, 1891-06-10
THE WILSON'S WIN.
Verdict of the Jury in the
Baccarat Case.
Sir Gordon Cumming Was Not
Slandered
Much Sympathy Expressed for
the Plaintiff.


LONDON, June 9.-On the opening of
court in the now famous baccarat scandal
today Gen. Owen Williams created a SEN
sation by persistinR IN being heard, de.
nying the charges made a~eainrt him yes
terday by Sir Edward Clarke. But t ,e
lord chief justice refused to hear him and
commenced his speech to the jury sum
ming up the case. He explained to the
Jury the difference OF an action for Islander
as this one is to an acton for libel. He
added that if the jury found that defend
ants had spoken the truth their verdict
should be foI the defendants, but if the
Jury thought broadly that the charges
were not true and that Sir William Cor
don Cumming did not do anything wrong
in playing baccarat at Tranby Croft in
September last, then the verdict must be
for the plaintiff. LORD Coleridge then
entreated the jury to keep their minds
steadily on the evidence and on the evil
dence only. Continuing, he analysed at
length the testimony of the plaintiff which
evidence, he said. was well worthy OF
consideration. The plaintiff, he added,
had his counters on a pile of white
paper aud would have been less liable to
be detected if he had, as others did. put
his counters on the cloth of the table.
During another portion. summing up,
Lord Coleridge said, the Prince of Wales
presence at 1ranby-Croft was sufficient to
explain lycett Green's objection to ere
atng a disturbance in the baccarat room
by calling attention to the action which he
objected to on the part of Sir William
Gordon Cumming.
From the time the jury retired to de-
liberate upon the verdict until the mo-
ment they returned to court, fifteen min
utes elapsed, showing apparently that
they were of one opinion as to the merits
OF the case. The announcement of the
verdict was received with slight Kissing in
the court upon the part of those who we're
in sympathy with the plaintiff. These
marks OF disappr0bation. however, were
promptly suppressed and the curtain may
be said to rave been lowered over the
Tranby- Croft drama.
LONDON, June 9 In his charge to the
jury in the baccarat case today the lord
chief justice, in referring to the Prince of
Wales, said the prince was, he presumed,
a gentleman and the instinct OF an honor
able man was to range himself on the
side of his friends. If the prince did not
believe the story he would have made it a
point to show the world that he did not
A military tribunal, the chief Justice
added, would Judge if the proceedings
with which Gen. Williams and Lord
Coventry were concerned formed an in
fraction of the rules and regulations gov
crniDg the army. So with that point the
jury need not trouble themselves. He
said he did not know why the jury had
been informed that it was impossible for
the names of the Prince OF Wales and
Gen. Owen Williams 10 remain on the
army list ii the name OF SIR William Cor
don Cumming was eliminated therefTOm.
Thus had nothing 10 do with the case.
The jury verdict would not have the slight
est effect upoG the military authorizes
one way or the other, so far as the gem
tlemen mentioned were concerned.
Lord COieridge then turned his attention
to Sir William Gordon Cumming. He
severely criticised the baronet's conduct
after leaving Trauhy Croft. His conduct
then, according to the chief justice, was
not OF a nature tending to indicate that
the plaintiff was innocent of the charges
brought against him. In another and
later portion o,the charge, Lord Coleridge,
referring to the criticism which has been
heaped upon the Prince of Wales since the
affair became public for the share he, the
heir apparent, had taken 10 the episode,
said in tine main that England was not
only a free country but a censorious one.
The lie of the Prince of Wales. like that
of every other person of rank, was con-
t~inually male the subject OF public COM
ment. The Prince of Wales"
Lord Coleridge added, somewhat
pathetlcally. goes through many
boring ceremonies, and what if he did
introduce baccarat into that great
house2'' la the absence of any portion OF
the scandal being directly connected with
the Prince of Wales, Lord Coleridge
could not Imagine how any harm could be
done to monarchy, to the prince. or to
anybody else; adding, Significantly, though
some people might rave asked when they
heard of the trouble at Tranby Croft;
said the lord chief justice, nobody was
any tee worse for a hard working man
taking his pleasares among his friends.
Did the Jury believe the plaintiff signed
the d%ishonoring document in which he
stated be had cheated al cards2 And did
this save the Prince of Wales2 Was not
the consequence far too great for the
cause2"
Lord ColeridCe SAL. in aidi'inn. that
he could not md 'r>,and how a man
could give way I'll for which life was
valued and all which made life worth
living" The lord chief justice wound up
his charge with the following emphatic