Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-04
PLAYED THE PRINCE.
Confined From First Paae.

! INC hllltoudiIt owner OF 1TdnDy OTOiG ant
the leading owner in the well-known Will
son line OF steamers, plying between Hull
London and New York and many othel
ports, entered the witness box as the frs
witness for the defense.
Mr.. Wilson testified to the fact that OF
the first night of the baccarat playing a
Tranby Croft, September s, he saw a rec
counter representing e5 on piece of papel
in front of Sir William Gordon Cumming
The latter's tableau won, Sir William haG
his hands in front of him, and he also had
another e5 counter in the palm o.
his right hand. The Baronet, according tc
this witness, then looked at Sir Edward
Somersets, and seeing he held natural
and court card, he (Sir William) at once
dropped the e5 counter from his right hand,
and was thus paid on both of the counters
he had thus placed on the table.
The Evidence Produces an Impression.
This evidence given by Mr.. Wilson with
out any hesitation and in manner which
seemed to impress the jury, and which de-
cidedly impressed the audience, caused a
great sensation in the court room Contin-
uing, Mr.. Wilson said that he saw the same
thing done by Sir William again the same
evening, and that he told Mr.. Levett that
the Baronet was cheating at cards. Mr..
Levett said that was 'impessible;" that he
(the witness) must be mistaken.
Mr.. Wilson added that he then told Mr..
Levett to watch Sir William. Mr.. Levett,
said Mr.. Wilson, followed his advice and he
also saw the Baronet cheat in the manner
already described. Mr., Levett, upon being
convinced by personal observation that what
Mr.. Wilson said was true, exclaimed "This
is too hot"
Mr.. Wilson said that he saw Sir William
cheat again. Cumming had e5 counter on
the table, and directly he discovered that
the card turned up was favorable to him he
pushed 92 counter forward with O pencil
which he held in his hand and was paid 81.
The witness then detailed the subsequent
conversation which he had with Mr.. Levett
In the latter's bedroom, saying that when
he told the latter of what he had seen, Mr..
Leyett exclaimed: "My God, to think of
Lieutenant Colonel Sir William Gordon
Cumming being caught cheating at cards. -
Continuing, the witness said: 'T asked,
what on earth are we to do?' To this Mr.
LeFett replid: For goodness sake, don't
ask me- He is in my own regiment, and
was my own captain. What am to do?' -
Mr.. Wilson said: Il then told my mother
OF what had done and mother said: For
goodness sake, don't have scandal here
then told her that would have a proper
table prepared for baccarat play ing so that
a repetition of the conduct we had OBJ
served would be rendered impossible.
The Game on the Second Night.
Referring to question on the subject,
MIR. Wilson said there was absolutely no
agreement to watch Sir William play on
the second night, September 9. The table
used on that occasion was a long pantry
table covered with green baize. AS upon
the previous night, the Prince of Wales
occupied the position of banker aud General
Williams acted as croupier The witness
believed that the plaintiff again had a
paper and some of his counters on the table
He had other counters in the breast pocket
of his dress coat. The plaintiff, added the
witness, had long, thick carpenters pencil
in his hand. On this pencil the words
"Tranby Croft" were stamped.
Sir William staked a5 counter
and the Prince of Wales gave cards to Lady
Coventry, who took seven, which was con-
sidered good card, from the pack. The
plaintiff, according to the witness, looked
over Lady Coventry's hand and the witness
then saw Sir Williams hand go out and
gradually advance toward the white line
marked on the baccarat table. Continuing,
Mr.. Wilson said, amid such breathless |
silence upon the part of everybody else in |
the courtroom that literally the dropping of |
a pin would have been heard, that it then |
came round to the Prince of Wales turn to |
take card, and he took one and said: sI |
am baccarat," the card being bad.
Some Very Positive Testimony.
Immediately upon hearing this, said the
witness, Sir William slowly pushed just
over the line SO counter. 1t was four
inches away from the original e5 counter.
O N q % fha D,ir
If Wales paid him flyer, overlooking the
'ther counter which the plaintiff had pushed
,ver the line. Thereupon Sir William ex-
claimed: ''Beg pardon, sir, there is another
tenner' here which you have forgotten"
The Prince of Wales said: 'T wish you
would put stakes forward more conspicu-
,usly," and paid the additional ten. Later
n the game, said the witness, Sir William
licked another counter over the line with
lis pencil.
When the disclosures were made the
Prince of Wales questioned Sir William,
Mr.. Berkely Levett and Mr.. Lyceet Green
n regard to what they had seen of wrong
nature during the playing, and Mr.. Green
!sked to be confronted with the plaintiff.
Replying to further questions Mr. Wilson
aid that from that time until the action for
lamages brought against the defendants was
he had never said a word to any
'ody in connection with the affair.
On cross-examination the witness said he
lad no occupation and that he had been at
cambridge University for year, but he
dded; 'My father thought it only a waste
f time my staying there Roars of laugh
er at Mr.. Wilson's expense followed this
omission. In answer to further questions
fr. Wilson said that baccarat was played
t Troby Croft in 1889, but his father OBJ
ected to it and it was not played there
gain until upon the occasion of the Prince
Wales visit in September, 1890
Not Much Gained in oss-Examination,
The ,cross-examination of Mr.. Arthur
tanley Wilson was process of some
ength, but Sir Edward Clarke, who con-
ucted it, only succeeded in scoring an occa-
ional upsetting of any of the facts detailed
4 the original story told by the witness.
he minor points brought out by Sir Charles
'usse1 were repeated during the cross-ex-
Mr.. Arthur Stanley Wilson re-
eating his testimony as to the cheating
18th the greatest of GOODNESS and unconcern,
nd, leaning on the rail of the witness box.
e gave an illustration of the manner in ,,
-hich several acts attributed to the plaintiff ,
ere done. Mr.. Wilson's cross-examination
as not finished when the court adjourned
ntll tomorrow.
In spite of the roars of laughter which
reeted his relation of his Cambridge exper-
noes, Mr.. Arthur Stanley Wilson made a
lpital witness. In his cold way the youth
Lated, as one of half of a dozen examples.
Ow he saw Sir William Gordon Cumming, I
4 his side winning, look for an additional
,unter and only found a e2 counter
an inconvenient position. Young Will
N said that he then saw the Baronet push