is only twenty-five years old. In deli
In crate manner Mr.. Wilson gave his versiC
is Of Sir Williams play, and spoke as to b
ly conduct when ssveral coups were mad
tz Many stood up in the galleries to waite
II, the witness as he illustrated his circun
m stantial story by placing his hands on d
I'd ledge Of the witness box and showing hoy
st according to his allegations, the plainti
us dropped additional counters through h
'e- ciasped hands near to the one alFeat
d. staked.
be Witness reproduced the heartrendir
n tones Of Mr.. Berkley Levett when
IS. thought his late captain had cheated III
en- witness gave many other instances of 4
ed legged cheating on the part of Gordon Cur
ming, either by dropping counters fro
his closed hands or pushing them forwa
with the pencil used for marking his Ia
~ ~ leaux, and thus getting them over the Iii
:. aud near his stake
The Prince Called Him Down.
Ia Wilson bore out the statement as to Il
"a Prince OF Wales calling attention to 4
n- position Of Sir Williams counters. T
av banker had dealt himself baecarat or not
Sc ing, and having paid the punters in pI
portion to the money placed over the cha
line, plaintiff turned to him with, "Ther,
another tenner to pay here, sir, and &
an prince, in handing the sum, remarked,
as wish you would put your stake in mo
as conspicuous place"
is However, the Prince of Wales did n
on reality accept the accusations against :
. William, and closely questioned all &