The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-06-24
INMORALlTY IN HIGH LIFE.

MOc1 mas OSSu SdlO aUOuG eue Aa
NOUS Baccarat trial, and as it came
near involving crown, it created
unusual interest. The following re-
sumo from the Darlington News so
well covers the ground that we give
it in full,-not so much as a matter
of news as for the moral lesson 1t
teaches:
The results attending the famous
ssbaccarat scandal developed in Lon
don last week promise to be so mo-
mentous that we deem it proper to
give our readers brief outline of this
celebrated case, Notwithstanding the
fact that it may not be strictly ssnews"
to some of those who read the daily
papers. In September, 1890, the
Prince of Wales, accompanied by a
number of his friends, among whom
was Sir William Gordon-Cumming,
lieutenant Colonel of the Scots
Guard, and one of the most widely
known society men in England, re-
paired to Tranby Croft, the beautiful
country home Of Mr.. Arthur Wilson,
where they had been invited to spend
the holiday known in England as
Doncaster week. The Prince OF
Wales, being a devoted lover of a
form of gambling known as ssbaccarat,
carried along with him on this occa-
sion, as he had been known to do be
fore when visiting at the country
houses of his friends, his own private
baccarat set, consisting of cards, chips
aud all the appliances for indulging
in the game which had so fascinated
royalty. Unusually gay was the par
Sy which assembled at Tranby Croft,
and the Princes fayorite pastime was
INDUCED in regularly every evening.
On the night OF September s, some
thing in the conduct Of Sir William
Gordon-Cumming led to the suspic-
ion that he was playing unfairly, so
that lie was carefully watched the fol-
lowing evening, when those present
became convinced that he was cheat
inc. He would have been immedl-
ately exposed, but the Prince OF Wales,
fearing the effects of the scandal that
would inevitably ensue, confronted
Cumming with the grave charge that
had been made against him, and, with
the assistance of others in the party,
prevailed upon him to sign paper
prepared by them, in which, as con-
dition of their keeping the affair an
invioable secret. Cummings promis-
el, on his part, never to play cards
again as long as he lived.
Whether or not, as has beenalleged,
t!se story subsequently leaked out
through the indiscretion of the Prince
of Wales, who is said to have confd-
ed it to, Lady Brooke, the fact re-
mains that it soon became generally
known, and Sir William, finding that
his character was being affected by
it, decided to bring suit for damages
against FIVE of the Wilson family, two
ladies and three men, who had been
Sinstrumental in urging him to sign
She fatal admission. The trial of the
ease was begun on Monday, June l.
the court room being daily crowded
with the most distinguished people
in England, among them being the
Prince of Wales, who appeared as 8
witness for the defence. The evi.
dence adduced was very damaging tc
the plaintiff, the gist Of the charge
made against him by those who testi.
fed being that after the result of s
deal was made known, he would fre
ouently be detected in the act of al
tering the amount of the stake which
he had put up. After protractec
trial, the jury rendered verdict fol
the defendants on June 9th, having
been absent from the court room on
" about fifteen minutes. This YER
dict was equivalent to their finding
that the charges against Sir William
were true.
The whole affair has placed thu
Prince of Wales in most unenvia
bic plight. While it was general.
known that he was man Of very
loose habits, the full light which i:
shed upon his daily life by all thu
Developments at the trial have
strongly aroused the indignation o
the English nation, and his propen
sity for card playing may cost thu
Prince his crown. The latest rumo
is to the effect that he will sbortl,,
renounce his rights to the succession
in favor of his eldest son, stor,
which does not seem so very improb
able when it is borne IN min(
that, on the death of his mother
he could be passed over for his Sol
by a special act of Parliment, Th'
monarchical form of government II
England has been gradually growing
in disfaYor with that large proper
ton of the population known a
the middle classes. The spotles
character of their present sovereign
however, has kept down this in
creasing prejudice to a considerable
degree. Should a protiigate ant
gambler be permitted to succeed hel
there is no telling what the resul
would be, or what would be tn
effect upon the worlds future his
tory.