The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-06-12
Sensational Incident.
london Dispatch.

London Dispatcb
When Sir Charles Russell sat down, af-
ter having made most able speech for
the defense, there was murmur OF sur
prise, counsel for the defendants having
closed his address rather unexpectedly:
Hardly had Sir Charles taken his seat and
while defendants counsel was still rece!v-
ing the congratulations of his friends, the
Solicitor General, Sir Edward Clarke,
counsel for the plaintiff, took the floor and
in few sentences tcrsely invited the at
tention Of the jury, his whole manner IN
dicating that q sensation was coming, Sir
Edward Clarke commenced by saying that
it had been the common talk" That the
Prince of Wales continual presence in
in court during the trial Of this suit had
been for the purpose of restraining the
tongues of tho lawyers engaged IN the case
from commenting upon the Prince OF
Wales connection with it. This remark
caused sensation, but it was nothing to
what followed further utteranccs of COIN
sci for the plaintiff.
Continuing, Sir Edward Clarke init
mated that the presence of the Prince of
Wales in court would not prevent him
from making any comment necessary,
s4ying that he, as counsel, had Painful
duty to perform and that he intended to
perform it honestly and fairly. His oppo-
ncnts, lie continued, had always been care
full to allude to him, counsel for the plain
tig, as the "Solicitor General" and he
added:
while am proud Of that title, must
remind the jury that ! appear in this case
simply as an English barristcr and l am
obliged to disregard friendships and even
my own interests and comment on the
conduct and evidence of one of the highest
in the land"
Sir Edward Clarke, as he uttered these
last words, turned squarly around until he
faced the Prince of Wales, upon whom
every eye in court was then fixed, and who
nervously crossed his legs, while the au-
dience was utterly aghast at what was
considered to be the audaclty OF the Sollc-
itor General. In several directions the
whispered comment: "Why, he is going
to attack the Prince of Wales" was dis
tnctly heard, and caused all attention to
be riveted upon the. plaintiffs counsel
Continuing, the Solicitor General re-
marked that Sir Charles Russell, for the
defendants, had said that "evcn if the jury
found for the plaintiff, and disregardcd
the document the latter had signed at
Tranby Goft, the military authorities would
take the matter up, and Sir William Cor
don't Cummings name would be stricken
from the army list
IL wish to say, in unmistakablc terms, :"
exclaimed Sir Edward Clarke, raising his
voice until it echoed tellingly through the
court, "that it would be impossible for
the authorities to do any such thing, and
leave on that list the names of the Field
Marshal, the Prince of Wales, and Gen.
Owen Williams"
This bold statement seemed to complete
ly take away the breath of the audience
and caused by far the greatest sensation
of the entire trial. A hushcd murmur Of
establishment, not unmixed with dismay
and some irritation, and taking several
seconds, swept here and there about the
court room like breakers on rocky coast.
One must thoroughly understand the al
most religious worship of royalty which
prevails throughout Great Britain to
clearly understand the full meaning, the
crushing significance Of the Solicitor Gen
erals words, aimed directly at the heir
apparent 1t was as if thunder clap had
suddenly shaken the building, and as if
fash of lightning had unexpectedly re-
vealed the Prince of Wales in colors, to-
tally cxpcctcd-those ola common NOR
tai, subject to the laws of England, and
according to the Solicitor Generals init
nation, possible yiolator of the military
regulations to the extent that his name
was liable to be struck from the army list.
Amidst this storm, the Prince of Wales
sat on the bench to the left of the Lord
Chief Justice mmovable, not q muscle of
his face apparently twitching, leaning his
head upon his arm and endeayoring to APP
pear totally unconcerned.
Another Account.