The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-03
MAKE YER BETS, BOYS
England's Future King at
the Check Rack.
How He Played Banker
for a Baccarat Table
Where the British Aristocracy
Bucked the Tiger.
The Gambling Case Begun to a
Crowded House.
Gordon Cummings Tarns His Back
on the Prince.

LONDON, June The famous baccarat
scandal trial, otherwise the action OF Sir
William Gordon Cumming against Mr.
and Mrs. Lycett Green, Mrs. Arthur Viii
son, Mr. Arthur Wilson and Mr. Berkeley
Lovett Tor SANDER commenced before
Lord Chief Justice Coleridge today in the
queens bench division OF her majesty's
high court of justice.
Sir edward Clarke, amid 4 most breath
less silence, then solemnly, though SEN
tentiously, opened the case for the plain
TIL. lie said that the charge was most
serious one, involving the honor and af-
fecting the whole career Of gallant gen
tleman Of hitherto unspotted reputation,
who had served his country with distinc-
ton for period OF twenty-three years,
and who had risen to the rank of lieuten-
ant-colonel of the guards and who, during
TINS honorable career, had won medals for
valor in the trenches before Tel-el-keber.
Sir William Gordon Cumming was a
wealthy gentleman, moving in the best
circles of society, and who owned estates
in England and Scotland. Sir William
Gordon Cumming, he added, has been
hOnOred Tor twenty years with the init
who, in 1881, invited him to be his guest
at Sandringham Since that period the
prince OF Wales had several times re-
peated that invitation and yet he, Sir Will
lam Gordon Cumming, was now charged
with cheating at cards some of his
most intimate friends with the object OF
defrauding them. Continuing in slow,
clear, deliberate voice, the solicitOr-gen-
eral detailed the circumstances of the now
famous card party at Tanbycroft Mr..
Arthur Wilson's residence, during the
DOncaster meeting in September, 1890.
Baccarat, said the solicitor-general, had
never been played at Tanbvcroft. 1t
would be his duty, said the solicitor-gen-
eral, To put the prince OF Wales and Gen.
| owen Williams in the witness box ard
| their testimony would satisfy the jury
| that they saw nothing on the part of Sir
William Gordon Cumming, whose system
of play was to double his stakes If he lost
until he recovered his losses, and then he
reverted 10 his original stake. After hav-
| ing cleverlv outlined the situation sir
! Edward Clarke, dropping his clear, sharp,
! business-hke and matter of iact statement
| OF the case. concluded his address by max
| ing a bri liant, eloquent and passionate
! appeal TO the jury on behalf OF his client
| who, he claimed, was plainly the victim
| OF circumstances and of a false desire to
avoid a scandal, which would have impli-
Gated his hosts at Tanbycrolt and his old
friends who played baccarat with him
| there.
At the conclusion OF Sir Edward Clarke
! Sir William Gordon Cumming, the
! plaintiff, was called into the witness box.
| lie entered the box in q perfectly cool
! manner and with a certain amount OF
| launtiness IN his demeanor. lie answered
! Sir Edward CiarKcs questions In clear
| and well pitched voice which could be
! heard all over the courtroom and kept
| his back turned toward the prince OF
| Wales, Il fact which was considerably COM
mented upon unfavoraby by the audi
| ence. While giving his testimony Sir
| William leaned on the edge of the witness
! box. ca.mly surveying the court and its oc-
cupants and occasionally nodded his bead
slightly 10 an acquaintance recognized
among the people present
| The plaintiff said that the prince of
| Wales acted as banker upon the occasions
referred to and that Gen. Williams was
| the croupier. His (the plaintiil's) atten-
| ton was not called the first night, sept. s,
| to the complaint made against him. On
the following evening, he said, when
| dressing Tor dinner, Lord Coventry and
| tren. Williams came 10 him III his bed
room at Tanbycroft. The former said:
| Cumming, something very disagreeable
has occurred. Some people staying here
have objected TO your manner OF playing
| baccarat."
To this Sir William Gordon Cumming
replied: "NIy God, what do you mean Y
Lord Coventry, the plaintiff smd, then
repeated his former remark, adding that
the people had said that he had, while
| playing baccarat the previous evening,
resOrted TO foul play. The plaintiff SAID
that he then replied that this was a foul,
| abominablo charge, deliberate false
| hood; adding, addressing Lord Coventry
and Gen. Williams. "what am | to do?
| You two are my old friends. For good
ness sake, what is to be done.1
The plaintiff then remarked that he
added to this request that he placed the
whole matter entirely in their hands aud
that after dinner at the suggestion OF
Lord Coventry and Gen. Williams, he
had an interview with the prince of Wales,
10 whom he repudiated the charge
brought against him and said: "Your
royal highuess will see what terrible
thing this is for mel who have been at
tempting for twenty years TO lead the lie
of an officer and a gentleman.
To this the prince OF Wales replied
''What can you do? There are five ac-
cusers."
Sir William Gordon Cumming an
swered: "lly first impulse is to publicly
insult my accusers on the race course to-
morrow"
To this the prince Of Wales replied
"What is the use OF that? There are five
people against you"
Continuing, Sir William said that half
an hour after his interview with the
prince of Wales he was summoned to an
other room, where he found Lord Gov.
entry and Gen. Williams, who told him
that the only way to avoid n horrible
scandal" was to sign document which
had already been produced and red in
court by Sir Edward Clarke. The plaintiff
added: "I said Why this is tantamount tC
an admission of guilt bat ] was eventu
ally persuaded to sign the document, be
lieving that / could trust my honor to Gen
Williams and Lord Coventry, whom l re
garded as true aud intimate friends
Sir William further testified that on the
second night of the baccarat games a
| u'onhvcroff on Sent g. 1880. the princt