The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-06-02
Gordon Cummings Suit Against
Arthur Wilson.
BACCARAT AT TRANBY CROFT
The Court is Crowded-Fhe Prince Of Wales
Was there-The Plaintiff on the
Witness Stand.

oiaAAOl, COnulcuSCo Lulu OhAS
Justice Coleridge to-day. Long before tn
hour fixed for hearing the case, the court
room was filed with crowds of fashionable
people who had been lucky enough to OBJ
tain tickets.
Judge Coleridge had given orders that ad
mission to the court was TO be by spec,a
tickets only, and he announced he was abl'
TO accommodate only few of the most dis
tinguished applicants with seats beside
him on the bench, reserving the mali
body OF the court for members OF the bar
witnesses, jurymen and about thirty hvt
newspaper representatives. The result
was crowds of angry people were seen out
side of the court.
The first tremor of excitement was
caused by the arrival in the court room OF
Cumming, the plaintiff, accompanied by his
counsel, Solicitor General Clarke and DIR.
Gill. Opposed to these legal lights are Sir
Charles Russell Mr.. Asquith and Arthur
Russell, who came in accompanied by the
defendants. 1t was intended that Attorney
General Webster and Sir Charles Russell
should be leading counsel for defendants.
but owing TO the fact that Webster was
\obliRed to appear in another case he was
compelled to resign at the last moment. Sir
Charles Russell will act as leading counsel
for the defendants. The plaintiff was cool
and calm, but apparently not in the best
humor. The heir apparent entered the
court shortly after IL O'Clock, accompanied
by his private secretary. The prince took
seat near Justice Coleridge. The en-
trance of the Prince of Wales was the sig
nal for the court proceedings TO commence.
No sooner was the prince seated than the
jury was sworn and Chief Justice Cole
ridge taking his seat on the bench and ad-
dressing Solicitor General Clarke, leading
counsel for plaintiff, said in substance, he
doeira1 ha p-iDoa Of Wolac al o,1lI ho Eap
in court as short time as possible. To
this 1.-THE solicitor general assented- Sir
Edward Clarke, amid almost breathless ST.
lence then opened the case for the plaintiff
He sald the charge was most serious one
He detailed the circumstances of the
now famous card party at Tranby Croft.
Arthur Wilson's residence, during the
ooncaster meeting in September, 1890.
xSsccarat. said the solicitor general, had
bever before been played at Tranby Croft.
1t would be his duty, said the solicitor
general, to put the Prince of Wales and
General Owen Williams in the witness
box. Their testimony would satisfy the
jury they saw nothing wrong on the part
of Cumming. He concluded his address
by making a brilliant, eloquent and pas
sionate appeal to the fury on behalf of his
client who, he claimed, was plainly the
victim of circumstances and of false de-
sire to avoid a scandal which would have
implicated his hosts at Trandy Croft and his
old friends who played baccarat with him
there.
AT the conclusion, Sir William Gordon
Cumming, plaintiff, was called to the wit
ness box. The plaintiff said the Prince OF
Wales acted as banker upon the occasion
referred to and that General Williams was
croupier. His (plaintiffs) attention was
not called the first night, September S, to
the complaint made against hin. The fol-
hao e.
dinner, Lord Coventry and General Viii
liams came to him in his bedroom at Tranby
Craft. The former said some people stay
ing there said he Cumming had, while
playing baccarat the previous evening, re-
sorted 10 foul play. Plaintiff said that he
then replied this was foul, sbominable
charge, and deliberate falsehood, adding
addressing Lord Coventry and General
Williams: "What am to do! You two are
my old friends. For goodness sake say
what is to be done"
Plaintiff then remarked he added to this
request that he placed the whole matter
entirely in their hands and that after
dinner, at the suggestion of Lord Coventry
and General Williams he (plaintiff) had an
interview with the Prince of Wales to
whom he repudiated the charge brought
against him and said: ~ our royal high
ness will see what a terrible thing this Is
for me, who have been attempting for
twenty years to lead the life of an officer
and gentleman"
To this. according to the plaintiff the
prince replied: ''What can you dos There
are five accusers,'' Sir William Gordon
Cumming said he answered. MY first
impulse is to publicly insult my accusers
upon the race course to morrow" To this
the Prince of Wales, plaintiff testified, re-
piled: ''What is the use of that. There
are five against you.
= Continuing. Sir William said half an |
hour after his interview with the prince, |
be was summoned 10 another room. where |
ne found Coventry and General Williams, |
who told him the only way to avoid ''hor- |
rible scandal was TO sign a document |
which had already been produced and read. |
Plaintiff said although it was tantamount /
20 an admission of guilt. he was persuaded |
honor to Williams and Coventry. Cum
ming concluded his testimony with a |
solemn denial that he ever cheated at cards |
1t rranby Croft or anywhere else.
The cross-eXamination of plaintiff was
hen commenced by Sir Charles Russell,
eading counsel for defendants. The court,
.fter hearing further testimony for the
plaintiff, adjourned The Prince OF Wales /
throughout
Plaintiff said he had nc reason to suspect
malice on the part of any one of the defend
nts. Sir Charles Russell then glanced at
paper and then turning towards plaintiff
ontinued, 'And does this express your
opinion! (Reading.) The worst of it is
hat feel they are acting perfectly con-
in the matter and they believed
nat they did see me resort to foul play"
pardon me,'' cried Sir William quickly,
rawing himself up, his eyes sparkling ana
is whole manner denouing considerable
xcitement, ''are you reading from any let
er of mine" Il
Sir Charles Russell replied: ''Yes. Does
express your feel;ngsl''
eyes" replied the plaintiff sharply.
Then Sir William, under cross examina-
ion. explained at length several points in
o had nothing before him on the table ,
Tlfile playing baccarat on the evenings Of i
eptember and at Tranby Croft, except {
small piece Of paper and pencil and possi- {.
ly a tumbler.
Sir Charles Russell asked plaintiff num- ,
er of questions bearing upon various I
oipts in the case and cleverly sought to =
ntaiu an admission that the baronet in I
-eased the stakes when he won, and from q
,e questions put i. was evident the plain 3
r. would be accused of SO doing after see r
70 the cards of his neighbors. .
Replying to questions, Sir William said
ord Edward Somerset and Mrs. Coventry
creased their stakes and also kept court
y in their hands as well IS on the table. :,
plaintiff admitted that on the second
Oht of the baccarrat games at Tranby g
roft the Prince Of Wales said: II wish r
At people would put their stakes where
,ev could be SEEN" But plaintiff added ].
~ he did not think this remark applied to n
m more than to any one else. The baronet Z