The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-11
THE LATEST LONDON SCANDAL.
Sir william Gordon Cummings Career-A
New story of the Case.

New story OF the Case.
Sir William Gordon Cumming. lieutenant
colonel of Scots Greys. who is involved IN
the baccarat scandal. which is now the main
tonic az conversation in London society. is
about forty-three years Of age. He is deputy.
lieutenant Of Elgin county. Scotland. where
he owns considerable family property. Attire
and Gor,loustown. in Morayshirc. are also
country places of the family.
The Baronet Is a bachelor and resides when
! i'm London. in "A small house IN Belgmyla.
where he has frequently entertained the
Prince of Wales and many ladies OF high rank.
Sir William Gordon Cumming Is great
sporfsman. and his dining-rOOm Is gar
nished with heads and anters OF b'g
came which he has shot while hunting m the
United States and IN Africa. The Baronet
served i'm the British army IN Zululand and
i'm Eovpt His breast is covered with medals,
and n Is expected that he would shortly hayo
been pla ced in command of a regiment Com
petent Judges say that the accused Baronet
would have saved General Gordon a. hhar-
toum. for he urged pressing forward. Tho
Junior officers and the troops IN general
favored his views. too but the policy of
caution advocated by Lord Wolseiey. the
cornp.ander-in-chief in 1884 - of tine opera
ton. undertaken for the relief Of khartoum
prevailed. and General Gordon. the valiant
defender of that city and hero OF many hard
fought battle. wa, sacrificed.
Sir William Gordon Cumming was a menu
her of aiistoclutic clubs. including the Turf.
Guards. Marlborough and Carlton. he Was
also u member of the sporting club known rs
thc Pelican.
Advice. from London TO the New York
World state that the most strenuous efforts
are being made to suppress the scandal n
connection with the Prince Of Wales uuior
tunate stay 40 Mrs Wilson's country seat
Iuuhy Croft. last autumn. The visit was Ia
most 1nluckv one from the very outset. ari
although both his host and hostess exeli"I
themselves tO the utmost to please thor
royal guest everything went wrong, and iHr
Prince. memories of the DOncaSter Race
week of 1890 can scarcely Doe Of very agree
able nature I'm the first place the Prince
had arranged 90 spend the week do question
ai another country EAT IN the nclgho porn ''d,
iut Ou hts sending the list OF friends whom
Dee wished to be asked 20 meet him exception
wa. taken bv his would-be entertainer Oh 0ue
of the ladies named therein, and DID, couse-
aeucc thereof the royal visit was abandoned
The objection to the lady was based solely ou
the ground of the rather too marked atten-
tiou- paid to her bv the Prince during last
season. which had given rise 20 some gossip
and much iealously The lady IN question
was the beautiful Lady Brooke. wife ct the
heir % the earidum Of Warwick and one 0t
the wraithiest hciresses of the pecmge.
Mr. Wilson. who is the wife Of one of thc
partner. of the well-known Wilson Steam
ship Company az HUI, having sguihed Der
readiness 20 invite WhOmSOcvcr the frn
wished to meet. ne determined to honor hcr
beautiful country place at Tmnby Croft with
his presence during the race week. ON the
day before his arrival however, the Earl NJ
RD.slyn who was Lady BroOke~ stepiather
died. and neither she nor her husband was.
therefore able 10 come. On the third day
a. ID. Al 3D.. fs ID
liam Gordon GordOn-Cummlng took place,
and on the fourth morning while at break
fast. news WAS received of the sudden death
of the only brother of the hostess which led
to the Immediate breakup of the house
party. the Prince transferring himself and
his suite 10 his sons quarters IN the barracks
of the Tenth Hu,sar Regiment az York, dining
in the evening with Lord and Lady Brooke.
whom he happened 10 find at the hotel there.
The unplea.antness AT the card table az
Tranby Croft is entirely different 10 tho yer
sion published and the charge made m print
that Sir William was caught IN the act of sur
reptitiouslv tampering with the stakes Is de-
void OF t-uth. What occurred was this: Sir
v lillian lad on the table before him a silver
cigarette case with au exceedingly highly
polished back, on which were reflected the
faces Of the cards as he dealt them. Whether
this was intentional on his part or not Is
question that has given rise 10 mach discus
SION Il is probable, however, that no one
would have given any attention 90 the matter
had not Sir William been winning very heav-
Is. So few men know how 10 lose at cards
without letraying signs of ill-humor, and one
Of the unfortunate ones, more crusty than ihr
rest and searching for some peg ON which to
hang his i'll temper. caught sight of the cigar
cite box and gruiily suggested IT'S removal.
Sir William. who has hitherto been known a-
a man If unblemishcd character and 0i gr %
gallantry. is not blessed with "a particularly
patient or enduring disposition, and q iuI-
1edged scrimmage was only ayerted by the
presence of the Prince.
At the suggestion of the latter the matter
was submitted to the arbitration Of three we'll
known cubmen present, who decided tle
matter bv acquitting the Baronet Of taking
any unfair advantage Conscious. however.
of the disagreeablc position IN which the fact
Of his having been large winner that evening
had placed him. he took AN oath in the pres
encc of the Prince and before the arbitrator
had announced their decision. never to touch
Il cald again. Sir William Is not "A pafticu-
ularly popular man. and inasmuch as
one or two Of the men present wer5
discreet enough 10 tell their wives Of the H.
cldcnt the matter was soon bruited about "A
all the country houses and London clubs m %
considerably exaggerated form. Sir William
has succeeded IN tracing his two fellow guests
AT Tanby CiOft 10 whose lndlscretiOn he D.
indebted for the present rumOrs affecting bis
honor. and has commenced libel suits against
them. subpUnang the Prince IA witness DO
his behalf. II Is these lawsuits that are now
in the act Of being settled out Of court by ab-
ject apologies on the part OF the defendants N
the two suits.