Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-06-09
SIR WILLIAM LOSES.
Verdict for the Defendants in the Bac-
carat Slander Suit.
TIE PLAINTIFF HEARS IT UNMOVED.
His Accusers .CooIIy Treated as
They Leave the Court.
THE END OF A GREAT CASE.
AGAINST SIR WILLIAM.

eriai To-Day returned verdict against Sir Will
lam Gordon Cumming.
For the first time since the baccarat trial
began there was a cheer for Gordon Cumming
as he passed into the court room this morning.
j he throng outside was greater than ever and
the police found 1t difficult to make way for
those entitled to entrance. The popular ex-
citement over the case is very great and many
came in from other towns TO London to see
the spectacle OF the prince, the accused and
the galaxy of wealth. beauty and nobility on
exhibition. Sir William Gordon Cumming was
evidently in better spirits than a week ago,
and he took his seat with an air of con-
hdence and a smile to his beautiful sister, Lady
Middleton, who, with her husband. Lord Mid
dleton, has stood by him from the first. Sir
Charles Russell was there and seemed to have
got over the yawning habit which afflicted him
when Sir Edward Clarke was addressing the
jury. This yawning is a favorite trick with
Sir Charles and is played by him to break the
force OF an opponents questions or argument
just as Sir Edward would be making some
strong point Sir Charles Russell would stretch
himself and would yawn loud enough to detract
from what the other side was saving.
The Prince of Wales, to the disappointment OF
many, was absent. He was at the Ascot races.
OPENS WITH A SENSATION.
The proceedings opened with a most sensa-
tional incident. The lord chief justice had
hardly taken his seat when Gen. Owen Will
Jams stepped to the front OF the bench and
said, his face pale with emotion and his voice
husky with feeling:
My lord, have to ask your protection.
Yesterday Sir Edward Clarke thought
Here the solicitor general. Sir Edward Clarke,
sprang to his feet and, interrupting Gen. VIII
liams, exclaimed:
Il ask your lordship to interfere and that
Gen. Williams should not be allowed to make a
a. Ia m huh haa, -
So"
To this Gen. Williams hotly replied in q
ringing voice. all trace of huskiness having dis
appeared under the influence of the angry
feelings which animated him:
Il was accused Of an abominable charge"
Here the lord chief justice interfered, saying:
Il do not remember the expression, but do
no: think that you can be allowed to speak,
But Gen. Williams persisted in being heard,
remarking angriy: I'VE were accused Of sacri-
hcing an innocent man. This statement was
made without any evidence being brought for
ward for its justification"
Lord Coleridge again interrupted the gen.
eral, remarking with considerable warmth: Il
cannot hear any statement from you" and i'm
mediately commenced his summing up, while
Gen. Williams retired, frowning and greatly
dlscontented, to his seat, where he received the
coincidence Of the friends who had come with
HIM to court in order to hear him defend him.
self from the allegations made yesterday by
the solicitor general in the latter 8 summing up
for the plaintiff.
CHARGING THE JURY.
The lord chief justice at the opening of his
speech explained to the jury at length the diff
ference of an action for slander as this one is
and an action for libel. His lordship added
that if the jury found that the defendants had
spoken the truth their verdict should be for
the defendants. But, if the jury thought
broadly that the charges they made were not
true and that Sir Gordon Cumming did not do
anything wrong while playing baccarat at
TranDy Croft in September last then their yer-
dict must be for the plaintiff.
Lord Coleridge then entreated the iury To
keep their minds steadily on the evidence and
the evidence only. The lord chief justice an
alyzed at length the evidence given by the
plaintiff, which evidence, he said, was well
worthy OF consideration The plaintiff, he
added, had his counters on a piece of white
paper, and would have been less likely to be
discovered if he had, as the others did, put
their counters on the cloth Of the table,
During another portion Of his summing I'D
Lord Coleridge said that the Prince of Wales
presence at Iranby Croft was sufficient TO ex-
plain Mr.. Lycett Green's objection to creating
a disturbance in the baccarat room or else
where by calling attention to the actions which
he objected to on the part Of Sir William Cor
don Cumming.
Sir Edward Clarke" said Lord Coleridge,
pected to see, and undoubtedly If persons had
their minds set on certain things less proof
was sufficient to satisfy them than would be
otherwise needed. But the question was as TO
whether in this case the observation referred
to would apply"
'.Sir Edward Clarke" the lord chief Justice
continued, had commented upon Mr.. Berke-
ley Levett's exclamation: Good God, Sir Will
liam Gordon Cumming caught cheating But
supposing that the remark had been Good heay-
Al \. II 80
of the Order of the Sun, caught selling living
[Laughter.] There would have been nothing
unlikely in such an exclamation"
Lord Coleridge also called the attention of
the jury to one particular observation which
was made on behalf of the plaintnf during the
course of the trial 1t was to the effect that
there was more in the case than appeared on
the surface.
Against this" the lord chief justice re-
marked, II most emphatically protest The
jury has nothing to do with things which are
not on the surface. You have to confine your
selves to the single issue and what have heard
and what has been proved during the trial.
RECESS FOR LUNCH.
When Lord Coleridge had proceeded thus far
with his charge to the jury the hour Of noon
had arrived and the court, a. usual, promptly
adjourned for lunch.
During the discussion which followed the re-
marks of the lord chief justice the general opin-
Ion arrived at was that the charge against Sir
William Gordon Cumming, although nothing
decisive had been said either way. Lord Cole
ridge spoke in q quiet, fatherly conversational
manner to the jury and often in an undertone,
when it was only possible for the jurymen and
those in the immediate vicinity Of the lord
chief justice TO hear what he said. When the
chief justice defined the law Of Libel as differ
ent from the law of slander, when he gave
special instructions in regard to the amount of
damages which the jury should, if they 90 de-
sired, assess in event they found the case for
the plaintiff, it was considered that Lord Cole
ridges instructions decidedly favored Sir VIII
liam Gordon Cumming.
But when the lord chief justice analysed the
evidence OF the defendants and that Of Gen.
Williams, the Prince Of Wales and Lord Coyen-
try it was judged that this was in effect an in
dorsement Of their evidence.
In this connection Lord Coleridge said that
Sir William Gordon Cumming did not come
there to make fortune and that his character
would be sufficiently cleared by the Jury award
ing him, should the evidence war, 1t il, . small
amount of damages
Lord Coleridge also described ct length the
high position and brave career Of Sir William
Gordon Cumming, saying that the latter vent
to Tranby Croft ss an honored guest, and, ii
might be permitted TO say 90, e . sort Of
prize guest Of whom any hostess might b
proud"
Referring 10 the Prince Of Wales eonnsetioa
With the case Lord Coleridgs lid:
People may say what they like. but hey ars