Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-04

said, that his accuSers were act
ing conScientiouSly in this matter,
and the jury would find it imposs-
ibe TO believe that those persons were
mistaken in regard to the character OF
the plaintiffs conduct on the nights OF
the Sth and 9th of September, 1880. The
plaintiff had admitted that they were
all persons of honor and honesty, and,
having made the charges, they adhered
70 them, and the plaintiff had not asked
TO be confronted with either OF his ac-
cuSerS. The objection to secrecy came
from Mr.. Lycett Green, who asked that
the matter be thraShed out then and
there to avoid the possibility of the
plaintiff afterward repudiating the
charges.
The plaintiff, " continued Sir Charles,
raising his voice slightly, "had signed
degrading, humiliating document, and
he did not take steps 70 bring his SLAM
dererS To Justice until he found himself
in another impaSte; then he turned
upon those who had been quite pre-
pared 10 keen their agreement, though
in their eyes he was diShOnored man.
With this remark Sir Charles seemed 90
take up another line of argument. say
ing: And now, how about the three
principal actors and the plaintitf's
action in regard to them? DO
YOU. gentlemen of the jury doubt,
that the plaintiff knew that each
of those gentlemen believed him
guilty? He knew that in their eyes
he was no longer in the category OF hon
orable men. Was il conceivable that
an innocent nan, under such circum-
stances. should bear such an odiOuS
burden on him?" The defendants would
tell the jury that their mouths remained
closed closed in this matter until Janu-
arv =. 1891, four months after the event
full baccarat games at Tranby Croft,
when Sir William Gordon Cumming
made an attempt through Mr.. Berkeley
Levett, one of the witnesses, TO secure
a modification or withdrawal OF the
charges. The defendants then said that
they were prepared To SubStantiate the
charges which they had made against
Sir Wm Gordon Cumming.
Sir Charles Russell then laid special
stress upon the peculiar circum-
stances" under which the action was
brought, and referred at length TO an
interview Sir William GOrdOn-Cumming
had with Lieut.. Levett, who was sub
altern in the plaintiffs regiment, and
who. being asked by Sir William TO do
what he could with Mrs. Arthur Will
son i'm regard to the baccarat scandal,
replied that he could not dlSbelieve his
own eyes, though he added that he
would gladly do anything for the sake
of Sir William Gordon-Cumming and
for the sake of the regiment
TO which they belonged. The
plaintiff : conduct" Sir Charles Russell
continued, ''at no stage of this distress
ing story. mas been the conduct of an
innocent and honorable Tan. No inno-
cent and honorable man would have
lain quiet under the charges made
against the plaintiff or signed the con-
fesSiOn which the plaintiff signed
Counsel for defendants then said that
the present action was brought only
when the plaintiff failed in his efforts
20 secure MS retirement on half pay
from the army. Continuing, Sir Charles
diiated upon the innocent character OF
the Tranby Croft card party and the
mild character of the baccarat games
PLAYED there in September last, saying:
"One of the satisfactory results OF this
case has been the dissipation of the abb
Surd aud prepoSterOuS notices which
have been formed in regard TO the oc-
currenceS at Tranby Croft"
At the request of Sir Charles Russell
models of the whist tables used each
night at Tranby Croft in playing Oacca-
rat Gin default of the regular baccIrat
tableS), with the position of the players
especially marked upon them, were pro-
duced. Sir Charles also caused the jury
To be shown photographs of the rooms
at Tranby Croft, where the now hiStori-
cal games of baccarat were played. The
iurvmen examined these exhibits with
a great deal OF care, asked questions
about the game, the tables, the positions
of the Layers, etc, and conferred with
each other upon several points which
were raised by the production OF the
exhibits. Sir Charles dwelt on the ir-
trleacieS Of the game, and explained TO
the jury that from the positions
which, as they could see from the
tables, the players occupied, it was ut
terly Impossible for the witnesses to be
mistaken as TO the cOudHct with which
Sir William Gordon Cumming was
charged.
1t was noticed that the Prince Of
Wales and Sir William Gordon Cum
ming followed Sir Charles RuSSellS
speech with great attention and deep
interest At times Sir Charles voice
rose TO a pitch of considerable force and
warmth. Especially was this the case
wheu the veteran iuriSt entered into
severe denunciatiOn of the plaintiff,
asking the jury pasSionate'y II the first
cry of an innocent man, charged with
cheating at cards would not DC, "Wberc
are my accuSerS? Bring them face 10
face 10 face with me-" Sir Charles
added that the plaintiffs action in sign
ing the document in which he prac-
tically admitted his guilt. was that OF Il
mau who was content to be stepped In
diShOnOr, and of man who was con
lent to be so regarded by his friends.
In describing the events which took
place in Mrs. Arthur Wilson's parlorS at
Tranby Croft, Sir Charles said that Mr..
Arthur Stanley Wilson Witnessed re-
peated acts of cheating upon the part OF
Sir William Gordon Cumming, aud that
when he (Mr. Wilson, turned to Mr..
Levett and whispered Cumming IS
cheating" the latter (Mr. Levett) re-
piled. "NonesenSe, YOU are mad. But,
added Sir Charles, MIR. Levett, after re-
cciving this communication, paid more
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