The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-06-13
THE PRINCE STICKING TO HIS FRIENDS.
Sir Edward Clarke. Attorney for the
Plaintiff, Makes an Eloquent
and Telling Speech.
The Case to be Summed Up by the
Lord Chief Justice and Then
Given to the Jury.
THE GREAT TRIAL.
Sir William Gordon Cumming Has a Good
Long Inning at the Game.

Sir William Gordon Cumming Has a Good
Long Inning at the Game.
LONDON, June S.-Sir William Gordon
Cumming decidedly had his inning in
the baccarat game as played in court to-
day. The court was crowded long before
the opening time and the interest in the
case did not seem to have diminished in
the slightest degree. The prince of
Wales throughout the present legal pro-
ceedings has demonstrated the fact that
he is sticking to the Wilson's, and that
he will continue to do so. No better evil
dence of this is needed than the fact that
young Arthur Stanley Wilson has been
elected a member of the Marlborough
club, the princes pet club, upon the
nomination of the heir-apparent himself.
In the course of further remarks in
his speech Sir Edward Clarke, the at
torney for the plaintiff, said: what was
Sir William Gordon Cummings reason
for signing a document about which so
much has been said?" asked the solicitor
general, looking straight into the prince
of Wales eyes. at was" he said, after
an effective pause, ito save the prince of
Wales" Among the mass of people,
Sir Edward continued, uttering each
word with startling distinction, lit is
known that a club or inn could be prose-
cuted for playing baccarat, and in the
great heart of the community the
feeling is that the unhappy
incident ought never to have been al
lowed to become known. because the Cir
cumstances were those which were at
variance with the feeling and conscience
of the people. Then there was a strange
and subtle influence of royalty" still
more solemnly and dramatically said the
solicitor general, 'and Sir William Cor
don Cummings action in signing that
document was due to influence which
has adorned history and which has made
many a knight do unknightly and dis
honoring deeds to save their king be-
cause they gave their honor as freely as
they would have given their lives for the
interests of dynasty or to conceal the
foibles of a prince A slight ripple of
applause, which was promptly sup
pressed, broke out in court as the elo-
quent jurist uttered the last words in a
most touching and impressive manner.
"Ihe document continued Sir Edward
Clark with increasing force and amidst a
most most deadly silence through
out the court room. was signed
by Sir William Gordor Cumming
lin order to save the prince of Wales from
scandal. The motto of Sir William
Gordon Cummings race is without
fear" He came into the witness box
without fear, confident of a verdict which
would uvina fhic ctni, Prom, bic ,alln
record of service with his gallant regi-
ment of brave soldiers. Sir Edward
Clarke's plain language throughout.
when he referred to the prince of Wales
and when he made the assertion that the
afternoon precis was prepared by Lord
Coventry and signed by Sir William
Gordon Cumming solely in order to
shield the prince of Wales from the
scandal which caused one of the greatest
sensations of this sensational trial and
those who heard the remarks made in
court were SO impressed with them that
they were generally discussed afterwards
and were commented upon in club and
other circles far into the night and
early morning. The solicitor general
quoted as the basis of these startling
allegations an extract from the earl of
Conventry's diary in which the following
words occur: "We were induced to
recommend this course because we
desired to avoid scandal and in order to
keep the name of the prince of Wales
out of t." 'Sir William Gordon Cum
ming. as well as Earl of Coventry" said
Sir Edward, sis loyal to the Prince of
Wales who has been most kind to him,
and Sir william Gordon Cumming signed
that document because he was willing to
sacrifice himself as his old friends were
willing to sacrifice him in order to save
the reputation of one the recollection of
whose friendship will always be bright
in his memory" The solicitor general
then said slowly to the jury: ut is too
late to undo much of the mischief which
has been done," and then facing the
prince of Wales and looking the latter
direct in the face for about the space of
a minute he continued in a voice appar-
emily shaken with emotion, "and it may
be too late to a v the reputation of
some people mentioned in this case, but"
again turning to the jury, ut is not too
late for you to prevent the completion of
the sacrifice of this gallant officer"
Sir Edwards speech was regarded as a
most eloquent and telling effort and as
he closed his remarks there was a burst
OF spontaneous applause, cheering and
hand clapping throughout the court
which caused the lord chief justice to
shout: "Silence, this is not a theatre
The lord chief Justices call had the de-
sired effect. The applause stopped, but
as Sir William Gordon Cumming rose
from his seat a minute later and
while the prince of Wales
and Lord Coleridge were still
on the bench, there was a renewal of
cheers and hand clapping of which the
plaintiff appeared to take no notice. The
jury, it was plainly evident, appeared
greatly impressed with the speech of the
solicitor general and as he ended it the
remark was heard throughout court:
the jury will disagree" The court was
then adjourned until tomorrow when
the lord chief justice will sum up and
the case will be given to the Jury.