Oakes weekly Republican. (Oakes, Dickey County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1898, 1891-06-12

"It was" he said, after an effective pause,
"to save the Prince of Wales. Among
the mass of people," Sir Edward contin-
ued, uttering each word with startling
distinctness, "it is known that the club,
or inn, could be prosecuted for playing
at baccarat and in a great part of the
community there was /. feeling that this
unhappy incident ought never to have
been allowed to become known
because the circumstances were
those which were at variance with the
feeling with the conscience of the peo-
pie. Then there was strange and sub
tie influence of royalty" still more
solemnly and dramatically said the solic-
itor general, "and Sir VIM. Gordon
Cummings action in signing that docu-
ment was due to the influence which has
adorned history, and which has made
many a knight do an unknighty and
dishonoring deed 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 prince" A slight ripple of
applause, which was promptly sup
pressed, broke out in the court as the
eloquent jurist uttered the last words
with the most touching and impressive
manner. ''The document" continued
Sir Edward Clarke, with increasing force
and amidst the most deadly silence
throughout the court rooms,
twas signed by Sir William Gordon Cum,
mings in order to save the Prince ci
Waslaasg Wasl.aasg from the scandal. The motto of
Sir William Gordon Cummings race is
"Without Fear" lie came into the wit
ness box without fear, confident of YER
dict which would wipe this stain from
his noble record of service with his gal
liant regiment of brave soldiers. Sir Ed
ward Clarkes 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 Cor.
don Cumming solely in order to shield
the Prince of Wales from scandal. caused
one of the greatest sensations of this sell
sationa! trial, and those who heard the
remarks made i'll court were so impressed
with them that they were generally dis
cnssed afterwaad and were commented
upon in the club and other circles.
far into the night and
early morning. The solicitor-general
quoted us the basis of these startling
allegations, an extract from the Earl of
Coventry's diary, in which the following
words occur: ave were induced to re-.
commend this course because we desired
to avoid scandal and in order to keep the
name of the Prince of Wales out of it,"
"Sir William Gordon Cumming, as we'll
as the Earl of Coventry" said Sir Ed
ward, is loyal to the Prince of Wales,
who has beon most kind to him, and Sir
William Gordon Cumming signed that
document because he was willing to sacri-
flee himself, as his old friends were willing
to sacrifice him in order to save the rep
ntation of one the recollection of whose
friendship will always be bright in his
memory" The soicitor-general then
said slowly to the jury: "It 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 minute,
he continued, in a voics apparently
shaken with emotion: "And it may be
too late to save the reputation of
some of the people mentioned in this
the case, but" again turning to the jury,
sit is not too late for You to prevent the
completion of the sacrifice of this gallant
officer" Sir Edward Clarkes speech
was regarded as a most eloquent and
telling effort, and as he closed his re-
marks, there was 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 desired effect. The applause
stopped, but us Sir William Gordon
Cumming rose from his seat minute
later and while the Prince of Wales and
Lord Coerdge were still on the bench,
there was a renewal of the cheers and
hand-clapping, of which the plaintiff ap-
peared to take no notice. The court was
then adjourned until tomorrow, when
the lord chief justice will sum up and the
case will be given to the jury.